Stories From Beyond The Grave: A Look Inside Boothill Cemetery

History of Boothill

On a rocky hill named Boothill, men and women of a once bustling mining town were laid to rest. Grave stones carry the names and legacies of people who once inhabited Tombstone. During the years 1879 through 1884, roughly 300 people were buried there. This cemetery is one of the many ways we remember life in the American Wild West.

21 of the people buried in Boothill died from accidents, 8 were lynched by law enforcement, 2 were hanged by mobs, 2 died from childbirth, 52 were murdered, 5 committed suicide, and 21 people died from disease. Here are 3 stories of souls who rest in Tombstone, Arizona.

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Fred White

Fred White was the sheriff of Tombstone, Arizona, from 1879 to 1880. Fred White served as Tombstone law enforcement for 5 years before meeting his demise at the end of a gun.  On October 30th, 1880, a group of 5 outlaws supposedly began shooting up the town. When approached by Fred White, a shot was fired as the sheriff grabbed the barrel of the gun, hitting him point-blank.

The suspect was taken into custody shortly after by famous lawman Wyatt Earp and two of his brothers. On his deathbed, the sheriff claimed it was an accidental firing, causing the suspect to be discharged. This made no difference to the brothers, and he was later found and killed by Wyatt Earp and his posse. Today, Fred White rests in Boothill Cemetery, alongside many other forgotten souls.

READ: The Complex Legacy Of Sheriff John Slaughter Of Cochise County

Dutch Annie

Dutch Annie was known as the "Queen of the red-light district" by many people across southern Arizona. Like most other people in her profession, her real name is unknown. Some may assume that because of how she made her living, she must have been cruel. That isn't true, as many sources claim she was a kind and generous soul. She frequently gave money to struggling miners and orphans. Due to the donations she gave to her community, she was well respected by the people of Tombstone.

In 1883, she passed away due to unknown reasons. Her funeral procession was one of the largest ever recorded in Tombstone. Upon her death, over 1000 citizens of Tombstone from every walk of life joined up and walked alongside her hearse to the cemetery. Today, you can find her tombstone in the Boot Hill Cemetery.

Billy Clayborne

Billy Clayborne was considered to be one of the "youngest cowboys" in Tombstone. He was born in Mississippi, but moved to Tombstone at a young age to be a miner. He quickly fell in with the Clanton Gang, and after the death of Billy the Kid in New Mexico, he demanded that the name be given to him. He also claimed to have killed 3 men who laughed at that demand, although newspaper articles show he actually only killed one.

"Billy the Kid" was enlisted to confront the Earp Brothers during the shootout at the OK Corral. He thought himself to be a good gunfighter, but when the time came, he claimed to be unarmed and ran from the scene. After that, his reputation was ruined. He survived the gunfight at the Ok Corral, but was shot a year later after challenging Frank Leslie to a gunfight over Frank refusing to call him "Billy the Kid." Frank shot Billy once and left him in the street, where he died 6 hours later.  He was only 22 years old when they buried him at Boothill.To this day, Billy Clayborne is known as "the coward of Tombstone."

RELATED: How Ed Shefflin Discovered Silver And Founded Tombstone

While you are unable to visit the original cemetery, a lot of the headstones were moved to a secondary location that is open to the public. You can visit Boot Hill Graveyard, see the graves, and remember that Tombstone was more than just a name.

CONTINUE READING: Cochise County's Wild West Stories