b'OLD MAN CLANTON ANDHIS INFAMOUS COWBOYSBy Bill Roberts Reprinted from The TravelerN ewman Haynes Clanton was born in Tennessee in 1816. He was gunned down in Guadalupe Canyon in Animas Valley, on the boot heel of New Mexico, in 1881. Despite being only 65, Clanton had earned the nickname of Old Man Clanton and a reputation as the patriarch of the border rustlers known as The Cowboys. It was a reputationmuch deserved.Newman married Mariah Sexton Kelso in Callaway County, Missouri in 1840. The couple had five sons and two daughters. Whether it was the sons who attracted young gunslinging rustlers to the Clanton ranch near Tombstone or Newmans own approach to life is debatable, but attracted they were, earning Old Man Clanton the reputation of being the father of the notorious Cowboys of the Tombstone area.Newman Haynes Old Man ClantonYoung Billy Clanton wrote the name ClantonNewman Clanton did what many Confederate Armyranch was born. That was the year of the famed silver permanently into the annals of Western history whenveterans did, he moved west looking for an opportunitystrike that created Tombstone. Thousands of people were he found himself involved in the deadly conflict withfor himself and his family. The South was ravaged andmoving into the new boomtown mining camp.Wyatt Earp, his brothers and Doc Holiday near thereconstruction was restrictive. In 1865, the Clanton OK Corral in Tombstone on October 26, 1881. Thatfamily arrived at Ft. Bowie, Arizona Territory. Newman Builds Cattle Empire gunght has become the most famous in WesternThe boom times in Tombstone brought an increasing history and a million words have been written about it.A Visionary Pioneer demand for meat. Newman Clanton saw that by rustling Each time, the name Clanton is etched a little deeperFor an ambitious man who sought opportunity the infantcattle across the border in Mexico and bringing them to into Western lore, as are the names of the Cowboys whoTerritory of Arizona, but two years old at the time offeredhis ranch he could supply towns, mining camps, meat rode with Old Man Clanton. abundance. Newman Clanton had no trouble seeing themarkets and others in New Mexico and Arizona. He opportunities in the virgin territory, but he saw morealready had a built-in gang, Ike, Phin, and Billy who Rancher, Businessman, Promoter in California. After a year near primitive Ft. Bowie, hewould follow their father faithfully into any venture, Newman Clanton was much more than the patriarch ofheaded for San Buena Ventura, California. On the trip,larcenous or not.the rustlers and gunslingers known in the border area asNewmans wife Mariah died leaving behind four boys the Cowboys in the Tombstone region of the early 1880s.and two girls to raise. From Ventura, Newman moved hisThe liberal policies of Old Man Clanton and the He was a 49er or close. In 1850, Newman left his wifefamily to a nearby place now known as Port Hueneme. know-how he had given his boys soon attracted many and their three sons, John, Phineas and Ike in Callawaygood and not so good ranch hands to ride with him. County, Missouri and made his way across the countryPerhaps this experience in the rapidly growing coastalAmong them were wild gunslingers like Johnny Ringo to the goldelds of northern California. He was gone forregion of California caused Newman to think again ofand Curley Bill Brocious. There were also outlaw about a year and apparently did not have much luck inthe virgin territory and all of its possibilities. In 1873,wannabees like Peter Spencer, Pony Diehl, Billy Byers, his search for gold. Clanton packed his family back to Arizona Territory andDixie Lee Gray, Jim Crane, Charlie Snow, and the formed his own town called Clantonville on the GilaMcNary brothers. Most of these men were among those On his return, he packed up his family and headed forRiver near Camp Goodwin. Clantonville was to be a farmknown as The Clanton Gang, in the Tombstone area of Adams County, Illinois, where his rst daughter, Mary,community and during the next four years, the Clantonthe day. The McNary brothers died with Billy Clanton at was born. Then in 1853, he moved the family to Texasfamily farmed the land to set an example for settlers thatthe OK Corral in October 1881 at the hands of the Earps settling in the Dallas area. His second daughter, Ester, orClantonville was the place to settle. It didnt work. and Doc Holliday.Betsie was born about a year later. In 1877 Newman gave up on Clantonville. His oldestOld Man KilledFights for South son John took his wife and headed back to California.Some of Newmans wranglers were riding with him The Civil War broke out and Newman and his oldestNewman and his three other boys moved to a place onand some werent on August 13, 1881, while driving son John enlisted in a company of home guards attachedthe San Pedro River, upriver from the town of Charleston,100 head of beef to Tombstone for sale. The wranglers to the Confederate Army for a year in 1861, then re- Arizona Territory. The Clanton place was near Lewiscamped in Guadalupe Canyon in Animas Valley,enlisted in Waco in 1862. That same year Billy ClantonSprings, about ve miles south of Charleston. NewmanNew Mexico, just above the Mexican border andwas born at the Dallas place. When the war ended,and his sons built a big adobe house and the Clanton continued on page 2018 September 2019'