George W. Parsons
Encyclopedia
George Whitwell Parsons (August 26, 1850 - January 5, 1933) was a licensed attorney
turned banker during the 19th century Old West. He is remembered due to his having kept an accurate diary
of his days in the west, which gave detailed accounts of his interaction with Old West notables such as Wyatt Earp
and "Curly Bill" Brocius
.
, and raised to practice law in his fathers law firm. However, he became disillusioned with that field of work, and for a time he worked as a salvage
r in Florida
, salvaging shipwreck
s, beginning around 1874. After a near death experience while working in Cape Sable
, during a hurricane, Parsons decided to find another line of work, and moved to California
, where he worked as a bank clerk for three years in Los Angeles
, starting in 1876. He then began working for the National Gold Bank & Trust Co., but when the bank closed down in 1880 he found himself out of work, and moved with Milton Clapp to the boomtown
of Tombstone, Arizona
, where he became associated with John Clum
, who was mayor
as well as editor
of the The Tombstone Epitaph.
He began keeping a diary in 1869 following the death of his mother, an event he noted on its anniversary every year. However, it was the events he was witness to in Tombstone which made the diaries interesting to researchers. He became a member of the "Committee of Vigilance
" in Tombstone, an organization of local citizens who supported law and order. His role brought him into regular contact with lawmen Fred White, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp
, Johnny Behan
, and Morgan Earp
. He also knew Ike Clanton
, "Curly Bill" Brocius, Johnny Ringo
and others of note. For the next seven years Parsons would keep daily records of his day, and detailed what happened leading up to, during, and after the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
.
His diary would later give valuable insight into the personalities of the characters involved in those events, all of which have since become famous or infamous. He also documented and described other events of note, to include the grand opening of the Oriental Saloon, which would become famous in Old West history. He became friends with Reverend Endicott Peabody
during his six months of residence in Tombstone during early 1882, and when Parsons learned the Reverend was a pretty good boxer, arranged a match between him and the Methodist minister, Joseph P. “Mac” McIntyre. Endicott won.
Parsons was, in 1885, the first librarian
for the Tombstone Library, and in 1887 he left Tombstone, which by that time was on the decline. Parsons stopped writing in his diary in 1929. Editor Carl Chafin later spent several years researching the diary, and later published the portions covering 1879 to 1887. Parts of the diary was donated to the Arizona Pioneers Historical Society during the 1930s, after Parsons death. Parsons died in Los Angeles, and was buried in "Evergreen Cemetery". His diaries can still be found, most notably in the book A Tenderfoot in Tombstone, the Private Journal of George Whitwell Parsons: The Turbulent Years, 1880-82, author
ed by Lynn R. Bailey.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
turned banker during the 19th century Old West. He is remembered due to his having kept an accurate diary
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
of his days in the west, which gave detailed accounts of his interaction with Old West notables such as Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
and "Curly Bill" Brocius
William Brocius
William "Curly Bill" Brocius was a gunman, rustler and an outlaw Cowboy in the Cochise County area of Arizona Territory during the early 1880s. He had a number of conflicts with the lawmen of the Earp family, and he was named as one of the individuals who participated Morgan Earp's assassination....
.
Biography
Parsons was born in Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and raised to practice law in his fathers law firm. However, he became disillusioned with that field of work, and for a time he worked as a salvage
Marine salvage
Marine salvage is the process of rescuing a ship, its cargo, or other property from peril. Salvage encompasses rescue towing, refloating a sunken or grounded vessel, or patching or repairing a ship...
r in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, salvaging shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
s, beginning around 1874. After a near death experience while working in Cape Sable
Cape Sable
Cape Sable, Florida is the southernmost point of the US mainland and mainland Florida. It is located in southwestern Florida, in Monroe County, and is part of the Everglades National Park. The cape is a peninsula issuing from the southeastern part of the Florida mainland, running west and curving...
, during a hurricane, Parsons decided to find another line of work, and moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he worked as a bank clerk for three years in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, starting in 1876. He then began working for the National Gold Bank & Trust Co., but when the bank closed down in 1880 he found himself out of work, and moved with Milton Clapp to the boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
of Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It was one of the last wide-open frontier boomtowns in the American Old West. From about 1877 to 1890, the town's mines produced USD $40 to $85 million...
, where he became associated with John Clum
John Clum
John Philip Clum was an Indian agent for the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in the Arizona Territory. He implemented a limited form of self-government on the reservation that was so successful that other reservations were closed and their residents moved to San Carlos. Clum later became the...
, who was mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
as well as editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
of the The Tombstone Epitaph.
He began keeping a diary in 1869 following the death of his mother, an event he noted on its anniversary every year. However, it was the events he was witness to in Tombstone which made the diaries interesting to researchers. He became a member of the "Committee of Vigilance
Vigilance committee
A vigilance committee was a group formed of private citizens to administer law and order where they considered governmental structures to be inadequate. The term is commonly associated with the frontier areas of the American West in the mid-19th century, where groups attacked cattle rustlers and...
" in Tombstone, an organization of local citizens who supported law and order. His role brought him into regular contact with lawmen Fred White, Wyatt Earp, Virgil Earp
Virgil Earp
Virgil Walter Earp fought in the Civil War. He was U.S. Deputy Marshal for south-eastern Arizona and Tombstone City Marshal at the time of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in the Arizona Territory. Two months after the shootout in Tombstone, outlaw Cowboys ambushed Virgil on the streets of...
, Johnny Behan
Johnny Behan
John Harris Behan was from April, 1881 to November, 1882 sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona Territory. Behan was appointed the first sheriff of the newly-created county in February, 1881. The mining boomtown of Tombstone was the new county seat and Behan's headquarters...
, and Morgan Earp
Morgan Earp
Morgan Seth Earp was the younger brother of Deputy U.S. Marshals Virgil and Wyatt Earp. Morgan was a deputy of Virgil's and all three men were the target of repeated death threats made by outlaw Cowboys who were upset by the Earps' interference in their illegal activities. This conflict eventually...
. He also knew Ike Clanton
Ike Clanton
Joseph Isaac Clanton was born in Callaway County, Missouri. He is best known for being a member of group of outlaw Cowboys that had ongoing conflicts with lawmen Wyatt, Virgil, Morgan Earp and Wyatt's friend Doc Holliday. The Clantons repeatedly threatened the Earps because they interfered with...
, "Curly Bill" Brocius, Johnny Ringo
Johnny Ringo
John Peters "Johnny" Ringo was an outlaw Cowboy of the American Old West who was affiliated with Ike Clanton and Frank Stilwell in Cochise County, Arizona Territory during 1881-1882.-Early life:...
and others of note. For the next seven years Parsons would keep daily records of his day, and detailed what happened leading up to, during, and after the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
The Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a roughly 30-second gunfight that took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona Territory, of the United States. Outlaw Cowboys Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne ran from the fight, unharmed, but Ike's brother...
.
His diary would later give valuable insight into the personalities of the characters involved in those events, all of which have since become famous or infamous. He also documented and described other events of note, to include the grand opening of the Oriental Saloon, which would become famous in Old West history. He became friends with Reverend Endicott Peabody
Endicott Peabody
Endicott "Chub" Peabody was the 62nd Governor of Massachusetts from January 3, 1963 to January 7, 1965.-Early life:...
during his six months of residence in Tombstone during early 1882, and when Parsons learned the Reverend was a pretty good boxer, arranged a match between him and the Methodist minister, Joseph P. “Mac” McIntyre. Endicott won.
Parsons was, in 1885, the first librarian
Librarian
A librarian is an information professional trained in library and information science, which is the organization and management of information services or materials for those with information needs...
for the Tombstone Library, and in 1887 he left Tombstone, which by that time was on the decline. Parsons stopped writing in his diary in 1929. Editor Carl Chafin later spent several years researching the diary, and later published the portions covering 1879 to 1887. Parts of the diary was donated to the Arizona Pioneers Historical Society during the 1930s, after Parsons death. Parsons died in Los Angeles, and was buried in "Evergreen Cemetery". His diaries can still be found, most notably in the book A Tenderfoot in Tombstone, the Private Journal of George Whitwell Parsons: The Turbulent Years, 1880-82, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
ed by Lynn R. Bailey.
Additional reading
- Carl Chafin, Editor
- Portion, George Parsons Diary
- Tombstone Times
- George W. Parsons on the Oriental Saloon
- Old West History
- Dedication to George W. Parsons