Jack Gordon (Peter Worthington)
Encyclopedia
Jack Gordon original name, Peter Worthington, renegade
, outlaw
, in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Later moving to California he became a member of the Mason Henry Gang
.
Peter Worthington a son of a well known Virginia family, who at the age of 17 killed a man and left home, changing his name. He went to Texas
and New Mexico Territory
, where he became known as a white renegade, "Apache Jack" Gordon, who lived with the Chiricahua Apache for several years. He was said to have shot and wounded Captain Enoch Steen
during an encounter between Apaches under Mangas Coloradas
and Steen's detachment of Company H, U.S. 1st Dragoons at the Santa Rita Copper Mines on August 16, 1849. Jack was also known as a gunfighter, who murdered, robbed, rustled cattle as well as doing some legitimate work. It was said he was a smart man that kept his dealings quiet but would shoot to kill upon the slightest provocation.
By the 1860's Jack was in California, living near Tulare Lake
and lived with and may have 'married' an Indian woman there. He found a lost female Indian child named Chescott and she lived with him in Tailholt
, Tulare County, until his death. In 1864, he joined the Mason-Henry Gang. However he fell out with his business partner Samuel Groupie over a hog raising enterprise. In an ensuing gunfight, Samuel was wounded but survived and was later cleared of murder. Jack was also wounded fatally and while dying arranged to have Chescott live with the Levi Mitchell family and gave his entire estate to her. Jack then died several hours later on December 14, 1864. He was buried on the side of a hill in the Tailholt Boot Hill Cemetery, near White River, Tulare County, California. Chescot is buried near him.
Renegade
- Games :*Command & Conquer: Renegade, a 2002 first-person shooter video game*Renegade , a 1986 video game*Renegade Legion, a 1990 board game series including the video game Renegade: the Battle for Jacob's Star...
, outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
, in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Later moving to California he became a member of the Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang
Mason Henry Gang 1864-1865, a bandit gang that posed as Confederate partisan rangers but acted as outlaws, committing robberies, thefts and murders in the southern San Joaquin Valley, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, Santa Clara County, and in counties of Southern California.- Mason and Henry as...
.
Peter Worthington a son of a well known Virginia family, who at the age of 17 killed a man and left home, changing his name. He went to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and New Mexico Territory
New Mexico Territory
thumb|right|240px|Proposed boundaries for State of New Mexico, 1850The Territory of New Mexico was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 6, 1912, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of...
, where he became known as a white renegade, "Apache Jack" Gordon, who lived with the Chiricahua Apache for several years. He was said to have shot and wounded Captain Enoch Steen
Enoch Steen
Enoch Steen was an United States military officer and western explorer. He joined the United States Army in 1832, serving at posts throughout the United States including many remote locations in the west. During his military service, Steen explored parts of the western United States including...
during an encounter between Apaches under Mangas Coloradas
Mangas Coloradas
Mangas Coloradas, or Dasoda-hae , was an Apache tribal chief and a member of the Eastern Chiricahua nation, whose homeland stretched west from the Rio Grande to include most of what is present-day southwestern New Mexico...
and Steen's detachment of Company H, U.S. 1st Dragoons at the Santa Rita Copper Mines on August 16, 1849. Jack was also known as a gunfighter, who murdered, robbed, rustled cattle as well as doing some legitimate work. It was said he was a smart man that kept his dealings quiet but would shoot to kill upon the slightest provocation.
By the 1860's Jack was in California, living near Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake
Tulare Lake, named Laguna de Tache by the Spanish, is a fresh-water dry lake with residual wetlands and marshes in southern San Joaquin Valley, California...
and lived with and may have 'married' an Indian woman there. He found a lost female Indian child named Chescott and she lived with him in Tailholt
White River, California
White River is a little village in Tulare County, ten miles east of Delano, California, United States. It was founded as a gold camp in 1856, during the Kern River Gold Rush. It was first located on the Coarse Gold Gulch two miles east of the present site and was called Dogtown.When the first road...
, Tulare County, until his death. In 1864, he joined the Mason-Henry Gang. However he fell out with his business partner Samuel Groupie over a hog raising enterprise. In an ensuing gunfight, Samuel was wounded but survived and was later cleared of murder. Jack was also wounded fatally and while dying arranged to have Chescott live with the Levi Mitchell family and gave his entire estate to her. Jack then died several hours later on December 14, 1864. He was buried on the side of a hill in the Tailholt Boot Hill Cemetery, near White River, Tulare County, California. Chescot is buried near him.