Biography
William Harrison Clanton
1862-1881
William Harrison "Billy" Clanton was born in Hamilton County Texas in 1862.
In late 1880, in Charelston, Billy Clanton is found to be riding the stolen
horse of Wyatt Earp. The horse was returned
to Wyatt by Clanton, and Wyatt did not pursue any actions against him for
having his stolen horse.
Billy and his brother, Ike Clanton were ranchers who also rustled stolen
cattle and were part of the now infamous
"cowboy" gang that held many Tombstone residents in fear. On the day of the
shoot-out at the O.K. Corral,
Billy wanted to get Ike and go home, not really wanting to mix it up with
Wyatt, Doc, Virgil and Morgan.
Ike had told everyone who would listen all night and morning that He was
going to kill the Earps and Holliday
on sight. At 19, Billy was simply born into the wrong family. He was young
but was influenced by Ike, his
father, "Old Man" Clanton, who was a rustler of stolen cattle and the friends
that Ike kept such as Johnny
Ringo and Curley Bill Brocius. He arrived in town that fateful day with rancher/rustler
Frank McLaury.
Billy stayed and fought it out bravely with the Earps and Holliday. Ike,
who had basically started the fight
by running his mouth off, ran away and left young Billy to die at the hands
of Doc Holliday and Morgan Earp.
