Frank Stewart
The above photo was taken of Stewart in 1930. Despite its very poor condition, it is the only known photo of Stewart.
Frank Stewart, whose birth name was John W. Green, was born on Oct. 23, 1852 in New York City. He claimed that after his mother died of tuberculosis in 1867, and after he himself acquired the disease, his father and he left New York for the west. For the next few years, father and son worked as cowboys in Kansas, until Stewart's father was allegedly killed by Cheyennes in 1870. Following the death of his father, Stewart became a wanderer and trail driver, hooking up with fellow cowboy Charlie Siringo somewhere along the way. Together, they drove a herd of cattle to the LX Ranch near Tascosa, Texas in 1876. After wandering around the southwest for a few more years, Stewart returned to the LX in 1880 and there acquired a job as a "cattle detective," retrieving stolen cattle and pursuing the thieves who stole them. In the fall of 1880, Stewart was sent into New Mexico Territory with four other men to try to locate some stolen livestock. While in New Mexico, Stewart discovered that the animals had been stolen by Billy the Kid and his gang, the Rustlers. Stewart returned to Tascosa with this information, only to be sent out again under orders to put a stop to the rustling activities. In Dec. 1880, Stewart was approached by deputy U. S. marshal and sheriff-elect Pat Garrett, who suggested the two join forces in their pursuit of the outlaws. Stewart agreed and, soon after, he and Garrett were joined by half a dozen more Texas cowboys. On Dec. 19, the posse shot and killed Rustler Tom O'Folliard from ambush at Fort Sumner. A few days later, they tracked the rest of the gang to a deserted rock house at an area known as Stinking Springs. Once again, an ambush was set, with Rustler Charlie Bowdre being killed this time. The rest of the gang, Billy the Kid, Dave Rudabaugh, Billy Wilson, and Tom Pickett, surrendered shortly thereafter. When Garrett and Stewart took their prisoners to Santa Fe, they were presented with $500 from the greatful townsfolk. Garrett and Stewart split the $500 evenly between them. Afterwards, Stewart returned to Texas, where he either quit or was fired from his job as cattle detective. For the next few years, he drifted around the southwest once again, until, in 1887, he was arrested on a charge of cattle theft near Liberty, New Mexico. Stewart posted bond and quickly thereafter fled the area, disappearing for the next several years. He reappeared in 1916, when he settled in Raton, New Mexico. He died there on May 11, 1935.
