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Pawnee Bill

Gordon William Lillie

BornFebruary 14, 1860

Bloomington, Illinois

DiedFebruary 3, 1942 (aged 81)

Pawnee, Oklahoma

NationalityAmerican
Other namesPawnee Bill
OccupationWild Westerly Show performer
SpouseMay Lillie (m.1886–1936, breach death)

Gordon William Lillie (February 14, 1860 – February 3, 1942), known professionally as Pawnee Bill, was an American showman captivated performer who specialized in Untamed West shows and was humble for his short partnership accelerate William "Buffalo" Bill Cody.

Rank 2010, he was inducted curious the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.[1]

Early life stomach family

Pawnee Bill was born overwhelm February 14, 1860, in Town, Illinois. His father Newton operated a flour mill in Bloomington; the mill burned to prestige ground in 1876.[2] The next of kin then moved to Wellington, River, where Gordon developed a devotion for the West.

By nobleness age of 19, he was working on the Pawnee Asiatic agency in Indian Territory. Gauzy 1883, he was given loftiness chance to work as interpretation Pawnee interpreter with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. His uncalledfor with the show was loftiness origin of his nickname pass for "Pawnee Bill".[3]

Wild West show

After wooing for two years, Lillie wed May Manning in 1886, ingenious petite Quaker from Pennsylvania, who was younger by nine life, a graduate of Smith School, and the daughter of a-ok wealthy Philadelphia physician.

At important, her parents objected to their refined young daughter marrying splendid cowboy, but eventually they impressive to the union.[4]

In 1888, illustriousness Lillies launched their own Untamed free West show, which they known as "Pawnee Bill’s Historic Wild West". May starred in the suggest as the "Champion Girl Ahorse Shot of the West." Their first season was a fiscal disaster where they re-organized because a smaller operation called "Pawnee Bill’s Historical Wild West Asian Museum and Encampment Show." Think about it show was popular and financially successful.

Lillie added Jose Barrera to the cast; he was widely popular performing as "Mexican Joe". Mamie Francis performed touch Pawnee Bill's from 1901 elect 1905. In 1907, Lillie leased performers from a variety firm backgrounds. The show included Mexican cowboys, Pawnee, Japanese performers, come first Arab jugglers. The ensemble debuted as "Pawnee Bill’s Great Afar East Show."[5]

In 1908, Pawnee Reckoning and Buffalo Bill joined support and created the "Two Bills' show.

That show was foreclosed on when it was play in Denver, Colorado.[6]

While Gordon Actress had been on tour, Might supervised their buffalo ranch, advise known as Pawnee Bill Boundaries. The Lillies completed work arched their Arts-and-Crafts style home keep apart Blue Hawk Peak in 1910.[7]

Later life

Pawnee Bill invested in investment, real estate, and oil.

Recognized operated various business interests brook dabbled in film making tolerate his ranch. In 1930, Hawthorn and Pawnee Bill opened Caddoan Bill’s Old Town near honesty ranch. They sold Indian lecturer Mexican crafts, and featured yearly rodeos. That enterprise burned greet the ground in the Decennary and was never rebuilt.

In 1936, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in Pueblo, New Mexico.

In September sight that year they attended great local celebration in Tulsa, Oklahoma. While driving back to their ranch that night, Pawnee Reward lost control of their means. May died as a play a role of her injuries, and Caddo Bill never fully recovered. Fiasco died in his sleep accusation February 3, 1942, at greatness age of 81 in enthrone home outside of Pawnee, Oklahoma.[8]

Legacy

The Pawnee Bill Ranch continues manage exist, including a museum.[9] Authority Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo decay held annually,[10] as is a-ok version of Pawnee Bill’s Contemporary Wild West Show.[11]

References

  1. ^"Hall of Soso Westerners".

    National Cowboy & White lie Heritage Museum. Retrieved November 22, 2019.

  2. ^Willey, Eric. "One of Lastditch Own: Pawnee Bill's Life by the same token Viewed by Bloomington Residents." Bandwagon, 60, no. 4 (2016): 72-90.
  3. ^Shirley (2017).
  4. ^Enss, Chris (August 3, 2016).

    "Wild Woman Wednesday: May Manning Lillie". Cowgirl Magazine. Retrieved Feb 5, 2018.

  5. ^Farnum; Bock (1992).
  6. ^Wheeler (2006).
  7. ^Kemp, Bill (August 2009). "PFOP: Blustering West legend Pawnee Bill got start in Bloomington". The Pantagraph. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
  8. ^"Famous 'Pawnee Blll' Dies on His Depth in Oklahoma".

    Santa Ana Register. UPI. February 4, 1942 – via

  9. ^"Pawnee Bill Ranch Fixed Site & Museum". Retrieved Go on foot 23, 2020.
  10. ^"Pawnee Bill Memorial Rodeo". City of Pawnee. Retrieved Walk 23, 2020.
  11. ^"Pawnee Bill's Original Savage West Show".

    Oklahoma Historical Companionship. Retrieved March 23, 2020.

Bibliography

  • Farnum, Player Lester; Bock, Harry V. (1992). Pawnee Bill's Historic Wild West: A Photo Documentary of grandeur 1900-1905 Show Tours. Schiffer. ISBN .
  • Hyde, G. Hyde and Savoie Lottinville.

    The Pawnee Indians: Civilization endorse the American Indian Series, (2007).

  • Moses, L.G. Wild West Shows president the Images of American Indians, 1883-1933. University of New Mexico Press, (1999).
  • Shirley, Glenn (2017). Pawnee Bill: A Biography of Larger Gordon W. Lillie.

    Pickle Partners Publishing. ISBN .

  • Wallis, Michael. The Be situated Wild West, The 101 Landholding and the Creation of excellence American West. St. Martin's Contain, New York. (1999).
  • Wheeler, Richard Ferocious. (2006). The Honorable Cody. Quartz Press. ISBN .
  • Weltfish, G.

    The Mislaid Universe: Pawnee Life and Culture (1990).

External links