Hollywood Westerns Lied To Us – Here’s The Truth About Doc Holliday And What Made Him Feared In The 1800s
Doc Holliday is known for his near unbeatable skills when it came to Wild West fights. That's why it may surprise you to find out that he was also a trilingual, award-winning dental surgeon who overcame a speech impediment.
His skills in the classroom later transferred to other illegal activities, which is how he ended up with such a wild reputation. All the while, Doc managed to live with tuberculosis for decades, leaving doctors dumbfounded. Find out what made Doc Holliday one of the most legendary cowboys in history.
When Doc Was A Newborn, His Father Was A Soldier
Doc was born to Alice and John Holliday in August of 1851. Before Doc's delivery, John left to serve in the Mexican-American War and would go on to fight in the Civil War.
Doc's family moved to Valdosta, Georgia in 1862 where they would become well-known among the residents. Alice sheltered Doc as best she could from the turbulence that the war caused nearby. Despite Doc's later reputation, he didn't get into fights as a child.
He Was Fluent In Three Languages As A Teen
You may not expect Doc Holliday to have been the best student, but he was actually excellent at overcoming challenges and absorbing information. Doc was born with a cleft palate and he had a speech impediment.
Doc's mother played a large role in his recovery, and the boy went on to become fluent in French, Latin, and Ancient Greek. After studying at Valdosta Institute, Doc went to the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery where he got his Doctor of Dental Surgery.
Tuberculosis Ran In Doc's Family
Doc was only 15-years-old when his mother passed from tuberculosis. Though his father, John, was devastated, he married another woman by the name of Rachel Martin three months later.
Not long after, tuberculosis also took the life of Doc's adoptive brother, Francisco. John eventually left the family to practice dentistry in other states, which may have explained Doc's career choice. Studying dental surgery helped Doc direct his attention elsewhere, especially when he discovered that he, too, had tuberculosis.
Doc Became An Award-Winning Dentist
After completing his dental education, Doc joined forces with his father's friend, Dr. John Seegar, in Dallas. Despite the fact Doc was told he only had months to live due to tuberculosis, he lived decades longer.
Doc's incredible resilience enabled him to become an award-winning dentist alongside his partner, Dr. Seegar. It also gave him time to develop another habit. When Doc's dental career slowed down, his illegal activity picked up. In 1874, he was kicked out of Dallas for his illegal habit.
He Developed A Relationship With "Big Nose Kate"
With the help of his cousin, George Holliday, Doc moved to Fort Griffin, Texas. The Dallas Weekly Herald falsely claimed that Doc died, which could have been a good thing if Doc had many enemies in the area.
However, it wasn't until he left Dallas that Doc started getting into notable fights. One companion he had was the famous Katharine "Big Nose Kate" Horony, who he met in Fort Griffin. Kate became Doc's only known romantic partner.
An Ill-Tempered Gentlemen
There was some controversy over who the real Doc Holliday was. Though he had a reputation for having an "ungovernable temper," many called Doc calm gentlemen. Whatever his disposition was, he certainly did run into trouble.
In 1877, Doc and fellow gambler Henry Kahn went to jail for their violent encounter. Doc was reportedly arrested 17 times, survived 5 ambushes, and managed to avoid 4 hangings. Mind you, he did all of this with tuberculosis. His seeming invincibility was part of what made Doc so famous.
Doc Teamed Up With Marshal Wyatt Earp
Doc became a revered figure of the Wild West, especially after telling a reporter that he "coughed up" his conscience along with his lungs years ago. Doc became even more feared when he teamed up with rogue lawman Wyatt Earp.
At the time they met, Wyatt was still a deputy U.S. marshal. Rumor has it that he was pursuing “Dirty” Dave Rudabaugh, an outlaw who gambled with Doc. On Doc's advise, Wyatt pursued Dave in Kansas, marking the start of an alliance.
At Their Second Run-In, Doc Saved Wyatt's Life
Legend has it that Doc and Wyatt's relationship solidified when they met again at a Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City. Doc was looking for a dentist's job in the area and stopped by the saloon with Big Nose Kate.
Wyatt happened to also be at the saloon and found himself being held at gunpoint by the notorious cowboy Tabo Driskell. Doc snuck up behind Tabo and placed his gun at the cowboy's temple, forcing him to let Wyatt go.
Moving To New Mexico And Reuniting With Earp
Doc's dentistry business started to sink in the 1870s, and he began refunding people for his poor service. Simultaneously, his illegal activity and fighting grew, earning Doc a reputation for being skilled with a weapon.
In 1878, Doc permanently stopped working in dentistry and moved to New Mexico in hopes the 22 hot springs would help heal his tuberculosis. He eventually built saloons in the area and reunited with Wyatt Earp when the marshal visited the town.
Doc Followed Earp To Arizona's Silver Boom
When Wyatt arrived in New Mexico in October 1879, he told Doc he was heading to Arizona for the silver boom. Doc hadn't had the best luck chasing ever gold in Dakota and Wyoming.
Despite having a history of ending up empty-handed, Doc headed to Arizona in 1880 to join Wyatt in the city of Tombstone. The country sheriff was passive when it came to Wyatt, but he became on edge once Doc came into the picture.
Being Falsely Accused Of Robbery
Less than a year after moving to Tombstone, Arizona, Doc ran into some trouble. After three cowboys robbed a stagecoach, rumors immediately spread that Doc was the mastermind behind the crime.
The nail in the coffin was when Doc's now-ex girlfriend, Big Nose Kate, claimed he did it. After Doc was arrested, Wyatt found witnesses to prove Doc's innocence. Kate ended up confessing that the county sheriff, Johnny Behan, pressured her into signing an accusation she didn't understand.
Rising Tensions With Ike Clanton
Doc was passing some time in Alhambra Saloon when things went south with Ike Clanton. The date was October 25, 1881, and before long, the two outlaws were in a heated argument.
The argument became so explosive that Doc challenged Ike to a duel. Fortunately, Ike wasn't armed at the time. But that didn't stop Ike from showing up at Doc's house the next morning and shouting threats. Ike was so loud that he woke up Doc and his reunited girlfriend, Kate.
It Got Even More Heated When Ike Went To Jail
Wyatt Earp and his brother came in to save the day, disarming Ike and taking him to jail. However, this only served to escalate the situation. Ike's brother and friends Frank and Tom McLaury picked him up from jail and set off to team up in a full-blown battle.
On Doc's side were Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp. The men partook in a rapid battle that only lasted 30 seconds. In just half a minute, they fired 30 bullets.
Doc And Wyatt Emerged As The Victors
Ike's brother, Billy, died in the battle, along with the McLaury brothers who were defending Ike. Rumor has it that Doc was the one who shot all of them. Meanwhile, Doc's entire crew survived the battle.
The survivors did receive wounds, and Ike got away, but they still were the winners of one of the most famous battles in Wild West history. The encounter was depicted in various shows and films since and is known as the fight at the O.K. Corral.
Out For Vengence
Virgil Earp's wounds left him crippled for the rest of his life, so Wyatt became his protector. Sadly, he couldn't do the same for Morgan Earp, who died in an ambush. Doc and Wyatt agreed to avenge Morgan after the justicial system failed to provide them the justice they felt they deserved.
Wyatt deputized Doc and Virgil joined them to find one of the cowboys they believed played a part in Morgan's ambush. They found the man, Frank Stilwell, on a train and Virgil took his life.
Another Cowboy Fight
After Virgil took Frank's life, the sheriff placed a warrant for the group's arrest. That didn't stop the posse from going to Iron Springs to attack eight cowboys. At least three of the cowboys died.
However, everyone on Doc's side was unharmed, save for a wounded horse. The comrades knew that it was time to flee the state or end up in jail. They headed east towards Colorado, but the trip proved to be a bumpy one.
Wyatt And Doc Got Into A Fight
After all that Doc and Wyatt had been through together, you'd think they had an unbreakable bond. After all, they did save one another's lives. However, the intensity of the situation worn them both down, and the partners found themselves fighting by the time they got to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The argument was so damaging that Earp decided to stay in the state while Doc continued to Colorado alone. Unfortunately for him, he was arrested the moment he entered Denver.
Wyatt Came To Doc's Rescue Once Again
Though Wyatt and Doc hadn't left off on the best of terms, they were still friends. Wyatt proved that he still valued Doc's wellbeing when he caught wind of Doc's charges and immediately contacted his friend, Colorado Chief of Police Bat Masterson.
Officer Masterson proceeded to take Doc to Pueblo, Colorado, where the criminal was released on bond. Wyatt and Doc reunited in Gunnison, Colorado, but this would be one of the last times they got to see each other.
The Mysterious Link Between Doc And Johnny Ringo's Death
Doc Holliday had many enemies he developed over the course of his life, and one of them was Johnny Ringo. In July of 1882, Johnny mysteriously turned up dead and was found in a tree.
Though Johnny's death was said to be self-inflicted, it's rumored that Wyatt and Doc did it. Wyatt's third wife backed these claims, but there's no evidence. Plus, Doc had a warrant in Arizona, so it's unlikely he'd risk going back.
Doc Didn't Die The Way He Thought He Would
Nearly two decades after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, the disease finally claimed Doc's life. Though the gunslinger had made it through so many fights, his body eventually wore out.
Still, Doc entered the saloons of Colorado and continued to get into mishaps until he was bedridden. His long-time love, Big Nose Kate, was by Doc's side in his last moments, during which he famously looked at his bare feet and said "That's funny." The cowboy thought he'd be wearing boots when he passed.
One Of The Most Famous Figures Of The Wild West
Doc Holiday died in November 1887 at the age of 36. His obituary appeared in the Denver Republican and read, "Few men have been better known to a certain class of sporting people, and few men of his character had more friends or stronger champions."
Wyatt fondly remembered Doc as a "loyal friend and good company." Well over a century later, Doc is one of the most well-known figures from the Wild West, largely thanks to the many films, books, and songs about him.
