Family trees and old west outlaws- Tom Horn

Updated.

I have been fascinated with genealogy and my family tree for several years and every so often I have come across a colorful ancestor or two.  One such character was Tom Horn, an authentic old west outlaw (1860-1903).  He wasn’t a true blood relative but became a branch in my tree through his younger sister Mary “Maud” Ambrosian Horn (1869-1968), who married a distant uncle of mine.

Tom was one of 11 children and was born in Missouri, USA.  He ran away from home at the age of 14 to escape his father’s beatings and cruel punishments.  He ended up doing a variety of occupations, working for a railroad in Kansas, a driver for Overland Mail in Sante Fe, where he became proficient using a rifle, a wrangler in Arizona, an interpreter and scout with the army in dealing with Apaches, a job as a detective for the Pinkerton Agency in Colorado, hunting down cattle rustlers, to name a few of his many jobs.  It was told that he craved excitement and didn’t like to stay in one place.  He spoke several languages fluently, English, German, Spanish and several Native American dialects.

Tom never married but had a long time girlfriend, Glendoline Myrtle Kimmell (June 21, 1879 to Sept 12, 1949). She was born in St. Louis, Missouri and died in Long Beach, California. She never married or had any children and spent her later years living with her mother who was widowed at the age of 38..

He was eventually hung for the killing of a 14 year old boy but there was always some doubt as to the real facts surrounding that event.  He always claimed his innocence.

When reading of the ‘Wild West’ Tom Horn was very much a man of those times.  He was a cowboy, gun for hire, cattle rancher, miner, drifter, and his life story makes for a fascinating read:  <http://www.historynet.com/tom-horn-misunderstood-misfit.htm&gt;