William
Frederick Cody also known as "Buffalo Bill" was born February 26, 1846
in Le Claire, Iowa. He obtained his nickname when he was working to
supply Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo meat. William's
father was a staunch supporter of anti-slavery. While giving a speech
at a local trading post he was attacked by a mob of slavery supporters
and was stabbed. He never completely recovered and died in 1857 due to
complications of his wound. The Cody family suffered great financial
difficulties after the father's death. At age 11 William took a job
with a freight carrier delivering messages. By the time he was 14 Cody
joined the Pony Express. On March 6, 1866 Buffalo Bill married Louisa
Frederici. Although the marriage was an unhappy one it produced four
children, two of whom died young.
It
was the age of
traveling entertainment and in 1883 Cody put together a show called
"Buffalo Bill's Wild West," which was an annual circus-like attraction.
Well-known personalities such as Annie Oakley and Sitting Bull appeared
in the shows along with horseback riders from all over the world
displaying their ornate costumes. There were shooting exhibitions,
feats of skill, staged races, and sideshows. Buffalo Bill Cody was one
of the most revered and colorful figures of the Old West. He received
the Medal of Honor in 1872 while serving as a civilian scout for the
3rd Cavalry Regiment. On January 10, 1917 Cody died of kidney failure.
His grave is located on Lookout Mountain in Colorado, at the edge of
the Rockies overlooking the Great Plains.
Information
for this biography was obtained from "Wikipedia" |
