James Butler Hickok, better known as "Wild Bill", was born on May 27, 1837 in Troy Grove, IL. In 1856, he went to Kansas to become a farmer but by 1861, his career began to swing toward law enforcement. It was in that year that he was involved in a shootout with the McCanles gang in Rock Creek, NB, allegedly killing Dave McCanles.

Hickok served as a scout with the Union army during the Civil War and later, in 1869, won an election for Sheriff of Ellis County using Hays City City as his base of operations.

By 1871, he became the U.S. Marshall in Abilene and in 1873, he toured with Buffalo Bill Cody in the Wild West Show.

Hickok was killed on August 2, 1876 while playing poker in Saloon #10 in Deadwood, Dakota Territory, by Jack McCall. The hand Hickok held that fateful day included a pair of Aces and a pair of eights--now known as the "Deadman's Hand".