Analytical Essay: The Legend Of Wyatt Earp

The Legend of Wyatt Earp Born of the frontier, lived in the wilderness, raised in the war against the outlaws, bandits, and crooks. This is just the outline of the life of Wyatt Earp. He was born on March 19, 1848 in Monmouth, Virginia, to his father Captain Nicholas Porter Earp and his second wife, Virginia Ann Cooksey Earp at Virginia’s sister’s house located on 406 South Third Street in Monmouth, Illinois. Wyatt’s full name was actually Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp, named after his father’s commanding officer, Colonel Wyatt Berry Stapp during the Mexican American War. Wyatt Earp’s father served during this war and beforehand was a commissioned deputy sheriff, unpaid, which was probably one of the inspirations for Wyatt’s career. The Earp family was moving around the United States quite often, ranging in several states in the West and near the Great Plains. His father took his still growing family from Kentucky to Western Illinois, Monmouth, Iowa, and Nebraska. While moving between Iowa and Nebraska on the way to California, Wyatt received his first firearms from his father, an “over and under” rifle-shotgun combination. The top of
Wyatt and his friend were sent to town to gather supplies for the road when, as they passed the bar, two men burst out the door with guns drawn, each firing at the other. A total of five or so rounds were fired before both men collapsed near the two young men. One dead, the other about to be. This single moment frightened Wyatt up to his conscience, and he ran. Later that night, when his father heard of the story, Wyatt was explained the many variables and reasons that could have caused the assault. This image would stain Wyatt’s maturing brain for years to come, even until he too would be the gutsy one shooting at point blank, only he would not die from getting shot like these