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FAMOUS GUNFIGHTER - IKE CLANTON - 1847 - 1887
Ike Clanton was involved in one of the most famous gunfights of the American Old West. Ike Clanton’s notoriety is based largely on his conflict with the Earp brothers, especially Wyatt Earp and Wyatt’s friend Doc Holliday. Helping to fuel this conflict was Ike’s heavy drinking and quick temper. In October 1881 the Earp’s and Doc Holliday advanced on Ike’s gang near the now famous O.K. Corral. Ike was unarmed and fled at the first sound of gunfire but his brother William “Billy” Clanton was killed in the shootout along with Frank and Tom McLaury. Ike schemed revenge on the Earp’s and in 1882 Ike and four henchmen shot and killed Morgan Earp. Wyatt Earp then gathered a posse including his brother Warren and Doc Holliday and went after the Clanton Gang killing three of them. Ike fled to Mexico and hid under an assumed name. When Earp finally gave up the search Ike returned to the Tombstone area and took up his old rustling ways and was shot and killed in 1887 by lawmen.
The only photo of Ike Clanton was taken in 1881 by Camillus “Buck” Sydney Fly (also a lawman) and is most noted for many photographs he took during Tombstone’s Wild West days. He also took the only picture of Ike Clanton’s brother Billy but not until after the famous gunfight.
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