Tom Threepersons
| Tom Threepersons | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 22, 1889 Vinita, Indian Territory |
| Died | April 2, 1969 (aged 79) Safford, Arizona |
| Cause of death | Cardiac Arrest and pneumonia |
| Nationality | Cherokee |
| Occupation | Gunfighter, lawman, soldier, U.S. Customs inspector, blacksmith, rancher and hunting guide |
| Known for | Inventor of the "Tom Threepersons holster" |
Tom Threepersons (July 22, 1889 – April 2, 1969) was a Cherokee lawman. He is considered to have been one of the last of what were considered to be gunfighters of the Old West, although his career did not begin until the early 20th century. He invented the "Tom Threepersons holster."
Threepersons was born in Vinita, Indian Territory on July 22, 1889, to John and Bell Threepersons. His family and the family of his friend, Bill White, both moved to the Montana-Alberta border. He attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After returning from school, Threepersons rode the rodeo circuit throughout Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.
In 1907, his and White's fathers were killed during a fight with cattle rustlers. The suspects were arrested, but released on bond. Threepersons tracked them to a saloon, where he confronted both suspects, and killed them during a shootout. He was arrested for murder, but was acquitted.
He and his friend Bill White reportedly joined the Royal Northwest Mounted Police, and were stationed near Calgary; however, no records show a Threepersons serving in the mounted police. Shortly thereafter the two were assigned to capture a gang of outlaws who had murdered an entire family. Threepersons and White tracked the suspects for five days through heavy snow, toward the Yukon River in Alaska, having to abandon their horses and continue on foot, carrying their weapons and backpacks. On the fifth day, they encountered the gang of three men, and engaged them in a shootout, during which Bill White and one of the outlaws were killed. The other two fled. Threepersons buried White, then continued after the outlaws. Several days later, at a small settlement called End of the Trail, Threepersons located them. Rather than confronting them in the town, he located the cabin where they were staying outside town, and waited for them there. When they arrived, a shootout ensued during which both outlaws were killed.
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