U.S. Old West Trivia

1. 'Jesse James, we understand, Has killed many a man...' Jesse James first made headlines during a bank robbery in Missouri in 1869, when he shot a cashier dead. What was his motive?

From Quiz Outlaw or Hero? You Decide...

Answer: He mistook the cashier for Samuel P Cox, the killer of 'Bloody Bill' Anderson.

During the American Civil War, the James family sided with the Confederates, and Frank and Jesse James joined a group of guerrillas, or 'bushwhackers', led by William Anderson. Formerly of Quantrill's Raiders, Anderson was nicknamed 'Bloody Bill' and was responsible for the Centralia Massacre, in which he and his men hijacked a train and captured and executed 24 Union soldiers. Lieutenant Samuel P Cox was assigned to hunt Anderson down and in October 1864, he and his men ambushed Anderson's group in Albany, Missouri, where Anderson was shot dead. While robbing the Daviess County Savings Association in Gallatin, Missouri, Jesse mistook cashier John Sheets for Cox and shot him dead, later claiming it was an act of revenge for Anderson's death.

From Quiz The Fastest Mail in the West

Answer: California gold rush

The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill in January of 1848 led to a dramatic influx of people. By 1860, the population of California had gone from around 75,000 residents to nearly 400,000. California became a state in 1850, and effective statehood required faster communication than was then available. Ships from California had to travel all the way down to the southern tip of South America, around Cape Horn, and back up through the Atlantic. Overland travel, even by dedicated coaches, took the best part of a month to get from one side of the country to the other. The imminence of the American Civil War, and the consequent unsettled political atmosphere, also increased the urgency of establishing an efficient communication system.

From Quiz The Donner Party: Journey of Sorrow.

Answer: California

Believing a better life awaited them it seemed justified to the pioneers of the day to pack up their wagon's and make this dangerous journey in the hope of building a better life for themselves in California.

From Quiz The Wounded Knee Massacre

Answer: South Dakota

Wounded Knee is the name of a creek in southwest South Dakota, near Nebraska. It is in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

From Quiz The Wild Western Life of Bill Cody

Answer: William Frederick Cody

William "Bill" Cody was born in the United States but early in his childhood his parents, Isaac and Mary Cody, moved the family to Canada.

From Quiz The Wild West : Tombstone, AZ

Answer: The Epitaph

The paper was founded by John Clum, a former Indian Agent. He was the first Mayor of Tombstone and is known for having captured Geronimo peacefully in 1877.

From Quiz Lesser Known Wild West Outlaws

Answer: Sam Bass

His first robbery was of the Union Pacific Railway to the tune of $60,000. After that, his gang never managed more than $500 at a time.

From Quiz Women of the Wild West

Answer: Martha Jane Cannary

She was born in the state of Missouri in 1852. In her early years she left Missouri and went with her parents and five siblings to Virginia City, Montana. As the journey took months to complete, she learnt to shoot and ride on the trail and by the time she reached Virginia City she could shoot and ride better than most men. In 1870 she joined Custer at Fort Russell, and was employed as a scout. This was the beginning of Martha Jane Cannary's habit of dressing like a man, which she did until her death on August 1st, 1903.

From Quiz Pony Express in Nevada

Answer: 29

According to "The Pony Express in Nevada," 29 stations were constructed. Some also had lodging and other amenities. However, most were nothing more than a cabin and corral at a spring.

From Quiz Good Times Rolling: Conestoga Wagons

Answer: The Conestoga Valley in Pennsylvania

The Conestoga wagon was first built in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, deep in the heart of the beautiful Conestoga Valley. It is believed that Mennonite German settlers in Lancaster County were the first builders. 'Conestoga' is the Susquehannock Indian word for a 'stick immersed in water.'

From Quiz The Real Wyatt Earp

Answer: Monmouth, Illinois in 1848

Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was born on March 19th, 1848, to Nicholas and Virginia Earp. He was named after his father's commanding officer in the Mexican-American War, Captain Wyatt Berry Stapp

From Quiz Calamity Jane--Old West Legend

Answer: Missouri

Born in Princeton, Missouri, in 1852 Martha Jane Cannary was the daughter of Robert W. and Charlotte Cannary. She was the oldest of six children, and she had two brothers and three sisters. As a teenager she was part of a wagon train that moved from Missouri to Virginia City in Montana.

From Quiz Wild Bill Hickok

Answer: James Hickok

Wild Bill was born to William Alonzo and Polly Butler Hickok. He was the fourth son, and born under the name of James Butler Hickok. James was one of seven children.

From Quiz Battle of the Little Big Horn

Answer: Custer led an expedition into the Southern Black Hills.

The Custer Expedition of 1874 into the Black Hills was a direct violation of the Ft. Laramie Treaty of 1868. The result was the 1875-1878 gold rush. Custer made the most of the expedition which consisted of a company of approximately 1,000, including a 16-piece regimental band mounted on white horses, 100 wagons, scientists, newspaper correspondents, and even President Grant's son.

From Quiz The American Wild West

Answer: Jersey Lilly

In 1883, Judge Roy Bean built a courthouse/saloon in the tent city of Langtry, Texas. He named the building "The Jersey Lilly" after Lillie Langtry, the English music hall actress. Bean had seen a photograph of Lillie and was said to have fallen in love with her immediately. Lillie was known as the "The Jersey Lily" but the spelling on the sign at the courthouse was "The Jersey Lilly" (Note the spelling of Lily) Rumour has it that the Judge ordered a Chinese man, who had been convicted of a minor offence, to paint the sign and the spelling mistake went unnoticed. Another coincidence was that the Judge had settled in Langtry, Texas, so named after George Langtry, the railroad boss that was responsible for running the railroad through the town. George and Lillie were not related. The actress made a trip to Langtry in 1903 but the Judge had, sadly, died a few months earlier. The courthouse still stands and is a major tourist attraction.

From Quiz Colonel Cody and Cody Country

Answer: 1895-1896

Wyoming had only been a state since 1890 and Cody wasn't on it's way until 1895. Prior to its establishment it was inhabited by some ranchers and before that it was the home of the Crow Indian Tribes. Col. Cody was already in his 50's when he began the settling of the Cody, Wyoming area.

From Quiz Time To Hit The trail

Answer: Chisholm Trail

From 1865 to 1885, the Chisholm Trail was the major cattle route from Texas to the railroad in Abilene. Railroads in Texas were still being built and would take years to complete. The trail was named after Jesse Chisholm, a trader who drove his wagon full of goods from Wichita, Kansas to the Washita River in Indian Territory (present day Oklahoma). He was a general store on wheels for pioneers, ranchers, Indians and soldiers in the area. By 1874 the railroads connected Texas with St. Louis and Kansas City. By 1884 the Chisholm Trail fell into disuse and was closed in 1885.

From Quiz Jesse James

Answer: Clay County

Jesse James was born on September 5, 1847, in Clay County, Missouri. He had two older brothers and a younger sister.

From Quiz The Old West (Part F)

Answer: Wyoming

It was located in the southern Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. Some of the other places the gang used were Brown's Hole and Robber's Roost.

From Quiz Famous Gunfighters of the Old West #2

Answer: Clay Allison

When Wyatt Earp became sheriff of Dodge City, he met up with a handsome gunfighter named Clay Allison. The two of them had a showdown and before Clay could make his move, Wyatt had a gun on him and told him to leave town, which he did.

From Quiz Famous Gunfighters of the Old West #1

Answer: Captain Harry Love

In 1853, Captain Henry Love, a gunfighter of L.A., rode with 20 men to get Murrietta. They surprised him while he was at his campfire near Lake Tulare. After he was dead, Billy Henderson cut off the dead man's head and gave it to the sheriff where it was auctioned off for 35 dollars!

From Quiz The Old West (Part E)

Answer: Virgil

In October 1880 Virgil became city Marshal of Tombstone, Arizona. He recruited Wyatt and Morgan to help him.

From Quiz Everyday Life in the Old West

Answer: A hatband

X's indicated the quality of felt hats.

From Quiz Women of the Old West

Answer: General George Custer's wife

Elizabeth "Libbie" Bacon married George Armstrong Custer in 1864 while he was a young cavalry officer fighting in the Civil War. After Custer was killed at the Little Bighorn, his widow devoted her life to preserving and defending his memory. Libbie Custer died on April 4, 1933.

From Quiz People of the Old West

Answer: Hanged by his constituents

Satisfied that their sheriff was also the head of a band of outlaws, citizens of the Montana territory hanged Henry Plummer on January 10, 1864.

From Quiz Death in the Old West

Answer: Dice

Hardin was playing dice in the Acme Saloon in El Paso, Texas when he was gunned down. His last roll was four sixes.

From Quiz Billy The Kid Trivia - The Man Behind the Myth

Answer: New York City, NY

It is generally believed that New York is the birthplace because Pat Garrett and Ash Upson stated it was in the book, "The Authentic Life of Billy the Kid." However, Frederick Nolan, the foremost expert on the Kid, refutes the claim. New York could be the birthplace of Billy, but there is no records to prove it was.

From Quiz Old West Outlaws by State

Answer: Missouri

Jesse James was born in Clay County, Missouri on September 5, 1847. He died when he was 34 years old.

From Quiz Legends of the West: The Sundance Kid

Answer: Harry Longabaugh

The Sundance Kid was born Harry Alonzo Longabaugh in the Spring of 1867 to Josiah and Annie Longabaugh. His birth occurred in the small town of Mont Clare, Pennsylvania, not far from Philadelphia. Like many other famous western outlaws, Harry was an easterner before he became a westerner.

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Last Updated Apr 19 2025 5:45 AM

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