Richard "Dick" Bullock (born August 20, 1847 near St Columb Major, Cornwall - died 1921) was a Cornishman who once sang in a Methodist choir and later became a legendary figure of the Wild West Cowboy era. His quick-shooting deeds working on the Deadwood stage gained him the nickname "Deadwood Dick".

Early in life his family moved to nearby hamlet of Retew where his father, Captain John Bullock, became the manager of a local clay-works. He and his brother shared many common traits: each very strong, ardent Free Methodists, and great sporting shooters--a skill that brought him many trophies.

In his mid-twenties, Bullock immigrated to America. He began working in the Black Hills of South Dakota first as a miner, and then as a bullion-guard for the Homestake Mine, which at that time was owned by Senator George Hearst, father of William Randolph Hearst. A bullion guard is somebody who protects gold shipments being transported by stagecoach. Around the age of 35, Bullock began to achieve fame. It is claimed that Bullock had a part in the death of Black Hills outlaw Cornelius Donahue (also known as "Lame Johnny"), although some sources dispute this. In later years Bullock was a stock broker in Lead, South Dakota. He died at Thorncroft Sanatorium, Glendale, California, in 1921 at the age of 73.

References

• The Western Morning News, February 11 1997
• Roger Kessell's webpage

Donate to Wikimedia