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John Joshua Webb was an intriguing figure, known for his journey from lawman to gunfighter and ultimately an outlaw in the American Old West.

Born on February 13, 1847 in Keokuk county, Iowa as the sixth of ten children to William Webb Jr and Innocent Blue Webb, Webb’s childhood was marked by frequent moves, as his father, had a sort of a wanderlust. It has been noted that his mother may have been of Native American descendant. The family settled in Illinois in the 1860s and later relocated and pioneered Iowa at Keokuk County. Next it was onward to Weeping Water, Nebraska, and later south to Oskaloosa, Kansas. After a few years JJ’s parents settled about 60 miles south at Osage City, Kansas, where they are also buried. Back at Oskaloosa, JJ may have began to work for his own money as a buffalo hunter, joining a small crew and obtaining a few contracts to supply the railroad crew with meat.
After this venture, JJ possibly joined a crew in a U.S. Government Surveying job. The opportunity began in January 1870 at the Neosha river, Kansas. The group surveyed the land through Baxter Springs into Cheyenne and Kaw tribe territory near Johns Creek now a reservation, and across the Arkansas river into Choctaw Territory, Oklahoma, West through the Chickasaw and Seminole. At the end of the project, Webb and the group were paid at Arkansas City in June of 1871. 
Later that Summer, Webb ventured westward on his own, reportedly trying his hand as a miner at the old Maxwell land grant near Cimarron, New Mexico. 
Lucien Maxwell recognized the gold resources on his land and sought a strategic approach. Gold deposits around Baldy Mountain led him to propose selling his land to the U.S. government for a Ute reservation, which was declined. Complications arose in fall 1866 when a Ute member bartered what Captain Moore identified as copper ore at Fort Union. This spurred negotiations and led to the discovery of copper and gold in the area. By spring 1867, miners surged into Moreno Valley, prompting Maxwell to charge squatters fees and invest in infrastructure, including a 40-mile ditch for placer mining and toll roads. A stagecoach route opened in spring 1868, linking Elizabethtown to Cimarron, later extending to Taos and Santa Fe.
Maxwell’s wealth grew, fueling rumors of gold toys for his children and $30,000 cash at home. Virginia City emerged on his land, and within 14 months, he amassed 550 pounds of gold valued at nearly $175,000. After selling his land grant for $600,000 (equivalent to $13.5 million today) and his Cimarron property for $125,000, he invested $150,000 in government bonds and $250,000 in the Texas Pacific Railroad, leading to financial loss.
In October 1870, Maxwell acquired buildings at Fort Sumner, about 200 miles south of Cimarron. Meanwhile, the Santa Fe Ring evicted longstanding land workers, displacing the Ute tribe. A protective meeting on March 30, 1873, initiated the Colfax County War, lasting from 1873 to 1888. Just at the right time, it is said that Webb set up a claim at Willow Creek and tended the saloon at nearby Elizabethtown…who knows what he found.

Eventually, Webb made his way to Dodge City, Kansas, where he mingled with some iconic figures of the old west, including Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson. During his time there, he participated in various posses and even took on the role of a deputy. By January 1878, Bat Masterson had become the newly-appointed sheriff of Ford County, Kansas and he called upon Webb along with a few others to help track down outlaws who had pulled off a train robbery.

Two of the outlaws they pursued were  Dave” Rudabaugh and Edgar West. In 1876, Dave teamed up with Dan DeMent and Michael Roarke to form a gang called “The Trio” in Texas. In November 1877, they robbed the men at a railroad construction camp, prompting U.S. Deputy Marshal Wyatt Earp to pursue them. Wyatt and his Deputies tracked The Trio out of Arkansas to Fort Griffin in Texas, where he learned that they had been spotted at Shansseys Saloon, also known as “The BeeHive.” From the owner, John Shanssey, Wyatt discovered that The Trio usually played cards with Doc Holliday, known for his disdain toward lawmen. Wyatt was surprised by Doc’s friendliness when they met, and the two would become lifelong friends. Doc informed Wyatt that The Trio had gone back to Kansas, leading Wyatt to send a wire telegraph to Bat Masterson, about Rudabaugh’s whereabouts at Kingsley, Kansas.
In 1878, Edgar West, J.D. Green, and Tom Gott joined the Trio, Rudabaugh and Roarke, which subsequently became known as the R&R gang. The gang’s first train robbery was on January 27 near Kinsley, Kansas, which ended in failure. After the failed attempt, the gang split up to evade arrest. However, Bat Masterson and his deputies, including J.J. Webb, apprehended Dave Rudabaugh and Edgar West. Rudabaugh was reportedly ready to fight, but Webb persuaded him to surrender peaceably. Rudabaugh and West were incarcerated, and they later betrayed their fellow gang members, leading to their arrest and imprisonment.

In September 1878, heightened reports of Cheyenne tribe raiding parties led the government to send a large shipment firearms to Dodge City to help residents defend themselves. Army Lt. Colonel William Henry Lewis may have appointed Webb, and others, to act as Army scouts during this time.

In 1879, Webb and Rudabaugh were brought on as hired guns by Bat Masterson during the infamous struggle surrounding the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway amidst the Railroad Wars in Royal Gorge, Colorado. The two later headed to Las Vegas, New Mexico, one of the largest new cities in the west. About 6 trains a day stopped in Las Vegas. This brought in many curious eastern travelers, along with some outlaws, con artist murderers and thieves. The east end of town became rather rough by the new group of arrivals. Another group came to town from Dodge City and established themselves as peace officers; the Dodge City gang. It was made up of men such as JJ web, “Mysterious Dave” Mather, Joe Carson, Dave Rudabaugh (Radenbach)
and their leader Hoodoo Brown, who served as the Justice of the Peace. With Hoo-Doo calling the shots he placed Dave Rudabaugh (Radenbach) as The City’s first chief of police. Tom Pickett served as the city’s Chief of Merchants Police. Again like in Dodge, JJ Webb teamed up with Doc Holliday to run a saloon, where Doc was often found enjoying a game of cards. On July 19, 1879, as the two were sitting together, an ex-Army scout named Mike Gordon caused a scene by shouting at one of the saloon girls. When Gordon stormed out, Doc followed, and in a tense moment, Gordon fired a shot that missed. Doc quickly returned fire, fatally wounding Gordon. Although this led to a trial for Holliday, he was acquitted thanks to Webb’s testimony. This endeavor may have cemented their relationship as pals, when Holiday presented JJ Webb with a pocket watch, engraved on the back is: “To my partner and friend John Joshua Webb. July 4, 1879 Las Vegas, NM.” The pocket watch allegedly sold at an auction more than a century later for about $30,000.  

In 1880, Webb became the town marshal of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and soon after, he was welcomed into the Dodge City Gang, which was led by the Justice of the Peace Hoodoo Brown. Hoo-Doo appointed Rudabaugh as chief of Police. JJ Webb an officer and Tom Pickett, chief of merchant police. This ‘gang’ ruled over Las Vegas and was known for participating in several train and stagecoach heists and was even rumored to have been involved in some unsavory activities like lynchings.

On March 2, 1880, Webb, along with a deputy, walked into the Goodlet and Roberts Saloon in Las Vegas, where they spotted a man named Michael Keliher, who was armed. When asked to give up his weapon, Keliher refused, and things escalated quickly. He drew his gun, prompting Webb to react swiftly, shooting Keliher three times, ultimately leading to his death. While this appeared justifiable at the time, whispers began to circulate that Keliher had possession of $1,900, and that Webb was sent to retrieve it.

The truth behind those rumors was never confirmed, but Webb was arrested for the shooting. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang—a sentence that many believed was swayed more by the general dislike of the Dodge City Gang than by justice for this specific incident. But on April 30, 1880, things took a turn when Dave Rudabaugh and a man named John Allen attempted to break Webb out of jail. Although the escape plan didn’t go as intended and resulted in the jailer’s death, Rudabaugh managed to evade capture, eventually being arrested in connection with Billy the Kid on December 23, 1880.
Pat Garrett was elected as the new Sheriff of Lincoln County on November 2, 1880, with a convincing victory of 320 to 179 votes over his opponent, Sheriff Kimbrell. Although he couldn’t take charge of the position until January 1881, he immediately started working with the support of Kimbrell, who deputized Pat. Garrett was also appointed as the US Deputy Marshal, allowing him to travel across states to execute his duties, thanks to the efforts of Secret Service Agent Azariah Wild. Despite the challenges and danger involved in apprehending Billy the Kid and other alleged counterfeiters like Billy Wilson, Garrett took over the task with sincerity. His commitment to duty and fearless approach resulted in captivating victories, which established him as a trusted law enforcement officer.
Pat, engaged Barney Mason as an informant. Barney had informed Pat that the group of men were at Dan Dietrick’s ranch situated about 80 miles west of Las Vegas in Bosque Grande. Consequently, the Posse made the necessary preparations and raided the ranch. Although the Kid and the counterfeiters were not present, JJ Webb was apprehended and charged with murder, and escaping federal custody. George Davis was also arrested for horse thievery.
Garrett relinquished custody of the prisoners to the San Miguel sheriff at Las Vegas.
Webb’s sentence was later reduced to life imprisonment, and he later found himself sharing a cell with Rudabaugh.

With an escape on their minds, Rudabaugh, Webb, and two other men made another attempt to break out on September 19, 1881, but it ended in tragedy, with one of them being killed by law enforcement. Nevertheless, two months later, Rudabaugh, Webb, and five others successfully escaped by chipping away at the jail wall.

Rudabaugh and Webb fled to Texas and then onto Mexico, where they decided to go their separate ways. Reports suggest that JJ Webb moved to Winslow, Arkansas and changed his name to Samuel King and later died of smallpox while working as a teamster. 
More on Webb coming soon! Check back later.