Black Bart: The Gentleman Bandit of the Old West

Black Bart, whose real name was Charles Bowles, was the 9th born sibling of 13 brothers and sisters. He was born on April 5, 1828 to parents John Wright Bowles and Charlotte Maria Ledgett. Charles was born in Little Dunham, Norfolk, England. 
Not much is known about Charles early life but he did turn up in America at New York with his family. Charles Bowles married Mary E. Johnson at the age of 19 in 1856 in Farmington, Iowa. At the time of their marriage, Charles was 28, and shortly thereafter, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Ida, on April 26, 1857, in New Oregon Township, Iowa. It was here at marriage where Charles Bowles respelled his name as “Boles”.
In 1860, the family of three relocated to Alexandria, New York, which was Mary’s hometown. It was in New York that the couple gave birth to their second child, Eva, on June 16, 1860. Following Eva’s birth, the family returned to the Midwest, where they welcomed another child, born on June 6, 1861, in Decatur, Illinois. Their last child, Arian Boles, was born on January 2, 1865, in Howard Lake, Minnesota. By 1870, the family of six had settled back in Iowa. Tragically, in August 1871, their youngest daughter, Arian, passed away, possibly due to drowning.
The following year Charles lost both his parents. In New York, his mother passed away in September 16, 1872. His father, at age 84 followed just nine days later on September 25.
For reasons unknown Charles left his family and home, possibly having something to do with his daughters death. To be continued soon!!

Charles Bowles (a.k.a. Boles. a.ka Bolton. aka Wells) was one of the most notorious and yet intriguing outlaws of the American Old West. Between 1875 and 1883, he robbed numerous stagecoaches in California and Oregon, earning him a reputation as a skilled and elusive criminal.

What set Black Bart apart from other bandits of the time was his gentlemanly demeanor and the way he conducted his robberies. He was known to leave behind poems at the scene of his crimes, earning him the nickname the “Gentleman Bandit.” Black Bart would typically board a stagecoach, politely demand the strongbox, and then disappear back into the wilderness without harming any of the passengers.

Despite the dozens of robberies he committed, Black Bart managed to evade capture for years, becoming a legendary figure in the history of the Old West. His true identity was not discovered until 1883, when evidence was found linking him to the robberies. The manhunt for Black Bart came to an end, and the legend of the gentleman outlaw lives on.