Old Man Clanton Family History

"I'm what you might call the founder of the feast"
A line originally written for Old Man Clanton in the movie "Tombstone", but delivered by Powers Booth who played Curly Bill Brocius, after Old Man Clanton's character was cut from the 1993 fictional movie. Despite Hollywood... Old Man Clanton was most definitely "The founder of the feast" (great line)

The life and times of...

"OLD MAN" CLANTON 1816 - 1881

A Legend is born...

1816

Newman Haynes "Old Man" Clanton is born in Davidson County, Tennessee.

January 5, 1840

Newman Clanton marries Mariah Sexton Kelso in Callaway County, Missouri. Together they would have five boys and two daughters. John Wesley, Joseph Issac, Phineas Fay, William Harrison, Alonzo Peter, Mary Elise and Ester Ann.

July 18, 1841

Newman and Mariahs first son, John Wesley is born in Callaway County, Missouri.

December 1845

Their second son Phineas Fay "Phin" is born in Callaway County, Missouri.

1847

Their third son Joseph Isaac "Ike" is born in Callaway County, Missouri.

California Gold Rush...

1850

Newman Clanton leaves his wife and three sons for about a year to search for gold in California. He must not have had much luck, because he stayed less than one year!

Moves to Illinois...

1851

Newman Clanton moves his family to Adams County, Illinois.

December 22, 1851

Newman and Mariahs first daughter Mary Elsie is born in Adams County, Illinois.

Moves to Texas...

1853

Newman Clanton moves his family to Texas.

June 6, 1854

Newman and Mariahs second daughter Ester Ann "Hettie" is born in Dallas, Texas.

1858

Newman and Mariahs fourth son Alonzo Peter is born in Dallas, Texas. It is believed that Alonzo died shortly after birth.

1861

Newman and his oldest son John Wesley enlist with a company of confederate home guards.

1862

Newman and his son John Wesley re-enlist in Waco, Texas. Newman was shortly released due to his age.

1862

Newman and Mariahs fifth and final son William Harrison "Billy" is born in Dallas, Texas.

Moves to Arizona Territory...

1865

The war ends and Newman moves his family to Fort Bowie, Arizona.

Moves back to California...

1866

Newman moves his family to San Buena Ventura, California. Somewhere along the way, Newmans wife Mariah dies, leaving him with four boys and two girls to care for.

1871

Newman moves his family to what is known today as Port Hueneme, California.

Settles back in Arizona Territory...

1873

Newman Haynes "Old Man" Clanton, moves his entire family back to Arizona, to start his own farm community called "Clantonville." The family settled in the Gila Valley near Camp Goodwin. For four years the Clantons farmed the land, trying to show other settlers the place to be was Clantonville!

1877

Newman gives up on Clantonville! Newmans oldest son John Wesley and his wife move back to California, while Newman moves the rest of the family down on the San Pedro River, up river from Charleston, Arizona Territory.

The Clanton Ranch is built...

1877

Newman and his sons build a big adobe house near Lewis Springs, which is about five miles south of Charleston. This would become known as the Clanton Ranch.

Tombstone is founded...

1877

Millions of dollars of Silver was discovered and thousands of people are moving to the newly formed boom town of Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

The Cattle business booms...

Because of the increase in the population due to the recent discovery of Silver in the Tombstone area, the cattle business is now booming because of the need for quality meat.

Clanton Cattle Empire...

Newman Haynes "Old Man" Clanton, saw this increased need for meat, so he created the biggest cattle empire in the entire territory. He was now servicing every rancher and meat market owner in the entire territory with cattle. There was only one problem! All of the cattle wasn’t always his! He was suspected of rustling Mexican cattle back over the border for sale in Arizona and New Mexico. It was at this time his cattle empire became known as "The notorious Clanton Gang" Clanton hired many good and not so good ranch hands to work along side his sons Ike, Phin, and Billy. Among the workers were names like, Johnny Ringo, William "Curly Bill" Brocius, Peter Spencer, Pony Diehl, the McLaury brothers and more...

1880

Newman Haynes "Old Man" Clanton is still living and working his cattle empire, just outside the town of Charleston, Arizona. He is now 64 years old.

Investing in real estate...

November 26, 1880

Newman Clanton purchases a resident and a saloon on two lots on the west side of Pioneer Street in the town of Charleston, Arizona. He also purchased two lots on the east side of Pioneer Street during this same deal.

April 28, 1881

Newman Clanton purchases another parcel of land and a house located on Stowe Street, in Charleston, Arizona.

His Youngest son is m.urdered...

October 26, 1881

Newman Clantons youngest son "Billy" is murdered by the Earps and Doc Holliday, in the famous OK Corral Gunfight.

October 28, 1881

Billy Clanton is buried in the Boothill Graveyard in Tombstone, Arizona Territory.

"Old Man" Clanton is murdered...

August 13, 1881

Newman Haynes "Old Man" Clanton is g.unned down and killed in an ambush by Mexicans, in Guadalupe Canyon, Animas Valley, New Mexico. Also killed with him were, Billy Lang, Dixie Lee Gray, Jim Crane and Charley Snow. Billey Byers and Harry Ernshaw both survived the early morning a.ttack. Newman Haynes "Old Man"Clanton was buried where he fell in Guadalupe Canyon, New Mexico. Their are still many controversies surrounding this murderous attack. Some people think this was a revengeful ambush by Mexicans, while others believe Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp were responsible.

I personally believe that Mexicans murdered Old Man Clanton, below you'll see why I feel this!

The date was August 13, 1881, when Old Man Clanton and the others were m.urdered. Billy Lane (pictured below left) was one of the men murdered. If you read the back of this original photo of Billy Lang (cropped and enlarged so you can read it) you'll clearly see that it reads killed by Mexicans.

And the same goes for the original photo of Old Man Clanton (enlarged below) it clearly reads... killed by Mexicans, compliments of Ike and Fin Clanton.

........

It's my opinon, that this photo evidence speaks for itself... unless someone can come up with facts to show me different, I believe that Old Man Clanton and the others were murdered by Mexicans.

Again, this is my opinion, and I welcome anyone to show me different!

"Old Man" joins his son in Boothill...

1882

Newman Clantons sons "Ike" and "Phin," travel to Guadalupe Canyon, New Mexico, exhumed their fathers body and re-bury him in the Boothill Graveyard in Tombstone, next to his youngest son Billy, who was murdered in the famous OK Corral gunfight, October 26, 1881.

Terry "Ike" Clanton explains why he believes Old Man Clanton was killed by Mexicans and not Wyatt Earp or Doc Holiday.
Haunted Saloon "Live" webcast every Tuesday night at HauntedSaloon.com