Evening star., 1917-01-10
Picturesque Pioneer Type.

Col. William F. Cody, buffalo Bill"
hunter. soldier. scout and Snowman.
was for many years known to nearly
every man. woman, boy and girl in
America through his wild west show.
with which he toured this country and
Europe. He was a picturesque type of
the pioneer frontiersman, and lived to
see large cities built where he once
hunted the buffalo and fought Indians
Col. William F. Cody was born in
Scott county. Iowa. February 26 1916.
His ancestral stock was Spanish. Eng
Iish and Irish. His parents moved
west and took up a claim near Leav-
enworth. Kan. then frontier Indian
post, when Cody was five years old. At
head of the family, owing to the death
of his father, who was killed in an
encounter growing out of dispute
over the negro slave question. Young
Cody's first employment was as
courier between the freight wagon
trains operated between the Missouri
river and the Rocky mountains. In
turn he became wagon master. trapper,
hunter, pony express rider and stage
coach driver, all giving varied ex-
perience in a school. the graduation
from which left the scholar an adept
in every possible line of frontier ac-
tivity
Appointed Chief of Scouts.
In exciting experience in the Union
army as soldier. and subsequently as
a confident and scout of his command
ers in the desultory and guerrilla war
fare of the southwest. left him at its
finish we'll known as an all-around
frontiersman. competent to advise.
to guide and to lead. These qualities
soon brought him to the attention of
isfi in
Gen. W. T. Sherman, Lieut. Gen. Phil
Sheridan and Gems. Crook, Custer.
Merritt, Carr. Royal. Miles. Dodge and
others. and secured his appointment
as chief of scouts in the United states
Army during it's numerous Indian
campaigns in the west.
His career in this line identified him
with the great fighting epoch between
the red man and the white man. waged
by Gen. Sheridan after the civil war.
that temporarily ended in 1876. but was
effectively finished in the ghost dance
war in the decisive battle of Wounded
Knee in the 1s90-91 campaign with the
northern Sioux.
Contract for Buffalo Meat.
During the construction of the Union
Pacific railroad young Cody attached
himself to a camp of United States
troops protecting the laborers. and
won his sobriquet of Buffalo Bill by
taking contract to supply the entire
force with fresh Buffalo meat for
certain period, killing under one con-
tract 1850 buffalos. on one occasion
he killed the noted Cheyenne chief
Yellow Hand. in the presence of ms
dianS and troops.
He became known to juvenile Amer
lea in the stories of western adventure
written by Z. Il. c. Judson. v no wrote
Under the nom de plume of Ned Bunt-
line.
With the advance of civilization, find
ing his occupation on tne western
plains gone ne went on the stage,
where he remained several years play
ing leading parts in dramas depicting
life on the frontier. Later, in associa-
tion with Nate Salisbury. he organized
his wild xest show. with which he
toured this country for many years.
and on one occasion visited the prin-
cipaI cities of Europe, where he was
warmly received and entertained by
royalty
He was elected to the Nebraska leg
isIature in 1872. Col. Cody, in 1866,
was married to Miss Louisa Frederici.