Jim French (cowboy)
Encyclopedia
Jim French was a New Mexican
cowboy
.
Out of all Regulators
, French remains the most mysterious. Not much is known about him, such as where he came from or how he came to work for John Tunstall
. He was known to be a large, powerful man, variously reported to be either half-Indian or half-black. Called either "Big Jim" or "Frenchy", he was a key participant in the Lincoln County War
.
French was present at all the key events of the Regulators during the war, including the Blackwater killings of William Morton, Frank Baker, and William McCloskey on March 9, 1878. After the shooting of Sheriff William Brady
on April 1, 1878 in Lincoln (when French and five partners riddled Brady and a deputy with rifle slugs), he and Billy the Kid
broke from cover and ran to Brady's body, ostensibly to get his arrest warrant for Alexander McSween
. A deputy who survived the shooting, Billy Matthews, opened fire. His shot wounded both men, French so seriously he couldn't travel, hiding out under a friend's floor for a day until the Regulators smuggled him out of town. Just three days later, Jim French was present with his pals at Blazer's Mills for the gunfight against Buckshot Roberts
, when Regulator captain Richard Brewer
was killed.
When the Regulators were trapped in Lincoln in July 1878, French was trapped along with McSween and Billy the Kid in the burning McSween house. Through the five-day ordeal, Big Jim remained volatile and dangerous; during a shouted parlay when their surrounders demanded to see the deputized Regulators' arrest warrants for rival James Dolan
, French yelled back, "Our warrants are in our guns, you cock-sucking sonsabitches!" When the house was finally set afire on July 19, French and Billy the Kid led the Regulators out the rear door and escaped while several of their friends, including McSween, were gunned down in the backyard. By the fall of 1878, the war had ended and the Regulators split up, and Jim French left New Mexico, later writing a friend from his new home near Keota, Oklahoma
.
French was rumored to have been killed back in Lincoln County, New Mexico in a quarrel over stolen cattle on June 21, 1879, but this seems unlikely. Others say he went to South America
. A man named Jim French was killed on February 6, 1895 while trying to rob a store in Catoosa, Oklahoma
, but there is no concrete evidence to indicate that this man was the Jim French of the Lincoln County War. Fellow Regulator George Coe
stated in 1927 that French had been shot in Oklahoma "about three years ago." Jim French's fate remains just as much a mystery as his origins.
, Jim French was combined with fellow Regulator Henry Brown, and presented as a composite named Henry French. Timid and clumsy, the film's portrayal of French, by actor Alan Ruck
bears little actual resemblance to either outlaw.
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
cowboy
Cowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
.
Out of all Regulators
Lincoln County Regulators
The Lincoln County Regulators was a deputized posse in Lincoln County, New Mexico during the Lincoln County War, consisting of a dozen or so members who wanted revenge for the killing of their boss, John Tunstall...
, French remains the most mysterious. Not much is known about him, such as where he came from or how he came to work for John Tunstall
John Tunstall
John Henry Tunstall , born in England, became a rancher and merchant in New Mexico, where he became a prominent figure and was the first man killed in the Lincoln County War, an economic and political conflict perhaps compounded by ethnic rivalries.-Early life and education:John Henry Tunstall was...
. He was known to be a large, powerful man, variously reported to be either half-Indian or half-black. Called either "Big Jim" or "Frenchy", he was a key participant in the Lincoln County War
Lincoln County War
The Lincoln County War was a 19th-century range war between two factions during the Old West period. Numerous notable figures of the American West were involved, including Billy the Kid, aka William Henry McCarty; sheriffs William Brady and Pat Garrett; cattle rancher John Chisum, lawyer and...
.
French was present at all the key events of the Regulators during the war, including the Blackwater killings of William Morton, Frank Baker, and William McCloskey on March 9, 1878. After the shooting of Sheriff William Brady
William J. Brady
William J. Brady was the sheriff of Lincoln County during the Lincoln County Wars in New Mexico, United States. He was killed in an ambush, aged 48, in which Billy the Kid took part.-Early life:...
on April 1, 1878 in Lincoln (when French and five partners riddled Brady and a deputy with rifle slugs), he and Billy the Kid
Billy the Kid
William H. Bonney William H. Bonney William H. Bonney (born William Henry McCarty, Jr. est. November 23, 1859 – c. July 14, 1881, better known as Billy the Kid but also known as Henry Antrim, was a 19th-century American gunman who participated in the Lincoln County War and became a frontier...
broke from cover and ran to Brady's body, ostensibly to get his arrest warrant for Alexander McSween
Alexander McSween
Alexander McSween was a prominent figure during the Lincoln County War of the Old West, and a central character, alongside John Tunstall, opposing the "Murphy-Dolan Faction".-Early life:...
. A deputy who survived the shooting, Billy Matthews, opened fire. His shot wounded both men, French so seriously he couldn't travel, hiding out under a friend's floor for a day until the Regulators smuggled him out of town. Just three days later, Jim French was present with his pals at Blazer's Mills for the gunfight against Buckshot Roberts
Buckshot Roberts
Andrew L. "Buckshot" Roberts was an American buffalo hunter and cowboy whose last stand against the Lincoln County Regulators during the Gunfight of Blazer's Mills near Lincoln, New Mexico is a part of frontier legend....
, when Regulator captain Richard Brewer
Richard Brewer
Richard M. "Dick" Brewer , was an American cowboy and outlaw. He was the first leader of what historically is referred to as Billy the Kid's band, although Billy never led them.-Early life:...
was killed.
When the Regulators were trapped in Lincoln in July 1878, French was trapped along with McSween and Billy the Kid in the burning McSween house. Through the five-day ordeal, Big Jim remained volatile and dangerous; during a shouted parlay when their surrounders demanded to see the deputized Regulators' arrest warrants for rival James Dolan
James Dolan (Lincoln County War)
James Dolan was an Old West businessman, cattleman, and a key factor in the Lincoln County War, in New Mexico, which launched Billy the Kid to fame.-Early life and Murphy association:...
, French yelled back, "Our warrants are in our guns, you cock-sucking sonsabitches!" When the house was finally set afire on July 19, French and Billy the Kid led the Regulators out the rear door and escaped while several of their friends, including McSween, were gunned down in the backyard. By the fall of 1878, the war had ended and the Regulators split up, and Jim French left New Mexico, later writing a friend from his new home near Keota, Oklahoma
Keota, Oklahoma
Keota is a town in Haskell County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 517 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Keota is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
.
French was rumored to have been killed back in Lincoln County, New Mexico in a quarrel over stolen cattle on June 21, 1879, but this seems unlikely. Others say he went to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. A man named Jim French was killed on February 6, 1895 while trying to rob a store in Catoosa, Oklahoma
Catoosa, Oklahoma
Catoosa is a river city in Rogers and Wagoner counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 7,159 at the 2010 census compared to 5,449 at the 2000 census. This was a 31.2 percent increase during the decade.Catoosa is an Inland seaport...
, but there is no concrete evidence to indicate that this man was the Jim French of the Lincoln County War. Fellow Regulator George Coe
George Coe
George Coe is an American film, stage, and television actor. He is best known for having been a cast member on the first three episodes of Saturday Night Live, as well as for his work on various television shows.-Career:...
stated in 1927 that French had been shot in Oklahoma "about three years ago." Jim French's fate remains just as much a mystery as his origins.
Other media
In the film Young Guns IIYoung Guns II
Young Guns II is a 1990 western film, and the sequel to Young Guns . It stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christian Slater, and features William Petersen as Pat Garrett. It was written and produced by John Fusco and directed by Geoff Murphy.It follows the life of...
, Jim French was combined with fellow Regulator Henry Brown, and presented as a composite named Henry French. Timid and clumsy, the film's portrayal of French, by actor Alan Ruck
Alan Ruck
Alan Ruck is an American film, stage and television actor, perhaps best known for his roles as Cameron Frye in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Stuart Bondek on Spin City.-Early life:...
bears little actual resemblance to either outlaw.