Jeff Milton
Encyclopedia
Jeff Milton born Jeff Davis Milton, was an Old West lawman, and the son of Confederate
Florida
governor
John Milton
.
toward the end of the Civil War, when it became evident the south would lose. After the Confederacy lost the Civil War
, Jeff Milton was raised on a once proud family estate called "Sylvania", near Marianna, Florida
. At age 15, he moved to Texas
where he worked as a cowboy
, then lied about his age and joined the Texas Rangers in 1878.
, where he became a Deputy US Marshal in 1884. For a time in the 1880s he worked under Sheriff
John Slaughter in Cochise County, Arizona
, during which time the two were involved in several manhunts and shootouts with outlaw
s.
One of their most well known accomplishments was their pursuit of the Jack Taylor Gang
in late 1886 to the middle of 1887. Milton and Slaughter trailed the gang to the home of Flora Cardenas in Mexico
. The bandits, however, had been tipped off that the American lawmen were after them and they left before Slaughter and Milton could reach the Cardenas' home.
Returning to Arizona, the two lawmen traveled to Willcox
on the outlaws trail, then to Contention City
, where they found gang member Manuel Robles and one of the others asleep. When Slaughter shouted at them to get up with their hands up, a gun battle ensued. Guadalupe Robles, Manuel's brother, joined the gun battle, but he was killed quickly. Manuel Robles and Nieves Deron tried to run away and while still firing back, one of their bullets hit Slaughter's ear. Slaughter's next bullet killed Deron, but Manuel Robles escaped. Soon, Jack Taylor was arrested in Sonora
, and Robles, along with Geronimo Miranda, were killed by the Mexican police
in the Sierra Madre
mountain area.
On June 21, 1895, while working alongside lawman George Scarborough
, whom Milton often partnered with, Scarborough shot and killed Martin McRose, a Texas rustler. McRose is buried near John Wesley Hardin, and Texas Ranger Ernest St. Leon
. Milton was, at that time, Chief of Police
in El Paso, Texas
, and Scarborough was a Deputy U.S. Marshal. McRose had been captured, and was killed while being brought back from Mexico
by the two lawmen on an outstanding warrant. Outlaw and gunman John Wesley Hardin
claimed that he had paid Scarborough and Milton to kill Martin McRose. Milton and Scarborough were arrested, but Hardin later withdrew his comments and the two men were released.
In July, 1898, working again with Scarborough, the pair tracked down, shot and captured "Bronco Bill" Walters
near Solomonville, Arizona
, and scattered Walters gang from their hideout, killing another gang member in the process. On February 15, 1900, in Fairbank, Arizona
, Milton shot outlaw John "Three Fingered Jack" Dunlop, when the Burt Alvord
gang attempted to rob a train in which Milton was working as a guard. Dunlop was badly wounded, and died only days later. Milton also shot and wounded gang member Bravo Juan Yoas during that same shootout, before Milton himself received a wound that shattered his left arm. Milton eventually recovered from his wound but never completely regained the use of his arm, and retired to Tombstone, Arizona
in 1932, where he lived the remainder of his life.
He also met Louis L'Amour, according to L'Amour's book, "Education of a Wandering Man," and gave him breakfast and a ride to Tucson, Arizona.
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
John Milton
John Milton (Florida politician)
John Milton was an American politician who was the fifth Governor of Florida.John Milton was the son of Homer Virgil Milton and the grandson of Revolutionary War hero and former Georgia Secretary of State, John Milton .John was born near Louisville, Georgia...
.
Early life
His father committed suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
toward the end of the Civil War, when it became evident the south would lose. After the Confederacy lost the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Jeff Milton was raised on a once proud family estate called "Sylvania", near Marianna, Florida
Marianna, Florida
Marianna is a city in Jackson County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,230 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,200 . It is the county seat of Jackson County and is home to Chipola College...
. At age 15, he moved to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
where he worked as a 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...
, then lied about his age and joined the Texas Rangers in 1878.
Lawman career
After serving with the Rangers for four years, he moved through west Texas and into New MexicoNew 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...
, where he became a Deputy US Marshal in 1884. For a time in the 1880s he worked under Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
John Slaughter in Cochise County, Arizona
Cochise County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*78.5% White*4.2% Black*1.2% Native American*1.9% Asian*0.3% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*4.0% Two or more races*9.6% Other races*32.4% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, during which time the two were involved in several manhunts and shootouts with outlaw
Outlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s.
One of their most well known accomplishments was their pursuit of the Jack Taylor Gang
Jack Taylor Gang
The Jack Taylor Gang was an outlaw gang of the Old West which operated mostly in Arizona Territory and Mexico.The gang was first organized by Jack Taylor, a minor outlaw with moderate skills in train robbery...
in late 1886 to the middle of 1887. Milton and Slaughter trailed the gang to the home of Flora Cardenas in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The bandits, however, had been tipped off that the American lawmen were after them and they left before Slaughter and Milton could reach the Cardenas' home.
Returning to Arizona, the two lawmen traveled to Willcox
Willcox, Arizona
Willcox is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 3,769. Professional wrestler Ted Dibiase lived his formative years in Willcox, as did singer Tanya Tucker.-History:...
on the outlaws trail, then to Contention City
Contention City, Arizona
Contention City or Contention is a ghost mining town in Cochise County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Arizona. It was occupied from the early-1880s through the late-1880s in what was then known as the Arizona Territory...
, where they found gang member Manuel Robles and one of the others asleep. When Slaughter shouted at them to get up with their hands up, a gun battle ensued. Guadalupe Robles, Manuel's brother, joined the gun battle, but he was killed quickly. Manuel Robles and Nieves Deron tried to run away and while still firing back, one of their bullets hit Slaughter's ear. Slaughter's next bullet killed Deron, but Manuel Robles escaped. Soon, Jack Taylor was arrested in Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
, and Robles, along with Geronimo Miranda, were killed by the Mexican police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
in the Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre
Sierra Madre may refer to one of several mountain ranges:*In Mexico:**Sierra Madre Occidental, a mountain range in northwestern Mexico and southern Arizona...
mountain area.
On June 21, 1895, while working alongside lawman George Scarborough
George Scarborough
George Scarborough was a cowboy, lawman, and possible outlaw who lived during the time of the Wild West...
, whom Milton often partnered with, Scarborough shot and killed Martin McRose, a Texas rustler. McRose is buried near John Wesley Hardin, and Texas Ranger Ernest St. Leon
Ernest St. Leon
Ernest "Diamond Dick" St. Leon was a French-American law enforcement officer and a member of the Texas Rangers, known prominently during the 1880s as one of its finest undercover officers. He received the nickname "Diamond Dick" from his fellow officers due to his habit of wearing diamonds on his...
. Milton was, at that time, Chief of Police
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
in El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, and Scarborough was a Deputy U.S. Marshal. McRose had been captured, and was killed while being brought back from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
by the two lawmen on an outstanding warrant. Outlaw and gunman John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin was an American outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk hero of the Old West. He was born in Bonham, Texas. Hardin found himself in trouble with the law at an early age, and spent the majority of his life being pursued by both local lawmen and federal troops of the...
claimed that he had paid Scarborough and Milton to kill Martin McRose. Milton and Scarborough were arrested, but Hardin later withdrew his comments and the two men were released.
In July, 1898, working again with Scarborough, the pair tracked down, shot and captured "Bronco Bill" Walters
William Walters (outlaw)
William Walters, also known as "Bronco Bill" was an outlaw during the closing days of the Old West. He is best known for the legend of his "lost treasure", allegedly located in the area of Solomonville, Arizona....
near Solomonville, Arizona
Solomonville, Arizona
Solomonville is a small unincorporated community in Graham County, Arizona, United States. It is part of the Safford Micropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, and scattered Walters gang from their hideout, killing another gang member in the process. On February 15, 1900, in Fairbank, Arizona
Fairbank, Arizona
Fairbank is a ghost town in Cochise County in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Arizona, near the San Pedro River. First settled in 1881 in what was then known as the Arizona Territory, Fairbank, the closest rail stop to nearby Tombstone, was an important location in developing Arizona...
, Milton shot outlaw John "Three Fingered Jack" Dunlop, when the Burt Alvord
Burt Alvord
Burt Alvord , or Burton Alvord, was a little known lawman and later outlaw of the Old West, who witnessed the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral at age 15...
gang attempted to rob a train in which Milton was working as a guard. Dunlop was badly wounded, and died only days later. Milton also shot and wounded gang member Bravo Juan Yoas during that same shootout, before Milton himself received a wound that shattered his left arm. Milton eventually recovered from his wound but never completely regained the use of his arm, and retired to Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone, Arizona
Tombstone is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, founded in 1879 by Ed Schieffelin in what was then Pima County, Arizona Territory. It was one of the last wide-open frontier boomtowns in the American Old West. From about 1877 to 1890, the town's mines produced USD $40 to $85 million...
in 1932, where he lived the remainder of his life.
He also met Louis L'Amour, according to L'Amour's book, "Education of a Wandering Man," and gave him breakfast and a ride to Tucson, Arizona.