Prologue
The state of Arizona has had many confrontations in the year’s past. Some of them ended clean and respectful while plenty of others have ended violently and heroicly. No confrontation will ever top the events at the O.K. Corral in 1881 in Tombstone, Arizona. Three lawmen and their friend went toe-to-toe in a gunfight against a family of cowboys after weeks of tension building up. The result was not ideal. Three cowboys were lost in the fight while the legend of the lawmen continued to grow.
You might have known about this story from books and movies. Perhaps, you might have seen the iconic movie Tombstone starring Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer. You might have gone down to visit the historic town at some point. But what you probably might not know is that there is a second O.K. Corral in Arizona.
You don’t know me and you will never know my name. But I am the narrator here to tell you a story about another confrontation. This story doesn’t have the violence nor the bloody shots that are seen from any of the films. But at least, for those that took part in this confrontation, it’s a story of growing up at an early age, rising to the occasion and making a big name for yourself. It’s a story of how one young boy achieved the impossible and became a legend, at least in his community.
This is the story of Billy Jesse Earp.
