New photo of Wyatt Earp surfaces 

 

The Wyatt Earp Birthplace Museum

The Tombstone Times

David Horton

By SJ Reidhead 

 

THE PINK FAMINGO IS GETTING THE STORY FIRST!

More on my role tomorrow!

CONTACT:

The Tombstone Times - info@tombstonetimes.com   (520) 457-3884

 

David Horton – wyattearpphoto@hotmail.com

 

RELEASE EMBARGOED until 3:PM Saturday, August 4, 2007

 

THE HORTON PHOTO 

Dave Horton Locates New Photo of Wyatt Earp

 

The Tombstone Times, in conjunction with David Horton is announcing the discovery of a new photo of the Wild West’s most famous and enduring lawman, Wyatt Earp, of OK Corral fame.   

 

David Horton made a chance discovery of the photo. “I located the photo in a post card album that was sealed in 1909, San Fran.  I just got lucky being able to locate this rare photo.  I have it framed with a larger photo with a cut signature of Wyatt framed with it. I have had a genealogy service, The Past Matters a expert in tin types verify it by comparison of a known photo.  Results same person, Genuine.  I had the Besser Museum in Alpena , Michigan a Mr. Earnest DuMouchelle, (DuMouchelle galleries, Detroit, Michigan.)  Mr. DuMouchelle did a comparison in my presence and indicated they are both the same person.  Paula Mitchell Marks, professor of frontier history also has looked at the picture and feels it is Wyatt.  A forensic expert, Joe D. Alexander, has indicated to me it is genuine. So I feel with out any further need of support by any so called experts with out a doubt it is Wyatt Earp.”

 

Horton adds, “I always liked Wyatt and read most of the books about him.  I also enjoyed the movie Tombstone for sure.  As I said, I got totally lucky and feel blessed being able to bring this photo to the public’s eye.”

 

For several years Horton searched for a platform to tell his story before discovering Janice Hendricks, Senior Editor of The Tombstone Times. Intrigued by the story, Hendricks transformed from editor to detective as she began the quest to tell the photo’s story.

 

The photo, a tintype was taken sometime between 1901 and 1906 at the latest.  It shows a grim Wyatt Earp in a pose identical to the famous 1886 photo.  The man in this photo is at most 20 years older, a tad heavier, and in his early to mid 50s.  To date, the Horton Photo is probably the most interesting and most revealing of the photographs of Wyatt Earp until the remarkable photographs of Earp as a senior citizen.  

 

For more information contact Janice Hendricks at the Tombstone Times.

 

David Horton will also be selling the photo. “I would like to sell it eventually for the right price.” 

 

Is the Horton Photo the genuine article?  Earp historians are going to be debating this one for years to come. 

 

This announcement has been timed to coincide with the presentation of a framed copy of the Horton Photo of Wyatt Earp to Bob & Melba Matson, of the Wyatt Earp Birthplace Museum in Monmouth, IL.  The photo has been donated to the Matsons by Dave Horton in appreciation for their many contributions to Earp, Tombstone, and Wild West scholarship and research. 

 

For more information about the Wyatt Earp Birthplace Museum: