John Tunstall (6 March 1853 – 18 February 1878) was an English rancher and merchant who lived in Lincoln, New Mexico during the Wild West. He was the first man killed during the Lincoln County War.
Biography[]
John Tunstall was born in London, England in 1853 to an upper-middle-class family. In 1872, he moved to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada to work at Turner, Beeton & Tunstall, a store in which his father was a partner, and he left for the American West in February 1876. He met lawyer Alexander McSween in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and McSween advised Tunstall to move to Lincoln County, which was being rapidly settled. He bought a ranch on the Rio Feliz and went into business as a cattleman, setting up a mercantile store and bank in the town of Lincoln. Tunstall offered decent prices and reasonable dealings at his store, threatening the general store monopoly of Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan, who had Sheriff William J. Brady in their pocket. On 18 February 1878, Sheriff Brady sent a posse to hunt down Tunstall on Murphy's orders. Tunstall and his young cowboys were riding back to their ranch from the town, and Tunstall gave his cowboys permission to fool around and ride ahead of his carriage. Tunstall, now by himself, was beset by the posse of lawmen, who proceeded to gun him down. Tunstall's death led to the "Lincoln County War".
Gallery[]
