Wild Bill Hickman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wild Bill Hickman
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Hickman c. 1860
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William Adams Hickman
April 16, 1815 |
| Died | August 21, 1883 (aged 68) |
William Adams "Wild Bill" Hickman (born April 16, 1815, died August 21, 1883) was an American frontiersman. He explored and lived in the wild areas of the American West. He also served as a representative in the Utah Territorial Legislature. This was a group of people who made laws for the Utah Territory.
Early Life and Public Service
William Hickman joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1839. He was baptized by John D. Lee. Later, he worked as a personal bodyguard. He protected important leaders like Joseph Smith and Brigham Young.
In 1854, Brigham Young asked Hickman to set up a ferry. This ferry would be on the Green River. Hickman found many ferries already there. He decided to open a trading post instead. This post was at Pacific Springs, near South Pass. It was a successful business.
That same year, Hickman became a sheriff. He also served as a county prosecutor. He was an assessor and collector too. These jobs were given to him by Judge Appleby. In August 1854, Hickman was elected. He became a member of the Utah Territorial Legislature. He represented the Green River area.
In 1856, Hickman helped carry mail. He worked with Porter Rockwell. They carried mail from Independence, Missouri, to Salt Lake City. Hickman's part of the trip took almost four months.
Hickman played a role in the Utah War. This was a conflict between the U.S. government and Mormon settlers. He set fire to Fort Bridger. He also burned many supply trains. These trains belonged to the U.S. Army.
Later Life
Hickman was a practicing polygamist. This means he had more than one wife. In 1868, he was no longer a member of the LDS Church. After this, most of his wives left him.
Around 1871, Hickman wrote a book about his life. It was called Brigham's Destroying Angel. In this book, he shared many stories. It is not fully clear how much of the book is true. Hickman lived the rest of his life quietly. He sold pencils to make money. He lived in a small shack.
Family Life
William Hickman had a large family. He had ten wives during his life. His first wife was Bernetta Burchartt. They married in 1832. He had many children. Records show he had 36 or 39 children.
Hickman is the grandfather of some notable people. His granddaughter, Annalee Skarin, was an author. Another granddaughter, Minerva Teichert, became a famous artist. He is also the great-great-grandfather of author Tracy Hickman.
William Hickman died in Lander, Wyoming, in 1883.
Legacy
Several places are named after William Hickman. Most of these are in Utah.
- East Hickman Canyon, Tooele County, Utah
- East Hickman Canyon Road, Tooele County, Utah
- Hickman Canyon, Piute County, Utah
- Hickman Creek, Tooele County, Utah
- Hickman Knolls, Tooele County, Utah
- Hickman Natural Bridge (Arch), Capitol Reef National Park, Wayne County, Utah
- Hickman Pass, Tooele County, Utah
- Hickman Pasture, Wayne County, Utah
- Hickman Spring, Wayne County, Utah
- Indian Hickman Canyon, Tooele, Utah
Works
- Brigham's destroying angel : being the life, confession, and startling disclosures of the notorious Bill Hickman, the Danite chief of Utah, Geo A. Crofutt, New York - 1872
