The Complete List of Old West Gunfighters

Gunfighter Summaries - R

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Levi Richardson (1851-1879) - Richardson was an awkward and slow man who came from Wisconsin before landing in Dodge City, Kansas. However, these characteristics did not effect his gunfighting skills. Sometimes working as a buffalo hunter, Richardson was more prone to gamble at the Long Branch Saloon, often with another gambler who was called "Cockeyed" Frank Loving. Though allegedly friends, somewhere along the line the pair began to feud over something to do with Mattie Loving, Frank's wife. In March, 1879,the pair argued on Front Street, resulting in Richardson punching Loving in the face. Unarmed, Frank Loving walked away, with Richardson claiming, "I’ll blow the guts of you, you cockeyed son-of-a------.”

A few weeks later, on April 5th, Levi Richardson strode purposefully into the Long Branch Saloon, looking for Frank Loving. Believing it time to settle their differences, Levi was sure he would find Frank in the saloon, as it had come to be is favored place to gamble. But Loving wasn’t there.

The Long Branch Saloon, May, 2004, David Alexander.

This image available for photographic prints HERE.

Undaunted, Levi headed to the bar for a drink before settling in before the pot-bellied stove in the front of the saloon. By about 9:00 p.m., Richardson had decided that Loving wasn’t going to show up and headed for the door. Just about the time was going to exit, Frank Loving stepped into the saloon. The next thing you know the Richardson-Loving Gunfight, sometimes referred to as the Longbranch Saloon Shootout was filling the saloon with smoke. This time Richardson, gambled and lost with Loving's bullets in his chest. Loving was arrested and tried for murder but the affair was ruled to be self-defense. (See historical accounts HERE.)

Johnny Ringo was an outlaw and gunfighter.

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Johnny Ringo (1850-1882) - Stories vary as to Ringo's real name, but he was known to have been born to a good family on May 3, 1850 in Green's Fork, Indiana. They soon moved to Missouri where Ringo attended college. The family moved again to California, but Ringo headed to Texas in 1869. There, he earned a deadly reputation in numerous gunfights and fought with Scott Cooley in the Mason County War of 1874-1876. For his actions in this feud, he spent almost two years in jail until charges were dismissed.

Afterwards, he settled in Loyal Valley, Texas, where he did a short stint as a constable. His life as a lawman; however, didn't last long as he next appeared in Arizona in 1879. There, Ringo hooked up with the Clanton Gang, a group of outlaws commonly known as the "Cowboys" around Tombstone. Ringo himself was called "the King of the Cowboys."

Though he was a known antagonist of Wyatt Earp heavily involved with the Clantons, he was not a participant in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. In 1882, Ringo was found dead with a bullet in his brain. Though his death was ruled as a suicide, his gun was discovered fully loaded, and most believed it to be murder, some say by either Wyatt Earp or Doc Holliday. Ringo is buried a few yards from the tree where his body was found. The grave is located on a ranch southeast of Willcox, Arizona, on private property and can only be viewed with permission.

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