John Wesley Harden was born on May 26, 1853, in Bonham, Texas. Wes had ancestors who fought in the battle of San Jacinto. In November, at the year on 1868, Wes shot his first victim , a black freed slave named Mage. Mage met Wes on the road and threatened him. Wes asked if he could pass, but Mage refused and continued to threaten. Wes drew out a pistol and fired. He hit him in the head and killed him instantly.

After Wes's twenty-first birthday, he was credited with shooting 42 men. The citizens of Texas began to look up to Wes as a new hero.

"True, it is almost as bad to kill as to be killed....." this was a quote by John Wesley Hardin in his autobiography.

He had come to the small town of Comanche to celebrate his 21 birthday. Wes by this time was making a living in buying and selling cattle. He had met Jane Bowen in Gonzalez, Texas. He fell in love with her and and married in 1871. Early in 1874 Jane gave birth to a baby daughter, Molly.

John Wesley Hardin invites Sheriff Charles Webb. Hardin heard someone say "LOOK OUT"! He turned and saw Charles Webb drawing his pistol. He was in the act of presenting it when Wes jumped to one side, drew his pistol and fired. In the meantime, Webb fired hitting Wes in the left side and forcing a painful wound. His aim was good and a bullet hole in the left cheek did all the work. He fell against the wall and as Webb fell, he fired a second shot, which went into the air.

On August 19, 1895 at 42 years of age, he went in the Acme Saloon where he began rolling dice with a local grocer. Into the saloon walked Constable John Selman. He pulled his gun and shot Was in the back. He shot twice more, with one bullet fatally striking Wes in the brain.

John Wesley Hardin was buried in an unmarked grave in Concordia Cemetery in El Paso.

I used "A Brief History Of John Wesley Hardin", by Bill Brannan to get this information.