William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody was born in 1948 in Iowa Territory. Soon after he was born the family moved back to Cody's father's hometown in Toronto Township, Upper Canada (Mississauga
, Ontario today). Cody's father was anti-slavery so when they moved back to the United States, he would speak out against it. This led to death threats.
Eleven year old Bill had to take a job as a "boy extra" with a freight carrier after his father died. At 14 he decided to travel to California to mine for gold. On the way, though, he joined up with the Pony Express.
Cody joined the Union Army during the American Civil War and worked as a teamster with Company H, 7th Kansas Cavalry. He was discharged soon after the war's end. He re-joined the army in 1868 as a dispatch rider, and then as the Chief of Scouts for the 5th Cavalry Regiment and 3rd Cavalry.
He won the Medal of Honor in 1872 during the Indian Wars.
Cody received his nickname when he worked a contract to supply Kansas Pacific Railroad workers with buffalo meat. It is said he killed almost 4300 buffalo in 18 months in 1867-1868.
Cody started his wild west show in 1872, with friend Texas Jack Omohundro. In 1873 he invited "Wild Bill" Hickok to join. Hickok didn't enjoy the show and left soon after. Over the next several years he included cowboys, American Indians, Turks, gauchos, Arabs, Mongols, and Georgians. Sitting Bull participated for a time. Annie Oakley and husband Frank Butler were sharpshooters. Re-enactments of the Pony Express, Indian attacks on wagon trains, and stagecoach robberies were a big part of the show. The show went overseas to Europe in 1889 and Cody got to meet Pope Leo XIII.
Edison Studios were filmed for an early silent film, Buffalo Bill.
Buffalo Bill died in 1917 in Denver, Colorado. He was baptized a Catholic the day before his death. He was buried on Lookout Mountain, in Golden, Colorado as it overlooked the Great Plains
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