John Chisum. Chisum
John Chisum was a rancher and businessman in Texas and later New Mexico, one of the first to raise cattle along the Pecos River. His large ranch was acquired through the claiming of the land and occupying it with his herds. He became wealthy in both land and cattle, with herds of up to 100,000 head. Following the American Civil War Chisum contracted with the US Army to provide beef on the hoof to Fort Sumner. He also contracted with partners in Santa Fe to provide beef to miners and with other ranches across the region. His business interests included a partnership with Alexander McSween.
All of these facts are presented, more or less accurately, in 1970’s Chisum, in which John Wayne plays John Chisum, with the story of his first venture in the Pecos Valley narrated by William Conrad over the opening credits. Once the film begins however most of the accuracy goes out the window. There was a John Henry Tunstall, a rancher, and there was an Alexander McSween, who was Tunstall’s lawyer and business partner. And there was a competitive faction in town, led by Lawrence Murphy. These real people appear in the movie, but only loosely connected to history, in some cases by name only.
Tunstall was not murdered while riding to see the governor as depicted in the movie, but by a posse trying to collect some of his cattle in order to make good Tunstall’s debt, as ordered by the court. The movie depicted some of the events of the Lincoln County War, but in an inaccurate context and timeline. It also greatly exaggerated Chisum’s role in the war. Chisum did have a niece named Sallie who lived with him at his ranch, the daughter of his brother James. They lived near what is now Roswell, New Mexico. Sallie’s diary of the time contains numerous references to Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid.
Chisum’s main contribution to the Lincoln County War was taking steps to end it by either capturing or killing Billy the Kid. This aspect took place after the events in the film, in which Chisum killed Lawrence Murphy in a fistfight. In fact Murphy died of cancer in the fall of 1878, and was quite ill during the time of the events of Chisum. Chisum worked with other ranchers to hire Pat Garrett, after the Battle of Lincoln, inaccurately depicted in the film. In the film Garrett and Bonney work together to purchase stock for McSween and Tunstall’s new store, which in reality opened in 1876, two years before the events of the film.
John Chisum did back the venture, and Lawrence Murphy was the major impetus for the Lincoln County War. Bonney was involved and was still at large after the Battle of Lincoln. John Chisum was a powerful rancher due to his connections and wealth, but he did not ride to the guns as depicted in John Wayne’s portrayal. The film is an amalgam of truth and fiction, Chisum is portrayed in the classic fashion of a John Wayne western. The portrayal takes liberties with the real character of the man being depicted in the film, but not in a negative way.