Bob Paul
The Greatest Old West Lawman You've Never Heard Of
On the most recent episode of The Wild West Extravaganza, I discussed the failed Benson stage robbery. What I failed to mention, however, was the name of the shotgun messenger who saved the day.
Robert H. “Bob” Paul is probably the most underrated Old West lawman you’ve never heard of.
Originally from Massachusetts, Paul spent several years at sea before joining the gold rush to California.
It’s there, in Calaveras County, that he first pinned on a badge, serving as both constable and deputy Sheriff. He’d be appointed as Undersheriff in 1857, and by the 1870s, he was riding shotgun for Wells Fargo.
In fact, the 6’4’’ tall Paul did such a good job thwarting holdups that his bosses sent him down to Arizona to deal with a series of robberies.
He’d eventually run for Sheriff of Pima County, but the incumbent, Sheriff Charles Shibell, used his criminal associates (Ike Clanton, Curly Bill Brocius, etc.) to stuff the ballots. With the election results contested, Paul returned to Wells Fargo, and it was during this period that he thwarted the holdup en route to Benson.
Now, I glossed over his actions on the most recent episode, but when the stagecoach driver, Bud Philpot, was shot, he fell from his seat between the horses, taking the reins with him. Paul was only able to regain control of the runaway team by literally jumping onto the coach tongue and snatching the reins. By that point, the robbers had already dispersed, and he was able to drive the stage to nearby Drew’s station.
Paul joined the posse (along with Wyatt Earp) the following day and helped apprehend Cowboy Luther King.
Eventually, the Arizona Territorial Supreme Court would rule in his favor in the election, and Paul officially became Sheriff of Pima County, a position he held for the next five years. At one point, in April of 1883, Paul even prevented the lynching of alleged murderer Joseph Casey.
He’d later work as a detective for the Southern Pacific Railroad and receive a Presidential appointment as U.S. Marshal over Arizona, before dying of cancer on March 26, 1901.
So, if he lived such an exciting life, why isn’t he more well-known?
Oftentimes, we only remember the people who had books and movies made about them. Both Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp were made famous by author Walter Noble Burns. Jesse James had John Newman Edwards, and Wild Bill Hickok had George Ward Nicols.
Had Bob Paul not been overshadowed by Wyatt Earp and his feud with the Clantons, or had he been discovered by a dime novelist 100+ years ago, there’s a very good chance he’d be just as famous, if not more so, than many of your famous historical figures.
DID YOU KNOW…
For anyone stumbling upon this newsletter for the first time, greetings! My name’s Josh, and I host The Wild West Extravaganza, a history podcast featuring true tales from the Old West. Full episodes are available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and pretty much everywhere else you consume audio.
Thanks Josh
History is very important!