Born, William Matthew Tilghman, Jr., on July 4, 1854, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Farmer, army scout, buffalo hunter, rancher, saloon keeper, state senator and lawman. The Tilghman family moved to Atchison, Kansas, where Bill worked on the farm. In 1872 at age 17, Bill began hunting buffalo, and became well known to the frontiersmen. Tilghman was a scout for the army until 1877, when he was elected deputy sheriff of Ford County. In 1878, he married, and began raising a family near Dodge City, Kansas. Bill was appointed Dodge City Marshal in 1884, and serviced the post for two years.Tilghman left his family in Dodge City, and went to Guthie, Oklahoma. In 1889, he was elected City marshal of Perry, Oklahoma, for a short time, and in 1892 he was appointed deputy U.S. Marshal and moved his family from Dodge City, Kansas to Chandler, Oklahoma. Tilghman served as sheriff of Lincoln County and Chief of Police in Oklahoma City. During the next twenty years, Tilghman had his hands full, rounding up outlaws in Oklahoma. Tilghman was elected to the state senate in 1910, he resigned from the senate in 1911,to become the head of the Oklahoma City Police force. Tilghman retired from the force in 1922. The town's people persuaded Bill to leave retirement in 1924 and become City Marshal, as they were having problems. After a few months on the job, William Matthew Tilgham Jr., was shot and killed while trying to arrest Wiley Lynn, a shady prohibition officer. Bill Tilgham was seventy years of age. Bill Tilgham spent a lifetime protecting the good guys from the bad guys, and he did one heck of a job. HOME
Born, William Matthew Tilghman, Jr., on July 4, 1854, in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Farmer, army scout, buffalo hunter, rancher, saloon keeper, state senator and lawman.
The Tilghman family moved to Atchison, Kansas, where Bill worked on the farm. In 1872 at age 17, Bill began hunting buffalo, and became well known to the frontiersmen.
Tilghman was a scout for the army until 1877, when he was elected deputy sheriff of Ford County.
In 1878, he married, and began raising a family near Dodge City, Kansas. Bill was appointed Dodge City Marshal in 1884, and serviced the post for two years.Tilghman
left his family in Dodge City, and went to Guthie, Oklahoma. In 1889, he was elected City marshal of Perry, Oklahoma, for a short time, and in 1892 he was appointed deputy U.S. Marshal and moved his family from Dodge City, Kansas to Chandler, Oklahoma. Tilghman served as sheriff of Lincoln County and Chief of Police in Oklahoma City.
During the next twenty years, Tilghman had his hands full, rounding up outlaws in Oklahoma.
Tilghman was elected to the state senate in 1910, he resigned from the senate in 1911,to become the head of the Oklahoma City Police force. Tilghman retired from the force in 1922.
The town's people persuaded Bill to leave retirement in 1924 and become City Marshal, as they were having problems. After a few months on the job, William Matthew Tilgham Jr., was shot and killed while trying to arrest Wiley Lynn, a shady prohibition officer. Bill Tilgham was seventy years of age.
Bill Tilgham spent a lifetime protecting the good guys from the bad guys, and he did one heck of a job.
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