William Matthew Tilghman, Jr. was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, on July 4, 1854. He became a buffalo hunter at the age of 15 and claimed that he killed more than 1000 bison over his five years of activity. During this time, he may have become acquainted with Wild Bill Hickok, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Mysterious Dave Mather, who also hunted buffalo. He later served as a scout for the U.S. Cavalry before serving as a lawman. He was killed by a corrupt Prohibition Agent in the line of duty on November 1, 1924.