Doc Holliday
(Aug. 14, 1851 - Nov. 8, 1887)
Born John Henry Holliday in Griffin, Georgia, he obtained the moniker "Doc" because he was a Dentist.
It's hard to sort the fiction and the fact on Doc and since I have not read the exciting new book Doc Holliday, A Family Portrait by Karen Holliday Tanner. I will provide a brief summary. Doc met Wyatt Earp in Fort Griffin, Texas and became friends. Doc who had contracted tuberculosis came west since the early belief was the dry western air would help this disease.
Doc migrated here and there (i.e. Deadwood, Dodge City, Las Vegas (NM) and Tombstone) killing or wounding various people along the way. After the OK Corral, Doc went to Colorado (Denver), then to Glenwood Springs. He was hoping the steam baths in Glennwood Springs would cure his condition. It did not help. On November 8, 1887, Doc Holliday died in bed.
The Denver Republican, dated December 25, 1887 said:
"....Holliday had gone to Glenwood for his health. Pneumonia over took him and the grisly rider soon smote him down...."
Probably because of his illness, Doc could be characterised as cranky, hard-to-get-along-with and of course he was dangerous.
Doc Holliday is buried in the Old Hill Cemetery in Glenwod Springs, Colorado. The headstone doesn't mark the exact spot where Doc is buried since that location is not known. It is known that he is buried in this cemetery.
Gravesite Map
Information compiled by Steve Grimm
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