Sheriff Joe Walker

As the new sheriff in Jackson County, Walked was never a "braggert, always soft-spoken, yet capable of maintaining discipline" states the historical records.

Stories circulated later that Walker was the first of the gunslinger western sheriffs before Earp, Hickock, and others.  During his term, 33 criminal cases were tried in Jackson circuit court, none involving guns, hand to hand combat only.

The weapon of choice at that time was a knife - one named after Jim Bowie of Arkansas who didn't invent it as legend leads us to believe, but could wield it like no one else ever could.  The new hatchet was considered more manly than a gun - especially fighting Comanche or a grizzly bear.  Following the Civil War, the six-shooter offered better opportunities to murder opponents - if you afford one. and knew how to use it.  Unlike the movies,  the six-shooters weren't your ordinary man's weapon.

By the time Joe became sheriff he was 29 years old and had been living and traveling the rough road for 10 years already.  Chances were slim that anyone got the best of Sheriff Walker.  No records exist of him actually having to overpower anyone, but people knew he could and that was enough in those days.  Only three times in his entire life was he ever confronted physically and all three men backed up before it came to violence.  That is respect.

Next time ...some of Sheriff Walkers cases