Cast of Characters

My novel Outlaw Heroes is a fiction novel that contains some real-life outlaws who lived in the late 1800s to the early to mid 1900s. I thought it would be fun to do a brief biography on the main characters from my book to give you a little more insight into these old western characters.

Taken in Fort Worth, TX
Nov. 21, 1900

Butch Cassidy

Butch's real name was Robert LeRoy Parker and he was born on April 13, 1866 (Friday the 13^th!) in Beaver, Utah. He was the first of 13 children born to Maximilian and Annie Parker. His family called him Bob. Bob's family belonged to the Morman faith, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In fact, Bob's grandparents, Robert and Ann Parker, and their four children were part of the many groups of Mormans to pull handcarts filled with their belongings and walk from Iowa City to Salt Lake City, Utah. He grew up in a poor, but happy, home and was liked by everyone who knew him. At the age of 18, in 1884, Bob left home to try his luck outside of his then home town, Circleville, Utah. What he found, however, was the wrong group of people and eventually turned from being a ranch hand to rustling to robbing banks and trains. He changed his name to protect his family back home.

Everyone who ever had contact with Butch Cassidy liked him. He had an easy nature about him, loved to joke and tease and was generous to friends in need. He was an avid reader and seemed to be of high intelligence. And he was never reported to have ever shot or killed a person, even during a robbery. He and Sundance did try to go straight and ranched for close to 5 years when they moved to South America, but they were still being chased by the Pinkerton Detective Agency. They returned to a life of crime around 1906 and there is no definitive proof that they either died in South America or lived and returned to the United States.

 

Fort Worth, TX
Nov. 21, 1900

The Sundance Kid

The Sundance Kid was born in Pennsylvania in the spring of 1867 and his real name was Harry Alonzo Longabaugh. Harry was the youngest of 5 children born to Josiah and Ann Longabaugh. Young Harry's life was not an easy one. By the age of 13, he and his older brother, Harvey, were earning room and board with another family working on their farm. At 14, he moved west with his cousin, George Longenbaugh and his wife and family, where they eventually settled in Cortez, Colorado and ranched. This is where Harry learned his talents with horses and also where he first started befriending the wrong group of people. In 1887, Harry got in trouble for allegedly stealing a horse, saddle and gun and spent 18 months in the jail at Sundance, Wyoming. The newspaper there called him "Kid Longabaugh" and soon after the alias Sundance Kid was born. Sundance was released from jail in February 1889 and it was sometime soon after that he met Butch Cassidy, and the rest is history.

Like Butch Cassidy, Sundance liked to read and was fairly well educated. He wasn't as likable as Butch, though, because he tended to be more serious and often had a surly attitude. Having been brought up with a Baptist Church background, he seemed to agree with Butch that they should avoid violence whenever possible during a robbery. Although he had the reputation as an excellent shot with a pistol, there has never been any evidence of him shooting or killing a person. Sundance was good at training horses and he was generally responsible for buying and training the horses for robberies. Sundance met and supposedly was married to the beautiful Etta Place (alias) who followed the two men to South America.

 

Sundance & Etta February 1901
New York City

Etta Place

There is very little known about the elusive, beautiful woman named Etta Place who had a steady relationship with Sundance (Harry Longabaugh) for several years and then disappeared from the history books. Some believe Etta joined the two outlaws in 1900 when they visited Fort Worth, Texas before leaving to go East and then on to South America. Others believe she knew the outlaws even earlier as there were reports she was seen with them in Robber's Roost (Utah) during the winter of 1896-97. It is known for sure from photos that she lived with Sundance and Butch in South America on their ranch until around 1906. It is thought that Sundance brought her back to the U.S. and then returned to South America alone. After that, no one knows what became of Etta Place.

What is known of Etta is that she was fairly well educated and enjoyed reading, well mannered and very ladylike but could also ride a horse and shoot a gun as expertly as any man. No one knows for sure what her real name was. She and Harry went by the alias of Mr. & Mrs. Harry A. Place and Etta's real name may have been Ethel as she used this name when staying at a hotel in New York City. While visiting with Harry's family in Pennsylvania before leaving for South America, Harry introduced Etta as his wife. In January of 1901, it was recorded at a hospital visit that Mrs. Harry Place was around 23 or 24 years old, 5 ft., 5 in. tall, 110 lbs, had medium dark hair and blue to gray eyes. Harry and Etta had a photograph taken of them in New York City in February 1901, and this was the only photo that authorities ever had on file of Sundance's wife. Family of Sundance's later published photos from South America of Etta with Sundance and Butch, so it is known she lived there.

Harry and Etta returned to the U.S. twice for visits between the years of 1901 (when they first left for South America) and 1906. But after 1906, Etta Place was never seen or heard from again, and no one knows for sure what became of Sundance's wife.

Read more about Butch & Sundance 

There have been many, many books written on Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, Etta Place and the rest of the Wild Bunch that are full of interesting information about these characters. Here is a list of a few of them that you may find interesting:

Butch Cassidy, My Uncle
Bill Betenson, Author

This comprehensive book about Butch Cassidy is written by Butch's great-nephew and is full of interesting information about the outlaw.  Available in Paperback on Amazon


Butch Cassidy, My Brother
Lula Betenson, Author

This book is written by Butch's own sister, Lula, who was only a baby when he left home. She shares a lot of great information about Butch in the early and later years. Since it was published in 1975, you will have to buy a used copy. Available through Amazon for various prices.


Sundance, My Uncle
Donna Ernst, Author

Another good book written by the wife of Sundance's great-nephew so it contains well-researched and family information of this famous outlaw. Another hard-to-find book but you can find a used on on Amazon.


The Sundance Kid
Donna Ernst, Author

This is the second book by Donna Ernst about The Sundance Kid. Some updated information. Available on Kindle and in Paperback on Amazon


Etta Place
Gail Drago, Author

Even though very little is known about Etta, this is a good book with interesting information. Buy used on Amazon.