Old West outlaws were usually buried unceremoniously in a local “boot hill,” so called because most of those who were buried therein died with their boots on, and were even buried with them on. However, some had funerals: and tombstones with epitaphs marked their graves for some time, usually until souvenir hunters demolished them. On Sam Bass’ tombstone was engraved, “A brave man reposes in death here. Why was he not true? On Seaborne Barnes’ gravestone (Seaborne was a train robber and member of Sam Bass’ gang) was written, “He was right bower to Sam Bass.” Besides his name and dates, Cole Younger’s tombstone had the words, “Rest in Peace, Our Dear Beloved.” Jesse James’ complete epitaph reads: “In Loving Remembers of My Beloved Son, Jesse W. James, Died April 3, 1882. Aged 36 Yeas, 6 Months, 28 Days Murdered by a Traitor and Coward Whose Name is Not Worthy to Appear Here.” The coward referred to was Bob Ford who, as most recall, shot Jesse in the back while he was hanging a picture on the wall, very unusually unarmed. Other than biographical information, Langford Peel’s tombstone (Langford was born in Liverpool and was a gunman who spent a lot of time in Montana) bore the inscriptions: “In Life, Beloved by his Friends, and Respected by his Enemies. Vengeance is Mine. Saith the Lord. I Know The My Redeemer Liveth. Erected by a Friend.” Most unusual of the epitaphs of various Old West outlaws was that of Lame Johnny (a cattle rustler and horse thief who worked primarily out of South Dakota), of the enormous mouth, hanged by impromptu vigilantes and awarded the epitaph: “Lame Johnny, Stranger, pass gently o’er this sod. If he opens his mouth, you’re gone, by God.” 
