NAT LOVE - " DEADWOOD DICK "

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Nat Love

Nat Love / Pullman Porter
  Nat Love, pronounced Nate, was the most famous black cowboy of the old west. His nickname was "Deadwood Dick". Nat was born a slave in Davidson County, "Nashville" in 1854 on the plantation of Robert Love. After the Civil War and the end of slavery Nat's father tried to run his own farm but soon died. Nat won a horse raffle, sold the horse, gave his mother half the money and headed west, ending up in Dodge City Kansas where he became a cowboy. He became so skilled he gained the respect of white cowboy's and eventually won a rodeo rope, tie, throw, bridle, saddle, and bronco riding competition on the 4th of July, 1876 in Deadwood South Dakota, which is where he got the nickname "Deadwood Dick". He was an expert shot and was captured by Indians in 1877 but because of his bravery they released him. He wrote an autobiography of his life and worked as a Pullman Porter in his later years. He died in Los Angeles California in 1921 at the age of 67.

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