Black Jack Ketchum

4/27/2018

Thomas Edward Ketchum

Sam Ketchum

Famous “Outlaw” Relatives

Thomas Edward “Black Jack” Ketchum
(October 31, 1863 – April 26, 1901)

Samuel Wesley Ketchum
(January 04, 1854 - July 24, 1899)

Our common link to “Black Jack” and Sam Ketchum was Edward Ketchum (Abt. 1765 – 1836). Our line descends from Edward’s son, Joseph. Joseph’s brother, Peter, was Black Jack and Sam’s grandfather. This makes them and my grandmother, Brooksie, 2nd cousins twice removed.

A full and complete story about Black Jack and Sam was written by Berry Spradley who was a great-grandson of Samuel Ketchum. The link to read it in full is here: Black Jack Ketchum

Another story was included in the ExecutedToday.com website and can be read here: Executed

Below are pictures and memorial markers commemorating their life.

Tom with older brother Sam standing behind him

Exhibit at Black Jack's Museum in Clayton, NM (taken by Scott Seibel)

Diorama at Black Jack Museum (taken by Scott Museum)

Marker is located at N 34° 59.409 W 103° 44.816 13S E 614361 N 3872667

Detail of Black Jack's gun

Exhibit at Black Jack Museum (taken by Scott Seibel)

Black Jack's name attaches to the [in]famous Hole in the Wall Gang.

N 36° 26.482 W 103° 10.678 13S E 663303 N 4034446 Clayton, NM

Located at N 36° 30.625 W 104° 55.052 13S E 507384 N 4040566 A New Mexico OSHM in Cimarron

3 Comments

Sarena

1/3/2021 03:55:02 am

He is my cousin I never met him tho and boy am I glad I didn't I'm 11 btw

Vicky L Seibel link

1/3/2021 08:50:08 am

Hi Sarena, if you are his cousin then we are cousins as well. I'm glad you found my story.

James

10/13/2024 02:42:39 am

I stopped in Clayton for lunch at an old 2 story hotel. As I was eating a man walked past me in old fashioned clothing and guns strapped to his sides, or side. He was staring me in the eyes as he walked passed. I was concerned he was going to confront me as I could see at least one gun on his hip in an old fashioned holster. My gun was in the car. Seemed kind of a mistake at the moment. But then who expects a gunfight in an empty town. I only saw 2 or 3 people in the whole town, so it seemed safe enough to me. In the moment I nodded to acknowledge his presence but then turned to focus on the meal nonchalantly so as not to provoke him. I still remember those piercing blue eyes staring at me and that fancy getup in an almost challenging manner. About a minute later I heard a man scream behind me, and yell "It's a ghost!" I didn't turn around, I just yelled back, "He seemed real enough to me." There was nothing transparent about his presence. It was Jack Ketchums gun I saw on that man's hip alright, but I think Jack had brown eyes, and the face I saw was not like the picture. The face I saw looked more like Sam Ketchum. This was in 2006, and he was a fairly young man so it doesn't make sense. But I know what I saw and heard. I unwittingly drove past Jack's Ketchums grave when I left, and I haven't been back since. Those cattlehead carved handles and engravings I never forgot. You don't see guns like that at all anymore, and I'm into guns. Or you dont see guns like at least the one gun I saw on his hip as if he wanted to be sure I saw it. I don't know the meaning, a warning, message, territory pissing contest or what... but I have no plans to return. Just one of the many times I've faced death in all my travels. From both the living and the dead. You can scoff and laff at me if you like, but I've had enough road travel to see, learn, and believe a few things, even if I don't understand them. Intuition and God's grace are the only reasons I'm still here. I will admit nothing about that encounter was either normal or explainable. Perplexing is the only word for it as I can describe. That and ominous. But I said the same thing about a woman without a face that stepped in front of my 18 wheeler in a fog at night, and disappeared in smoke as my truck would have hit her if she was real in New Orleans one night. Jean skirt, long sleeve blouse, dark curly hair but no face. You hear stories from other truckers sometimes but it doesn't hit you until... well. I don't want to discourage anybody. Funny thing is I was traveling in a 4 wheeler in Clayton for my job, not the semi. It was supposed to be a quick stop at the County Clerk then backtrack to another assigned County Clerk. 6 hours between 2 stops. Figured I'd better eat while I could. I still don't know if that was the right choice or not. But I'm still alive and no warrants for my arrest. All good things in my book. I took a different job shortly after. I kept dreaming about my own death. It stopped when I changed jobs. Whether that has any significance to this encounter or not I dont know, but interesting nonetheless.

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