Heroes and Desperados
Here are some other giants of American mythology, compiled by Information Please.
Appleseed, Johnny (John Chapman, 1774-1847): Massachusetts-born nurseryman, reputed to have spread seeds and seedlings out of which grew the apple orchards of the Midwest.
Billy the Kid (William H. Bonney, 1859-1881): Desperado who killed his first man before he reached his teens. After a short life of crime in the Wild West, he was gunned down by Sheriff Pat Garrett. He lives on as a symbol of the lawless West.
Boone, Daniel (1734-1820): Frontiersman and Indian fighter about whom legends of early America have been built, he figured in Byron's Don Juan.
Buffalo Bill (William F. Cody, 1846-1917): A buffalo hunter and Indian scout, many of the legends about him stem from his own Wild West show, which he operated in the late 19th century.
Bunyan, Paul: Mythical lumberjack and subject of tall tales throughout timber country, including one that he dug the Grand Canyon.
Crockett, David (1786-1836): Frontiersman, congressman, and defender of the Alamo, his backwoods humor and larger-than-life adventures made him synonymous with the Wild West.
James, Jesse (1847-1882): Bank and train robber, often portrayed as the American Robin Hood.
Jones, Casey (John Luther Jones, 1863-1900): Example of heroic locomotive engineer given to feats of prowess; died in wreck when his Illinois Central "Cannonball" express hit freight train at Vaughan, Miss.
Ross, Betsy (1752-1836): Member of Philadelphia flag-making family. Reported to have designed and sewn first American flag. Report is without confirmation.
Uncle Sam: Personification of the U.S. and its people, his origin is uncertain. He may be based on the inspector of government supplies in the Revolutionary War and War of 1812.
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