Wiley G. Haines: Frontier U.S. Deputy Marshal [Paperback]

J. D. Haines (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2002

For nearly thirty years, Wiley G. Haines held a commission as a U.S. deputy marshal in the Twin Territories, one of the most challenging posts in the nation. Haines protected the territories’ people and also the land from exploitation. He was fluent in the Osage language and a trusted friend of the tribe, known as the “Peacemaker of the Osage.” Unlike legendary lawmen Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and Wild Bill Hickok, Haines was a career lawman. He was one of the most successful criminal officers in Oklahoma.

It is difficult for us to imagine today the routine hardships and challenges Haines faced on a daily basis. Whether riding on horseback through the snow in bitter cold in pursuit of an outlaw or facing the deadly gunfire of desperadoes, Haines had to be prepared for anything. He was one of the last iron men, whose epitaph reads, “An Honest Man’s the Noblest Work of God.” The Wiley Haines story is an exciting page from the history of Oklahoma’s wild and woolly days.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

J. D. Haines has practiced medicine in Oklahoma for twenty years and is currently owner of Stillwater Family Medicine and Urgent Care Center in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He is the author of more than a hundred articles published in a variety of magazines and professional journals. In addition to Wiley Haines: Frontier U.S. Deputy Marshal, Haines has several other books in press, including a book of memoirs, There Ain’t No U-Haul Behind That Hearse, a young-adult novel, Flight of the Eagle, a collection of Civil War stories, Deo Vindice, and a collection of Old West history, Wild and Woolly.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Eakin Press; 1 edition (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1571686479
• ISBN-13: 978-1571686473
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,072,756 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Read, February 12, 2004

By 

Diana Stumbaugh (Stillwater, OK United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wiley G. Haines: Frontier U.S. Deputy Marshal (Paperback)

Both my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
Living in this area brought it all to life, not only local history, but even details of life in Civil War Missouri.
While the book is mainly about Wiley G. Haines,who was a decent and brave lawman, it also contains events like the Oklahoma Land Run and the Abernathy boys. We were fascinated with the interesting stories and facts. It makes you appreciate the hardship these lawmen and settlers went through.
This is a great book for anyone, and you don't have to be a western history buff to enjoy it.
However, after finishing it, you'll want to learn more.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, February 13, 2004

By 

dayna krampe (Cushing, OK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wiley G. Haines: Frontier U.S. Deputy Marshal (Paperback)

This book provides primary source material, never before published, of the day-to-day life of a real U.S. Deputy Marshal who served for nearly thirty years on one of America's last frontiers. Written by Deputy Marshal Haines's great-grandson, the book provides new insight into one of the truly remarkable lawmen who never recieved the credit that he deserved. Historians who have focused on the Three Guardsmen (Thomas, Tilghman and Madsen) have largely ignored lawmen like Haines whose contributions have been overlooked. Unlike lawmen like Bill Tilghman, who made a movie and had a roadshow promoting his career, Haines was a true professional who never sought the limelight and performed his duties with deadly efficiency. Those who suffer from hero-worship of the Three Guardsmen will not like this book, since it raises a few uncomfortable questions. Haines's sterling character and career will seem unbelievable to some in our cynical age, but there were many outstanding lawmen like Haines that have not recieved the notoriety of a select few. This book is an important contribution to the annals of Oklahoma and western history and is recommended for those with an open mind.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbiased biography of Outstanding Lawman, February 13, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wiley G. Haines: Frontier U.S. Deputy Marshal (Paperback)

Strongly disagree with Yankee reviewer from Detroit. This is not a book for those who want their preconceptions about Oklahoma Territorial history confirmed. As someone who is a native Oklahoman and lives in Oklahoma, I can say that this biography of U.S. Deputy Marshal Wiley G. Haines is a factual and unbiased account. The log book entries of Wiley Haines provide a first-hand account of what a frontier marshal's life was like. The book does not portray Wiley Haines as a saint and the other marshals as corrupt, as the uninformed reviewer from Detroit suggests. It does raise questions that some folks would rather avoid. Read the book and decide for yourself. Happiness is a north-bound Yankee.