The Vigilantes of Montana:
1864 Revisited

The First 21 Vigilante Hangings

In the following table you will find links to description files giving a short account of what is know about each victim. In most cases this material is from Hanging the Sheriff, by R. E. Mather and F. E. Boswell, and from Vigilante Victims, by the same authors. These authors have researched the genealogy of many of these victims and looked into their lives before coming to the Montana gold camps. For the first time they emerge as individuals in their own right, rather than demons in a nineteenth century melodrama.

George Ives is not included in this list, since he was convicted and sentence by a miner's court, prior to the formation of the Vigilantes. Also, at this time links to the first four only are finished, the other 17 links are "under construction."
George W. Brown 1. George W. Brown, January 4, 1864 at Laurin's ranch on the Stinkingwater River (Ruby River), Madison County.
Erastus (Red) Yeager 2. Erastus (Red) Yeager, January 4, 1864 at Laurin's ranch on the Stinkingwater (now the Ruby) River , Madison County.
Henry Plummer 3. Henry Plummer, January 10, 1864 at Bannack, Beaverhead County.
Ned Ray 4. Ned Ray, January 10, 1864 at Bannack, Beaverhead County.
Buck Stinson 5. Buck Stinson, January 10, 1864 at Bannack, Beaverhead County.
John Wagner 6. John Wagner (Dutch John), January 11, 1864 at Bannack, Beaverhead County.
Joe Pizanthia 7. Joe Pizanthia, January 11, 1864 at Bannack, Beaverhead County.
George Lane 8. George Lane (Club-foot George), January 14, 1864 at Virginia City, Madison County.
Frank Parrish 9. Frank Parrish, January 14, 1864 at Virginia City, Madison County.
Haze Lyons 10. Asa Hayes Lyons, January 14, 1864 at Virginia City, Madison County.
Jack Gallagher 11. Jack Gallagher, January 14, 1864 at Virginia City, Madison County.
Boone Helm 12. Boone Helm, January 14, 1864 at Virginia City, Madison County.
Steve 13. Steve Marshland, January 16, 1864 at Clarke's Big Hole Ranch Beaverhead County.
William Bunton 14. William Bunton, January 19, 1864 at Deer Lodge Valley, Pow ell County.
Cyrus Skinner 15. Cyrus Skinner, January 25, 1864 at Hell Gate, Missoula County.
Alexander Carter 16. Alexander Carter, January 25, 1864 at Hell Gate, Missoula County.
John Cooper 17. John Cooper, January 25, 1864 at Hell Gate, Missoula County.
Robert Zachary 18. Robert Zachary, January 25, 1864 at Hell Gate, Missoula County.
George Shears 19. George Shears, January 24, 1864 at French Town, Missoula County.
William Graves 20. William Graves (Whiskey Bill), January 26, 1864 Fort Owen, Ravalli County.
William Hunter 21. William Hunter, February 3, 1864, Gallatin Valley, Gallatin County.