Josiah Gordon “Doc” Scurlock remains one of the most enigmatic figures to emerge from the American frontier—a man whose reputation as a deadly marksman was matched only by his quiet, scholarly demeanor. His journey into the annals of Western lore as a famous gunfighter in Mexico begins not on a dusty battlefield or in a dramatic standoff, but in a fateful game of cards inside a dimly lit tavern. What started as a casual evening of gambling quickly unraveled when a heated argument broke out between Scurlock and another player at the table.
The dispute, fueled by alcohol and pride, escalated beyond words, and before long, the confrontation turned to gunfire. In the chaotic exchange that followed, the other player ultimately lost his life, but Scurlock did not escape unscathed. He was wounded severely, receiving a bullet that struck him in the mouth, shattering two of his front teeth before the projectile bizarrely exited through the back of his neck.
Unbelievably, against all odds, Scurlock survived this horrific injury—a testament to his extraordinary resilience and a harbinger of the many dangers he would face in the years to come.
After recovering from his near-fatal wound, Scurlock made the decision to return to the United States in 1871, leaving behind the violent episode that had nearly claimed his life in Mexico. He found work under the employ of John Chisum, a prominent cattle baron operating in Texas, where he began to establish himself as a reliable and skilled hand. A few years later, Doc’s exceptional marksmanship was put to the ultimate test when he and a fellow cowboy named Jack Holt were suddenly ambushed by a group of Native Americans while out on the range.
The attack was swift and brutal, catching the two men completely off guard. Tragically, Holt was killed in the initial assault, leaving Scurlock alone and outnumbered. Seeking refuge behind nearby rocks, Scurlock found himself in a desperate situation, yet he refused to surrender.
Alone and surrounded, he engaged in a fierce gunfight that lasted for several hours, methodically holding off his attackers with deadly accuracy. In a pivotal moment, he managed to 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 the Indian leader, a shot that broke the morale of the group. Then, under the cover of darkness, Scurlock quickly escaped, walking an astonishing twenty miles on foot in search of help, driven by sheer willpower and the instinct to survive.
By May 1875, John Chisum had moved his vast operations to New Mexico, and Scurlock was ready to join the cowboy ranks at the ranch near Roswell. The wide-open spaces of the New Mexico territory offered a new beginning, but the dangers of the frontier were never far away. In September of the same year, Scurlock experienced another heavy loss when a close companion fell victim to an Indian attack.
The grief of losing yet another friend weighed heavily on him, and the constant threat of violence began to take its toll. Stricken with sorrow and disillusionment, he went to Chisum with the intention of giving up his life as a cowboy altogether. Unfortunately, Chisum, not wanting to lose a man of Scurlock’s caliber, refused to pay him what he was owed, hoping to force him to stay.
However, Scurlock remained firm in his decision and managed to secure payment from Chisum, albeit through a contentious transfer of three horses, two saddles, and a rifle. Considered a thief by some and pursued by a group of Chisum’s men, Scurlock fled to Arizona, carrying the stigma of his actions with him. However, when he was finally caught up by the cowboys sent to retrieve him, he detailed the circumstances that led to his drastic actions.
After hearing his side of the story, the men eventually understood his motivations and, showing a measure of frontier justice, let him go free.
While in Arizona, Scurlock ran into his old friend Charlie Bowdre, a chance meeting that would lead to a joint venture to establish a cheese factory along the Gila River. The idea was an unusual one for men accustomed to the saddle, but they pursued it with determination. It is said that they briefly recruited a young man named Billy the Kid to help them with the enterprise, a curious footnote in the history of the infamous outlaw.
However, the cheese factory’s existence was short-lived, as the remote location and lack of resources doomed the business. Prompting Scurlock and Bowdre to leave Arizona and venture to Lincoln County, New Mexico, they sought new opportunities in a region that was quickly becoming a powder keg of economic and political tension. At this new location, they managed to acquire a farm on credit from Lawrence G.
Murphy, an illegal transaction facilitated by the monopoly known as L. G. Murphy and Co.
On September 2nd, 1876, they took possession of the property, but it was during this period that a serious and tragic accident happened. One unlucky day, Scurlock accidentally fired a shot that resulted in the death of his friend Mike Harkins, the store manager at Blazer’s Mill, which was owned by John H. Riley.
The incident occurred while Harkins was examining a pistol, and a sudden, unintended discharge proved fatal, casting a dark shadow over Scurlock’s time in the region.
The following month, on October 19th, 1876, in Lincoln, New Mexico, Scurlock took his vows to marry Maria Antonia Miguela Herrera. Notably, his closest companion, Charlie Bowdre, happened to be married to Maria’s sister, cementing their brother-in-law relationship and binding their fates even closer together. Scurlock and his wife would go on to raise a family of ten children, a large household that stood in stark contrast to the violence that surrounded them.
During this period, Lincoln County was plagued by aggressive horse and cattle thefts, with rustlers operating with impunity across the vast rangelands. In response, Scurlock actively served on multiple posses dedicated to pursuing and bringing to justice the thieves responsible. The severity of the crime was such that some perpetrators suffered their fate at the gallows, a grim reminder of the harsh justice of the time.
In January 1877, Scurlock found himself in a dilemma when he and his neighbor George Coe were arrested by Lincoln County Sheriff William Brady. The authorities suspected that they were harboring Frank Freeman, a wanted murderer and alleged member of the notorious Jesse Evans gang. For several days, Scurlock and Coe are said to have endured brutal torture before regaining their freedom, an ordeal that further hardened their resolve against the corrupt powers that controlled the county.
During these tumultuous times, Scurlock befriended various ranchers in the era, notably John Tunstall and Dick Brewer. Tunstall, along with attorney Alexander McSween, set up a rival business to challenge the exclusive holdings of the Murphy and Dolan Commercial and Banking Corporation in Lincoln County. Showing his support for the underdogs, Scurlock publicly challenged Lawrence Murphy and James Dolan, the key figures behind the company that held a stranglehold on the local economy.
Under the circumstances, fearing to lose control of their profits, Murphy and Dolan began a series of retaliatory efforts aimed at crushing their competition. Tragedy struck in February 1878 when John Tunstall was brutally killed, an event that sparked an all-out war in Lincoln County. To combat the monopolistic powers, a faction known as The Regulators emerged, with Scurlock playing a key role as one of its founding members.
The conflict escalated with the aim of breaking the oppressive control exercised by Murphy and Dolan, and the territory descended into open warfare. During the Battle of Blazer’s Mills on April 4th, 1878, Scurlock suffered a gunshot wound to the leg inflicted by Buckshot Roberts, and he also witnessed the tragic loss of Dick Brewer, the respected leader of the Regulators, who was killed in the same engagement.
The incessant conflict during the Lincoln County War took the lives of many, including the Regulators’ prominent figure Frank McNab, who fell in battle. After the fall of McNab, Scurlock took over as the third leader of The Regulators, stepping into a role that carried immense responsibility and danger. In the midst of the ongoing conflict, a dramatic change occurred when Sheriff William Brady, known to have ties to Dolan and Murphy, was replaced by John Copeland, a McSween supporter.
Taking advantage of this transition, Scurlock briefly served as deputy sheriff, using his position to further the cause of the Regulators. The Lincoln County War lasted until November 1878, when the governor intervened, issuing a stern warning and threatening martial law in an effort to restore peace. The governor extended a pardon to all individuals involved in the Lincoln County War who had not yet faced indictment, a sweeping amnesty designed to quell the violence.
It is important to note, however, that this amnesty statement excluded Billy the Kid, leaving the young outlaw outside the protection of the law. This official declaration marked the end of the Lincoln County War, despite the heavy losses of nineteen men killed in the conflict, a bloody chapter in Western history that would be remembered for generations.
After a year had passed, Scurlock decided to give up his gun and move to Texas, seeking solace in a peaceful life far from the chaos of Lincoln County. He purposely shied away from the tumultuous and extraordinary episodes of his gunfight-filled past, rarely discussing or reminiscing about those experiences with his family or friends. Over time, Scurlock engaged in a variety of jobs to support his large family, finding work wherever he could.
During the 1880 census in Potter County, Texas, he held the mail station, a position that suited his quieter nature. Besides pursuing his profession, he had a deep interest in classical literature and even delved into the art of poetry, revealing a sensitive and intellectual side that contrasted sharply with his reputation as a gunfighter. Finally, Doc Scurlock died at the age of eighty of a heart attack in Eastland, Texas, passing away peacefully in his old age.
He was interred at Eastland City Cemetery along with his wife and other family members, leaving behind a legacy that is as complex as it is fascinating—a man who survived a bullet through the head, fought alongside Billy the Kid, and yet chose to end his days as a quiet poet and family man.
