Early Days in Texas: A Trip to Hell and Heaven

by Jim McIntire

University of Oklahoma Press

1992

First Edition

ISBN 0-8061-2851-8

Paperback

184 pages

NEW 

Early Days in Texas: A Trip to Hell and Heaven is a gritty, firsthand memoir by Jim McIntire, a man who wore many hats on the 19th-century American frontier- lawman, outlaw, gambler, cowboy, and buffalo hunter.  McIntire recounts his wild life in Texas and New Mexico during the late 1800s, including his time in towns like Fort Griffin and Las Vegas. He shares encounters with legendary figures such as Billy the Kid, Wyatt Earp, Pat Garrett, and Sam Bass. The tone is raw and unapologetic—he describes violent, often brutal events with a matter-of-fact style that reflects the harsh realities of frontier life. A near-death experience in 1901 inspired him to write this memoir, which was originally published in 1902. The book offers a rare, unfiltered glimpse into the lawless boomtowns, saloons, and dusty cattle trails of the Old West. Historian Robert K. DeArment edited and annotated the 1992 edition, correcting factual errors and adding context to McIntire’s colorful tales. 184 pages. Paperback. NEW.