Josiah Gordon Scurlock was known as "Doc." Scurlock became famous for his participation in the Lincoln County War and his ties to Billy the Kid.
He was a founding member of the Regulators, a friend of Charlie Bowdre, who wanted to deliver justice in defense of John Tunstall.
Early Life
Doc Scurlock was born in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, to a large family. He was the sixth of eleven children born to his parents, Priestly Norman Scurlock and Esther Ann Brown.
He studied medicine while in New Orleans, and that is where he received his nickname, "Doc."
Doc traveled to Mexico around 1870. While there, he got into an altercation with another man. They both drew their pistols, and Doc's opponent fired first.
The bullet traveled through his mouth and out the back of his neck. It knocked out his front teeth, but his neck wound healed. Since the bullet did not stay, it did not cause an infection.
In response, Doc fired a shot at the man and killed him.
Professional Life
Doc Scurlock left Mexico, returned to the United States in 1871, and went to work with John Chisum. He and other riders were also used to defend Chisum and his cattle holdings in the event cattle rustlers attempted to prey on them.
Sometime during 1873, he and Jack Holt were surprised by a group of Native Americans, and Holt was killed. Scurlock found refuge among some rocks, and after a protracted fight, he killed the Native American leader. During the night, he slipped away and walked 20 miles for help.
At some time after the fight, Holt's body was presumably partially dismembered, as his right arm was removed at the elbow.
In September 1875, Scurlock's riding partner, Newt Higgins, was killed by Native Americans. Scurlock was so upset over this incident that he told Chisum he wanted to quit.
Chisum, however, would not hear of it and refused to pay him. Scurlock then made the newspapers when he stole three horses, two saddles, and a rifle and left for Arizona.
Chisum sent some of his men after Scurlock, and they caught up with him, but when he explained that he took the things because Chisum would not pay him, they agreed with him and let him go.
Lincoln County
In Arizona, he met Charlie Bowdre, and the two men opened a cheese factory on the Gila River. Some of Scurlock and Bowdre's descendants have said that one of their first employees was Billy the Kid.
After they closed the cheese factory in the spring of 1876, Scurlock and his best friend, Bowdre, returned to Lincoln County, New Mexico, where they bought a ranch on public domain land on the Rio Ruidoso from L. G. Murphy on credit, which made them victims of the L. G. Murphy & Co. monopoly.
Scurlock, Bowdre, Frank Coe, George Coe, and Ab Saunders stormed the very weak Lincoln jail on July 18, 1876, freeing cattle rustler Jesus Largo from the custody of Sheriff Saturnino Baca.
They took Largo outside of town and hanged him. Scurlock accidentally shot and killed his friend, Mike G. Harkins, manager of John H. Riley's store at Blazer's Mill, while he was examining a pistol on September 2, 1876.
On October 19, 1876, Scurlock and María Antonia Miguela Herrera were married in Lincoln, New Mexico. Ten children were eventually born of Scurlock and Antonia's union.
Later Years
In late 1879, Doc Scurlock moved from New Mexico to Texas. Here, he settled down and became a respected citizen. By 1880, he had left his outlaw ways behind him and settled in Potter County, Texas, and seemed to be keeping the mail station or was the postmaster.
Doc Scurlock died at age 80 from a heart attack in Eastland, Texas. He is interred in Eastland City Cemetery, along with his wife and other family members.