Matthew Kerns — Author
Honoring the Legacy:
A New Memorial for Texas Jack III
In September 1908, Buffalo Bill Cody stood in Evergreen Cemetery in Leadville, Colorado, and made a promise. Surrounded by his Wild West troupe, he vowed to replace the humble wooden marker on Texas Jack Omohundro's grave with a permanent granite memorial. That promise, kept over a century ago, continues to inspire us today.
A Child Lost to Time
In a quiet corner of Graceland Cemetery in Chicago lies an unmarked grave—the resting place of a child who lived only nineteen months but whose legacy connects multiple threads of Wild West history. Born December 13, 1890, in Calcutta, India, while his parents toured with their Wild West show, the infant son of Texas Jack Junior and Lily Dunbar Jack died in Chicago on July 14, 1892.
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His name was Texas Jack—the third to bear that storied name.
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For over 130 years, no stone has marked where he was laid to rest. But that's about to change.
Three Generations, One Name
The story begins with John B. "Texas Jack" Omohundro, the Virginia-born Confederate scout who became one of the most celebrated frontiersmen of his era. Alongside Buffalo Bill Cody, he helped create the Wild West show phenomenon that would captivate audiences around the world.
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In the late 1860s, Texas Jack rescued a young boy from a Comanche camp. Without knowledge of his birth name, the child adopted the name of his rescuer and became Texas Jack Junior. Junior grew up to become a performer himself, touring internationally and, in a twist of history, giving a young Will Rogers his first job in show business.
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Junior's son—also named Texas Jack—never had the chance to carry on that legacy. Born on the road during a tour of India, he died as a toddler while his parents were between engagements in Chicago.
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The Memorial Will Read:
A Family's Blessing
This project has received the heartfelt endorsement of Texas Jack Junior's descendants through his daughter Hazel Jack. Her grandson, Mervyn Dadds, shared these moving words:
"May I begin by saying that John B. 'Texas Jack' Omohundro's act of rescuing Texas Jack Junior has enabled me, some 165 years later, to write this. I am Mervyn Dadds, great-grandson of Texas Jack Jr.
It was only fairly recently that Matthew Kerns told me about Texas Jack III, of whose existence I was unaware. The Texas Jack Association's spirit of marking graves as a remembrance is wonderful. It is an honour, and with deepest gratitude, that I endorse the marking of my great uncle's resting place with a memorial plaque. A million thanks. Mervyn."
Why Chicago Matters
Chicago holds a unique place in Texas Jack's story. It was there, in December 1872, that John B. Omohundro first took the stage alongside Buffalo Bill Cody and Ned Buntline in The Scouts of the Prairie. That moment marked the birth of the Wild West on stage—a fusion of fact and fiction that introduced frontier legends to audiences worldwide.
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It was also in Chicago where Texas Jack first met Giuseppina Morlacchi, the love of his life. Buffalo Bill's wife later noted it was love at first sight.
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The city thus serves as both a beginning and, now, a place of quiet remembrance.
Following in Buffalo Bill's Footsteps
Just as Buffalo Bill honored his friend with a lasting memorial, the Texas Jack Association seeks to honor the legacy that friend left behind. More recently, historian Joe Dobrow continued this tradition by placing a memorial for John M. Burke—"Arizona John"—who died penniless in 1917 and lay in an unmarked grave for a century.
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These acts of remembrance tell the world: This person mattered. Their story matters, and it belongs to the larger narrative of the American experience.
Help Us Complete This Mission
We're raising $3,000 to install a permanent memorial marker at Graceland Cemetery. As a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Texas Jack Association can accept tax-deductible donations, ensuring every dollar goes directly toward honoring this legacy.
What's Next
In September 2023, TJA member and Texas Jack Omohundro cousin Lee Zurligen confirmed the burial location at Graceland Cemetery: Block 15, Grave 448. With the cemetery's cooperation and the family's blessing, we're now ready to move forward.
We'll be sharing updates as this project progresses, including:
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Fundraising milestones
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Memorial design details
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Installation timeline
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Plans for a dedication ceremony
Any funds raised beyond our goal will support similar preservation and educational initiatives aligned with the Association's mission.
Join Us in This Act of Remembrance
Whether you're a descendant of the Omohundro family, a student of Western history, or simply someone who believes that every life deserves to be remembered, we invite you to be part of this meaningful project.
Together, we can ensure that Texas Jack III—too soon gone—will never be forgotten.
The Texas Jack Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of John B. "Texas Jack" Omohundro and promoting accurate scholarship of the American West. Learn more at www.texasjack.org.