Friday, August 03, 2007

Wyatt Earp rides again...this time helping working families


Earp family ancestor is active in
Garden State labor, politics


Here's an interesting fact: Legendary 19th century Tombstone, Arizona resident and celebrated Wild West U.S. Marshal Wyatt Earp has a family namesake and ancestor living in New Jersey. A 21st century Wyatt Earp is living in Ocean County, New Jersey. He is a well-known labor man who has been working on behalf of New Jersey workers for decades.

The 21st century Mr. Earp is also a very active Democrat who has worked on behalf of local, county, state and national candidates for a long while.

After meeting Mr. Earp a few times, it's not hard to picture him in the Earp family portrait of yesteryear. After all of inquiries he must be asked about his relationship to his celebrated ancestor, Mr. Earp is still very approachable and a heck of a nice guy too.

Historical Fact: The original Wyatt Earp and his brothers took part in a battle against the first recognized 'organized crime' gang in the United States, a bunch of miscreants known as "The Cowboys." In what is remembered as a case of David v. Goliath, American West style, the Earps carved out justice in a place and time where that was a hard thing to do.

Props to the Earp family past and present for its contributions to helping the community around them.

Click on the headline to go to a PoliticsNJ.com post about Mr. Earp.

2 comments:

Brady Westwater said...

Wyatt Earp had no children and thus can not have any descendants -which I assume is what you meant since a descendant comes after the ancestor.

Downtowner said...

the earps were not a small family, from my understanding. mr. earp (today) is a member of that family directly descended from wyatt (which is not to say that the first wyatt earp had children). mr. earp today might be a great, great, great nephew, cousin...etc.

the family look is there, from what i saw in the old time pix. and he is very interesting and engaging. i think it will be a good aricle when we put it up.