Buffalo Bill Cody

Buffalo Bill Cody was a famous showman and cowboy who achieved the rank of Knight Templar in Freemasonry.

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Profession :

other

Birthday :

February 26, 1846

Death Date:

January 10, 1917

Age :

70

Buffalo Bill Cody, an American icon, was a soldier, bison hunter, and showman known for creating and starring in the traveling Wild West show. This show featured reenactments of cowboy life, sharpshooting, and Native American Indian attacks. Cody also served as a scout during the American Indian Wars, published an autobiography, lobbied Congress to create Yellowstone National Park, and helped found the town of Cody, Wyoming.

Cody earned his nickname “Buffalo Bill” from his colleague, William Comstock, after hunting and killing over 4,000 buffalo for the Kansas Pacific Railroad. He later incorporated his nickname into his Wild West show, which reenacted buffalo hunts and other cowboy activities for audiences across the United States and Europe.

As an advocate for Native Americans, Buffalo Bill Cody was one of the few white men who openly spoke out against their unjust treatment by the United States government. He was friends with several Native Americans, including the famous Lakota leader Sitting Bull, and often invited them to perform in his Wild West show. After the Wounded Knee Massacre in 1890, Cody wrote a letter to President Benjamin Harrison condemning the massacre and calling for just treatment of the Native American people.

Cody was also involved in various other shows, movies, and achievements. As a Freemason, he achieved the rank of Knight Templar in 1889 and 32-degree rank in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry in 1894, receiving a full masonic funeral upon his death in 1917. He authored a book titled “The Adventures of Buffalo Bill,” which included both fictional stories and autobiographical accounts. Through his storytelling and involvement in the Wild West show, he played a significant role in popularizing the Pony Express. In 1886, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show entertained over one million people in New York City, cementing his status as a legendary showman.