The Man Who Made the West Wild: The Life and Legacy of Rex Heuermann

July 14, 2023, 4:30 p.m. Entertainment

Read time estimation: 2 minutes. Rex Heuermann



In the early days of the American West, there were few men more feared or respected than Rex Heuermann. A former lawman turned bounty hunter, Heuermann was a legend in his own time, and his reputation as a man not to be messed with was well deserved.

Born in Germany in 1849, Heuermann immigrated to the United States as a young man and eventually found his way to the West. It was there that he made a name for himself as a tough lawman, working as a sheriff and a U.S. Marshal. But it was as a bounty hunter that Heuermann really made his mark on the West.

During his years as a bounty hunter, Heuermann tracked down some of the most notorious outlaws in the West, including the likes of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. His methods were often brutal, but they were effective, and he quickly became known as one of the best in the business.

In his later years, Heuermann settled down on a ranch in Wyoming, where he lived until his death in 1927.

Heuermann was a larger-than-life figure in his time, and his legend has only grown in the years since his death. He was a man of great courage and determination, and he left a lasting mark on the American West.