Near Loveland in Clermont County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Dead Man's Hand
Aces and 8s Worldwide Legend
Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, November 4, 2016
1. Dead Man’s Hand Marker
Charles Henry Rich, buried in this cemetery, was a close friend of James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok. On August 2, 1876, Hickok was killed while playing poker at the No. 10 Saloon, Deadwood, Dakota Territory. Charlie Rich had just dealt Hickok two black Aces and two Black eights, the "Dead Man's Hand" to all future poker players. Rich, a native Ohioan, was a quiet man who occasionally told stories of the Old West.
This historic marker is dedicated to the memory of: Alta Mowery Rich, Mabel Rich Bourgeois, Joseph Bourgeois Sr., LaVerne Bourgeois West, Melvin Bourgeois, Jean Rich Schroer
Erected 1989 by Gordon and Patricia Bourgeois. (Marker Number 3-13.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Events. A significant historical date for this entry is August 2, 1876.
Location. 39° 12.69′ N, 84° 18.587′ W. Marker is near Loveland, Ohio, in Clermont County. Marker is at the intersection of Glendale Milford Road (Ohio Route 126) and Center Street, on the right when traveling west on Glendale Milford Road. Marker is in Evergreen Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 220 Glendale Milford Road, Loveland OH 45140, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Charlie Henry Rich (within shouting distance of this marker); Miamiville
this page online
More about this marker. The marker shown here is not an official Ohio History Connection historical marker. But it once was. The Ohio Historical Society erected their marker No. 3-13 here in 1989. It was later permanently removed from the Ohio Historical Marker program, likely after 1996, when Hickok biographer Joseph Rosa debunked the myth.
Gordon and Patricia Bourgeois, credited as sponsors on the face of the removed marker, had the marker recast and erected as you see in these photographs. The recast marker had the Ohio Historical Marker logo replaced and the credit line changed, but the title, text, and original erection date remains the same as the original marker.
Related marker.
Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, November 4, 2016
2. Dead Man’s Hand Marker
Also see . . . Wikipedia entry for Dead Man’s Hand. Excerpt:
What is currently considered the dead man’s hand card combination received its notoriety from a legend that it was the five-card stud or five-card draw hand, held by James Butler Hickok (better known as “Wild Bill” Hickok) when he was shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall on Wednesday, August 2, 1876, in Nuttal & Mann’s Saloon at Deadwood, Dakota Territory. Hickok’s final hand purportedly included the aces and eights of both black suits.(Submitted on August 28, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.)
According to a book by Western historian Carl W. Breihan, the cards were retrieved from the floor by a man named Neil Christy, who then passed them on to his son. The son, in turn, told Mr. Breihan of the composition of the hand. “Here is an exact identity of these cards as told to me by Christy’s son: the ace of diamonds with a heel mark on it; the ace of clubs; the two black eights, clubs and spades, and the queen of hearts with a small drop of Hickok's blood on it,” though nothing of the sort was reported at the time immediately following the shooting.
[In 1996] Hickok biographer Joseph Rosa wrote about the make-up of the hand: “The accepted version is that the cards were the ace of spades, the ace of clubs, two black eights, and the queen of clubs asthe ‘kicker’.” Rosa, however, said that no contemporaneous source can be found for this exact hand. The solidification in gamers’ parlance of the dead man’s hand as two pairs, black aces and eights, did not come about until after the 1926 publication of Wilstach’s book—50 years after Hickok's death.Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, November 4, 20163. Dead Man’s Hand Marker
Additional keywords. Wild Bill Hickok
Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, November 4, 2016
4. Dead Man’s Hand Marker
Marker as seen from the Cemetery entrance
Photographed By Rev. Ronald Irick, November 4, 2016
5. Dead Man’s Hand Marker
Not the standard Ohio Historical Society logo
7. Original Marker
The original marker; from the "Remarkable Ohio" website.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 21, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 9, 2016, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,656 times since then and 174 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week September 4, 2022. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 9, 2016, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. 6. submitted on August 28, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 7. submitted on September 7, 2022, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
