Nat Love was born into slavery in Tennessee in 1854, a reality that defined the early years of his life. His father, Samson Love, worked as a foreman on a plantation owned by Robert Love, while his mother served in the plantation’s kitchen. Like countless others, his family carried the last name of their enslaver, a practice that left many Black Americans with the surnames of those who once claimed ownership over them.
Born Into Bondage, Destined for the West
Despite the oppressive laws that made literacy illegal for enslaved people, Samson Love defied the odds and taught his children how to read and write. This knowledge would later become one of Nat Love’s greatest assets, allowing him to document his extraordinary life in his own words. His journey from slavery to freedom was set in motion when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, declaring that all enslaved people in Confederate states were free. Though no longer enslaved, his family remained on the plantation as sharecroppers, struggling to make a living on a small 20-acre plot of land.
A Young Man With a Hunger for More
When his father passed away, the young Nat took on work to help support his mother. It was during this time that he discovered an incredible skill – breaking and training horses. With a natural connection to the animals, he quickly became known for his ability to handle even the most unruly steeds. But the life of a sharecropper in Tennessee wasn’t enough for him. The open frontier called, promising adventure, freedom, and opportunity.
At just fifteen years old, he decided to leave his past behind and make his way west. A stroke of luck in the form of a raffle helped fund his journey – he won a horse, sold it back, then won the very same horse a second time and sold it again. With $100 in his pocket, he gave half to his mother and set off to make a name for himself in the Wild West.
Becoming a Cowboy
Nat Love’s first stop was Dodge City, Kansas, a booming hub for cattle ranchers. There, he encountered a group of cowboys from the Texas-based Duval Ranch. Though he had no prior experience as a ranch hand, he boldly asked for a job. The cowboys, amused by his confidence, pointed to a notoriously wild horse and told him he’d have to break it to prove his worth.
Unbeknownst to them, Love’s gift with horses was unparalleled. He mounted the beast, stayed in the saddle, and tamed it with remarkable ease. Impressed, the ranch boss offered him a job on the spot, and just like that, Love had become a cowboy.
A Life in the Saddle
Life on the trail was tough, but Love thrived. His skills with horses and his willingness to learn made him an invaluable member of the ranch. He spent his days herding cattle across the Great Plains, facing harsh weather, dangerous stampedes, and the ever-present threat of rustlers and bandits.
He quickly became one of the top cowboys at Duval Ranch, eventually earning promotions that took him on cattle-buying missions as far south as Mexico. His work put him in contact with people from all walks of life, from fellow ranchers to outlaws and lawmen. He even learned Spanish along the way, further proving his ability to adapt and excel in his new world.
Winning the Title ‘Deadwood D**k’
In 1876, Love and his fellow cowboys made their way to Deadwood, South Dakota, just in time for the town’s Fourth of July celebrations. A cowboy competition was held, featuring bronco riding, lassoing, sharpshooting, and roping. Love entered and stunned the crowd by winning every single event.
It was this legendary performance that earned him the nickname Deadwood D**k, a moniker taken from a popular dime novel character of the time. Though the character was fictional, Love embraced the name, cementing his own place in cowboy lore.
Clashes With Native Americans
Love’s adventures in the West often placed him in dangerous situations, including encounters with Native American warriors. In one particularly harrowing story, he claimed to have been captured by a group of Pima Indians. According to his account, he sustained 14 gunshot wounds before being taken prisoner.
Rather than killing him, the Pima allegedly respected him for his bravery and saw in him a kindred spirit, given the shared struggles of Native Americans and Black Americans against white oppression. Their chief, Yellow Dog, reportedly intended to adopt him into the tribe and even marry him off to his daughter. However, Love had no intention of staying, and after recovering from his wounds, he made a daring escape. Under the cover of night, he rode 100 miles on a stolen horse, eventually finding safety in Texas.
A Cowboy Among Many Black Cowboys
Despite what Hollywood has long portrayed, Black cowboys were far from rare. Historians estimate that nearly one in four cowboys was Black, as ranch work provided one of the few relatively well-paying jobs for freedmen after the Civil War. While racism was still present in the West, cowboy culture placed a strong emphasis on skill, reliability, and toughness – qualities that Love had in abundance.
Although Black cowboys were often denied service at restaurants in cattle towns, they were respected among their fellow ranch hands. Love’s own account of cowboy life was filled with camaraderie, mutual respect, and a sense of adventure that transcended racial boundaries, making it a unique chapter in American history.
The End of the Cowboy Era
By the late 1880s, the open range was vanishing. Barbed wire was crisscrossing the land, fencing off what had once been wide-open prairies. Railroads made long cattle drives unnecessary, and the cowboy way of life began to fade. Love, realizing the days of the Wild West were coming to an end, retired from ranching in 1890.
He settled in Denver, where he found work as a Pullman porter on the railroad. The job, though a far cry from his cowboy days, still allowed him to travel across the country, and he took pride in providing for his family.
Writing His Own Legend
In 1907, Love published his autobiography, a sprawling account of his life filled with thrilling tales of adventure, shootouts, and narrow escapes. The book, with its exceptionally long title, The Life and Adventures of Nat Love, Better Known in the Cattle Country as ‘Deadwood D**k’ by Himself, cemented his legacy as one of the most famous Black cowboys in history.
Of course, like many tales from the Old West, some of Love’s stories were likely exaggerated. But that was the way of things in those days – legends were built on big personalities and even bigger stories. Whether every word was true or not, one thing remains certain: Nat Love lived a life unlike any other.
A Legacy That Endures
Nat Love passed away in Los Angeles in 1921 at the age of 67. Though his days of riding the range were long behind him, his legacy as one of the greatest Black cowboys in history continues to inspire. His story is a testament to resilience, skill, and the pursuit of freedom – a man born into bondage who became a legend of the American West.
Today, his name stands among the giants of cowboy history, a reminder that the Old West was far more diverse than many have been led to believe. Nat Love’s journey from slavery to cowboy fame is proof that the Wild West was a place where a man could reinvent himself, carve out his own destiny, and, if he told his story well enough, become a legend.
Raised in a small Arizona town, Kevin grew up surrounded by rugged desert landscapes and a family of hunters. His background in competitive shooting and firearms training has made him an authority on self-defense and gun safety. A certified firearms instructor, Kevin teaches others how to properly handle and maintain their weapons, whether for hunting, home defense, or survival situations. His writing focuses on responsible gun ownership, marksmanship, and the role of firearms in personal preparedness.