William Haywood (aka “Big Bill”) was born in 1867 in Salt Lake City to parents William and Elizabeth. The father, a rider in the legendary but short-lived Pony Express, died when Bill was just 3 years old. Thus, young Bill was required to join the manual labor force at a very early age, working as an indentured farmhand and cowboy. Sadly, a formal education had to be shelved.
As a boy I looked forward to driving to my grandparent’s home in Gilroy, Calif., on the major holidays. On one visit my grandfather took me into his bedroom and showed me his Colt New Service .38 caliber revolver. I was stunned! What was my quiet, peace-loving grandpa doing with this monstrous revolver? That’s when I first heard about the mining wars, the Western Federation of Miners and Harry Orchard, and why these were an important part of my family history.