PG/14530/7 Marshall Ward at Gold Crater Well. Copyright: Manx National Heritage.

PG/14530/28 Joseph Ward with his burro. Copyright: Manx National Heritage.

Tales of Billy the Kid and Gold Prospecting Unearthed in Manx Museum Archives

Manx National Heritage has uncovered captivating stories from the manuscript collection at the Manx Museum, shedding new light on the adventurous lives of Manx brothers Joseph and Marshall Ward. Among the unexpected finds is a remarkable account involving the infamous outlaw Billy the Kid, revealing a Manxman’s narrow escape from trouble in the American West.

Born in Maughold in 1859, Joseph Ward defied family expectations by fleeing the Isle of Man at just 17 to seek his fortune in the goldfields of Colorado. His younger brother Marshall later joined him, and they spent years together, then separately, prospecting across Colorado, Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Nevada.

Self-styled as “Joe Ward the Desert Poet,” Joseph Ward ‘wrote not very good poetry and good satirical verse’ according to his niece Mary Quilliam (born Grace Mary Ward).  Some of the satirical verse mentioned Billy the Kid.  Mary recounts how Joseph narrowly avoided danger after receiving a warning from an associate of Billy the Kid (William H Bonney) to leave Inyo County, California. Joseph prudently stayed away, avoiding the violent fate of the outlaw himself.

Manx National Heritage, the Isle of Man’s heritage charity, holds a wealth of documents, including Joseph’s transcribed writings and the Ward family papers. These provide unique insights into the brothers’ travels, mining ventures, and personal reflections. Joseph was known for his love of solitude, books and poetry, often reading by firelight alongside his beloved burro, Cissie, who carried his treasured volumes across the deserts.

Marshall Ward’s 1951 letter from Onchan, Isle of Man offers a vivid glimpse into his prospecting days in Nevada, sharing stories of riding stubborn burros and mapping his mining claims. Family photographs preserved in the archives further enrich the narrative of the brothers’ adventurous lives.

Joseph Ward passed away in 1943, having ensured his faithful burros were well cared for.  Marshall settled in Oregon, ran a business and raised a family before returning to the Island where he named his Onchan home, ‘Oregon’.  The brothers’ lives and captivating surviving photographs continue to inspire a sense of rugged frontier spirit and Manx heritage abroad.

This fascinating story is found amongst millions of records held in the Library and Archives at the Manx Museum, Douglas cared for by Manx National Heritage.  Every year hundreds of people make use of the free research facility including family historians, students, publishers, broadcasters and many more. Manx history, culture, language, folklore, archaeology and landholding are some of the subjects that can be investigated using our printed and archival collections.

For more information or to explore the Ward brothers’ remarkable story, read our latest online blog at https://www.imuseum.im/tales-of-billy-the-kid-and-prospecting-for-gold/ or visit the Library and Archive at the Manx Museum, Douglas, Isle of Man.