"Wild Bill" Hickok Court DocumentsJames Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok (1837-76), a native of Illinois, relocated to Kansas in 1855 and joined the free state forces. Before and during the Civil War, Hickok was employed as a driver for Russell, Majors, & Waddell, who operated freighting and stagecoach lines. While in their employ, he came to Rock Creek Station in Jefferson County, Nebraska Territory, which the company had agreed to purchase from David McCanles. It was here that what became known as the Hickok/McCanles affair occurred on July 12, 1861. During a dispute over funds from the sale of the station Hickok killed McCanles.