Frank Boardman "Pistol Pete" Eaton

    Frank Eaton also known as Frank Boardman “Pistol Pete” Eaton was a famous cowboy that lived from October 26, 1860 to April 8, 1958. Frank lived a prosperous life holding many jobs such as an American author, cowboy, scout, Indian fighter, and Deputy U.S. Marshal for Judge Isaac C. Parker. Frank Boardman’s father fought in the civil war and was shot and killed by a confederate when Frank was 8 years old. At the young age of fifteen, before leaving to search for the man who killed his father, he decided to visit a cavalry fort in Oklahoma known as Fort Gibson to learn more about how to shoot a gun. He was too young to join the army, but he didn’t let that stop him in fact he out shot everyone at the fort and competed with the cavalry’s best shooters, out shooting them each time. After many successful competitions, the forts commanding officer, Colonel Copinger, gave Boardman a marksmanship badge and a nickname, that nickname was “Pistol Pete”. Eaton would go to serve as a marshal until later in his life. At twenty-nine, he joined the land rush to Oklahoma Territory. Frank Eaton lived the life of a true cowboy. Pistol Pete was also later named the mascot for Oklahoma State University.