Joplin Missouri Globe, Dec 12, 1958

JACK OF ALL TRADES, JOPLIN’S GEORGE EARP, KIN TO WYATT EARP, TO CELEBRATE 94TH BIRTHDAY

A Bullwacker – mule skinner - Cow puncher – attorney – mayor – postmaster - internal revenue director – marshal – banker and accountant.

Choose any one of these many occupations and George Earp will know the intricate function of each. Why?? Simply because in his 93 years and 364 days, Earp has practiced at least once in all these fields.

The Earp name has gone down as one of the most significant pioneer families in the settlement of the Old West. And all this fame and glory can’t be tied to Wyatt Earp, famous (Deputy) U.S. marshall at Dodge City Kansas and a participant in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Wyatt may have lead a more exciting life, but George Earp probably did just as much to tame the wilds of western Kansas as Wyatt.

George, will be 94 years old Saturday, now resides at the Connor Hotel in Joplin. He is, of Course, most proud of Wyatt, who is his cousin, but it is believed that George should make more acclaim for his own reputation as he does his cousin.
Here is how it all started. He lived on a farm in the northeast corner of Barton County when a boy,” George Earp has explained. When 13 years old his father had rheumatism. This was just about the time Eureka Springs Arkansas was was discovered. So his father wanted to go there to see if the waters could help his ailments. George hitched a pair of old flea bitten grey mares to a covered wagon and they took off for Eureka Springs. The trip took four days, and they passed through Joplin. It was just a mining camp in those days. They took oats for the horses, and bacon, eggs and coffee for ourselves. At night George slept under the wagon and his parents were in the wagon. Earp explained the trip excited him, saying he wanted to get away from the farm, and he did the following year. After correspondence with his cousin. Wyatt, who was in Dodge City, he was told there were jobs open on cattle ranges in Kansas, and they wanted cowboys, not drugstore Cowboys, so he decided to try for the jobs. After working his way to Dodge City, George Earp began working on a cattle ranch. It was a normal requirement in those days that a cowboy carry a .45 Colt six shooter. Shortly after taking job George was asked if he had ever ridden a bronco. He had not, but said he would give it a try, and wow did that bronco start bucking. George has said when the horse stopped pitching that he was sick to his stomach, but the horse was still under him.

After three years as a cowboy in and around Dodge City he was elected Clark of the Hamilton County Court. Believing he was pretty ignorant, and he started studying everything. Even the Montgomery-Ward Catalogue. He studied and practiced under the county attorney and was admitted to the Kansas Bar Association. He tried his first and only case in court, and the person he was defending was acquitted. After this experience he was made a U.S. Marshal in Wichita Kansas, and then with other men, established Ulysses Kansas. He had been elected post master and mayor of Ulysses before leaving for Wichita to become a revenue director.
17 years ago Earp came to Joplin and practiced as an income tax computer until 1955 when he retired. Saturday will mark his 94th birthday. Earp said he was not planning much of a party, because he was too old to celebrate. But judging from Mr. Earp’s mental agility, he should have a lot to celebrate. He still walks 12 to 13 blocks a day. This ageless gentleman was honored when his life story appeared in the Reader’s Digest.

He married Anna Maxwell on Jun 1, 1883, in Marion Kansas. She was born May 5, 1864 in Pennsylvania and died Nov 8, 1898 in Wichita Kansas. Their children were Mabel Earp; Walter Laten Earp, born Nov 26, 1886 in Ulysses Kansas and died Apr 2, 1889; Stanley Maxwell Earp, born Nov 1, 1890 in Ulysses Kansas.
Note: bio info provided by Anonymous (#48927785)