Died in the New Mexico Territorial Prison at age 45, about 2 weeks after being shot during a gun battle with a sheriff's posse which caught up with them in their hideout cave in the Cimmaron Mountains, after they robbed a Colorado and Southern passenger train at Folsom, New Mexico. Once before at Twin Mountain near Des Moines, NM the same southbound Denver-Fort Worth Express of the Colorado & Southern railroad had been robbed by Sam and brother Thomas 'Black Jack' Ketchum and others of their gang including William Ellsworth Lay alias William McGuinnes, William Carver alias G.W. Franks and William "Broncho Bill" Walters. Some historians say it was Kid Curry rather than Bronco Bill on the robbery.
This second holdup attempt was made July 16,1899 without his brother'Black Jack' in attendance for some reason. After the robbery, Sam and the others (Will Carver and William Ellsworth "Elzy" Lay) headed for the mountains southwest of Raton, NM where they had a hideout in Turkey Creek Canyon above Cimarron village. The next day a posse consisting of Sheriff Ed Farr of Huerfano Co., Colorado, special Agent W.H. Reno of the Colorado & Southern RR, and five deputies found their trail and tracked them into the Canyon where Sam was wounded, along with two of the deputies. Deputys W.H. Love and Tom Smith were killed and Sheriff Farr was also killed. Sam made his escape, but was found a few days later by Reno at the home of a rancher, where he was arrested. He was taken to Santa Fe Territorial Prison where he died from the wounds. He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, next to the Fairview Cemetery on Cerrillos Rd. in Santa Fe.
Samuel left two children, William Berry Ketchum who married Mattie Louise Hines, and Laura Ketchum who married (1) William Alvin Oliver and (2) William B. Williams Sr.
This second holdup attempt was made July 16,1899 without his brother'Black Jack' in attendance for some reason. After the robbery, Sam and the others (Will Carver and William Ellsworth "Elzy" Lay) headed for the mountains southwest of Raton, NM where they had a hideout in Turkey Creek Canyon above Cimarron village. The next day a posse consisting of Sheriff Ed Farr of Huerfano Co., Colorado, special Agent W.H. Reno of the Colorado & Southern RR, and five deputies found their trail and tracked them into the Canyon where Sam was wounded, along with two of the deputies. Deputys W.H. Love and Tom Smith were killed and Sheriff Farr was also killed. Sam made his escape, but was found a few days later by Reno at the home of a rancher, where he was arrested. He was taken to Santa Fe Territorial Prison where he died from the wounds. He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, next to the Fairview Cemetery on Cerrillos Rd. in Santa Fe.
Samuel left two children, William Berry Ketchum who married Mattie Louise Hines, and Laura Ketchum who married (1) William Alvin Oliver and (2) William B. Williams Sr.
Died in the New Mexico Territorial Prison at age 45, about 2 weeks after being shot during a gun battle with a sheriff's posse which caught up with them in their hideout cave in the Cimmaron Mountains, after they robbed a Colorado and Southern passenger train at Folsom, New Mexico. Once before at Twin Mountain near Des Moines, NM the same southbound Denver-Fort Worth Express of the Colorado & Southern railroad had been robbed by Sam and brother Thomas 'Black Jack' Ketchum and others of their gang including William Ellsworth Lay alias William McGuinnes, William Carver alias G.W. Franks and William "Broncho Bill" Walters. Some historians say it was Kid Curry rather than Bronco Bill on the robbery.
This second holdup attempt was made July 16,1899 without his brother'Black Jack' in attendance for some reason. After the robbery, Sam and the others (Will Carver and William Ellsworth "Elzy" Lay) headed for the mountains southwest of Raton, NM where they had a hideout in Turkey Creek Canyon above Cimarron village. The next day a posse consisting of Sheriff Ed Farr of Huerfano Co., Colorado, special Agent W.H. Reno of the Colorado & Southern RR, and five deputies found their trail and tracked them into the Canyon where Sam was wounded, along with two of the deputies. Deputys W.H. Love and Tom Smith were killed and Sheriff Farr was also killed. Sam made his escape, but was found a few days later by Reno at the home of a rancher, where he was arrested. He was taken to Santa Fe Territorial Prison where he died from the wounds. He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, next to the Fairview Cemetery on Cerrillos Rd. in Santa Fe.
Samuel left two children, William Berry Ketchum who married Mattie Louise Hines, and Laura Ketchum who married (1) William Alvin Oliver and (2) William B. Williams Sr.
This second holdup attempt was made July 16,1899 without his brother'Black Jack' in attendance for some reason. After the robbery, Sam and the others (Will Carver and William Ellsworth "Elzy" Lay) headed for the mountains southwest of Raton, NM where they had a hideout in Turkey Creek Canyon above Cimarron village. The next day a posse consisting of Sheriff Ed Farr of Huerfano Co., Colorado, special Agent W.H. Reno of the Colorado & Southern RR, and five deputies found their trail and tracked them into the Canyon where Sam was wounded, along with two of the deputies. Deputys W.H. Love and Tom Smith were killed and Sheriff Farr was also killed. Sam made his escape, but was found a few days later by Reno at the home of a rancher, where he was arrested. He was taken to Santa Fe Territorial Prison where he died from the wounds. He was buried in the Odd Fellows Cemetery, next to the Fairview Cemetery on Cerrillos Rd. in Santa Fe.
Samuel left two children, William Berry Ketchum who married Mattie Louise Hines, and Laura Ketchum who married (1) William Alvin Oliver and (2) William B. Williams Sr.
Inscription
"Cowboy, Husband, Father & Outlaw
Born Jan. 4, 1854 Caldwell Co., TX
Shot and Captured by Posse and
Died Santa Fe, NM, Jul 24, 1899
Brother of Thomas E. "Black Jack" Ketchum" (Find A Grave Memorial# 2435)
