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Perkins, Noah

Pacifist and animal lover in the Black Hills, Dakota Territory,[1] in 1877. (January 6, 1853 – Who-Knows-When)[2]

Born and raised in Council Bluffs, Iowa (formerly Kanesville),[2] Perkins grew to a towering six feet, eight inches. A naturally gentle man of strong and virtuous principles, Perkins was often antagonized for his enormous height. Although no one was ever able to beat him in any kind of physical fight, Perkins abhorred violence of any kind.[1]

Rather than endure the heckling from men who knew he would never raise a hand to them, he decided to leave his hometown of Council Bluffs and move away to the solitude of the Black Hills once the region was opened to white occupation.[1] In early 1877, he settled in Boulder Canyon along the Fort Pierre to Deadwood Trail[2] where he built a small cabin and befriended and protected the local wildlife.[1]

In May of 1877,[2] Bret Maverick and Dandy Jim Buckley traveled along the trail to Deadwood and were nearly struck by a falling pine tree felled by Perkins. Perkins had not heard their horses trodding on the soft pine needles and did not give out a shout as the tree fell across the trail. Once he realized he had unintentionally blocked Bret and Buckley's path, he lifted and moved the fallen tree with the strength of his own back, clearing the trail. Amazed by Perkins' stature and physical strength, Bret and Buckley immediately realized the potential of Perkins fighting Tony Cadiz's Battling Kreuger in Deadwood at two-to-one odds. Strongly objecting to fist fighting for no reason, but Perkins declined. Bret finally convinced him by telling him he could afford to buy the valley he was living in, being government land, and protect its wildlife from encroaching settlers. As Perkins was still reluctant, Bret embellished the enticement by telling him Kreuger was a vicious hunter that killed deer just for sport. Perkins finally agreed and traveled with Bret and Buckley into Deadwood, and brought along his pet skunk, Cedric, for company. In Deadwood, he met Madame Pompey, who helped him take care of Cedric when the skunk became homesick and refused to eat. Pompey helped Bret and Buckley arrange for a boxing match with Kreuger, but Perkins met Kreuger in the street and confronted him about killing deer. Kreuger explained to Perkins he had never killed a deer and, in fact, liked deer. Realizing that Bret had lied to him about Kreuger, he refused to go through with the fight. Bret was forced to stand in for Perkins and managed to beat Kreuger. But Perkins and Pompey had become close. With Pompey's winnings from the fight and her other savings, the two bought the valley in which he had settled and married.[1] They lived together happily the remainder of their years.[2]

See: Stampede