The word 'shootist'.

[Dedwood Dave]

I believe the word "cowboy" was not penned until the 1890's. There are a few fleeting references to "cow boys" before that but the general term was "waddy" I believe. Jump in here if anyone knows different.

I agree but I thought it was more of 1866 to 1899. I think they got the name from people working on the cattle drive.

[Dutch Limbach]

The word "cowboy" can be documented back to the early 1700s (Note #5 below). Here is the definition from Dictionary.com:

cow⋅boy
–noun
1. a man who herds and tends cattle on a ranch, esp. in the western U.S., and who traditionally goes about most of his work on horseback.
2. a man who exhibits the skills attributed to such cowboys, esp. in rodeos.
3. Chiefly Northeastern U.S. a reckless or speedy automobile driver.
4. Informal. a reckless or irresponsible person, esp. a show-off or one who undertakes a dangerous or sensitive task heedlessly: They put foreign policy in the hands of cowboys. 
5. (during the American Revolution) a member of a pro-British guerrilla band that operated between the American and British lines near New York City.

–verb (used without object)
6. to work as a cowboy.

Origin: 1715–25; cow + boy
 
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.

[Dr. Bob]

Checking both my 1807 Walkers' Dictionary [New York 1807] and my reprint of Webster's Dictionary [First edition of 1828] the work cowboy is not found!  Both contain cow-heard - one who tends cows.

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[Dutch Limbach]

http://www.srcalifornia.com/uniforms/p40.htm[url=http://]]http://www.srcalifornia.com/uniforms/p40.htm[url]]]]http://www.srcalifornia.com/uniforms/p40.htm[url][/url]

http://books.google.com/books?id=gCDgo-uB1OEC&pg=PA7&lpg=PA7&dq=Cowboy+AND+American+Revolution&source=bl&ots=ubcx9PzX1x&sig=RXeIffd69YuEy3blvwUkVLxN_Rw&hl=en&ei=6ApfSqeEII7eNb6ptK4C&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6

http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/cowboys.aspx

http://www.historyofredding.com/my-brother-sam-is-dead_cowboys.htm

http://books.google.com/books?id=c4SePY_I1F8C&pg=PP6&lpg=PP6&dq=Cowboy+AND+American+Revolution&source=bl&ots=JfGezvsJdI&sig=qyJJT756b_WkUt927GfPQ45g27I&hl=en&ei=GQ9fSqCaCIzUMoesta4C&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6

[Tjackstephens]

Dutch Limbach, back to the word SHOOTIST my windows spell check shows it as not a word. What do your sources say about it. Just wondering as I have seen it used several times from the old west. Tj 

[Fiddler Green]

Dutch Limbach, back to the word SHOOTIST my windows spell check shows it as not a word. What do your sources say about it. Just wondering as I have seen it used several times from the old west. Tj 

It shows "MSExcel" as not being a word.. But, MicroSoft uses the term all the time. They do show "MSWord" as a word.

Bruce

[Delmonico]

It shows "MSExcel" as not being a word.. But, MicroSoft uses the term all the time. They do show "MSWord" as a word.

Bruce

Run reload, handload and lots of words such as that trough yer spell check or look it up in the dictionary, lots you won't find.  So who knows more, us really smart folks on this board or yer stupid machine?

[Dedwood Dave]

Dutch Limbach, back to the word SHOOTIST my windows spell check shows it as not a word. What do your sources say about it. Just wondering as I have seen it used several times from the old west. Tj 

Hey is your computer a Dell. Dell supports gun control laws so that might be it

[Delmonico]

Hey is your computer a Dell. Dell supports gun control laws so that might be it

Nope, an HP.  but my handy paper Websters don't have a lot of those words either.   Most don't reconise cosie either.

[Tjackstephens]

You know my computer is a Dell. Now I know why it gives me such a hard time. Several times I have almost shot it. A 44/40 would sure take care of it. I would show it what gun control really means and afterwards tell it that was a SHOOTIST. What you think Dedwood. Don't think my wife would care for it though and then would have to buy a new computer. Guess this SHOOTIST will just hold his anger within. Tj   

[Dutch Limbach]

Dutch Limbach, back to the word SHOOTIST my windows spell check shows it as not a word. What do your sources say about it. Just wondering as I have seen it used several times from the old west. Tj 

TJ

There are numerous sources that tell that the word "shootist" was used by Clay Allison to describe his profession. Many of these sources also give him credit for being the originator of the word. I haven't been able to attach a date to the first time he used the word "shootist". However since he died when he was run over by the wagon he was hauling supplies in on July 3, 1887, it would be safe to say the word was in use prior to 1900.

There are also a couple of other examples of the word used in print prior to 1900:
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine (1893)
"I do so by remembering that he had neither skill nor keenness as a shootist; that very possibly he was too slow with his gun to have a shot; and that it is ..."

The Auk: Quarterly Journal of Ornithology by American Ornithologists' Union, Nuttall Ornithological Club (1895)
"Not being a ' shootist," I cannot lay the bird before you. I have to beg you to accompany me into the field to the scene of the rencounter. ..."

[Tjackstephens]

Dutch Limbach, I knew Clay Allison had said of himself that he was a shootist. I used that in one of the 08 NCOWS National  stages. Thank you for your responds. Hope to see you at the Eastern Regional. Tj