John Henry Holliday born August 14, 1851 known as the frontier Dentist who was a close friend of Wyatt Earp. He was with him at the Gunfight at the Ok Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. Doc Holliday was also a gambler and gunfighter. His life has been the topic of many books, movies and television series. He died in 1887 at the age of 36, many years before the invention of tape recorders or movie film. Stories have been written about his life, can we really see the man through these stories? A look at him using his Birth Order to unmask his personality will be revealing.
Doc’s Father
Major Henry Burroughs Holliday was a military man that participated in the Cherokee Indian War, Mexican War, and the Civil War. After the Mexican War, he brought home an orphaned boy, Francisco Hidalgo. Francisco was 13 years old at the time and was 16 years old when Doc was born.
Children in the Family
The first child to be born in the Holliday family was Martha, in 1850; she died at 6 months of age. Doc was born one year later in 1851. At the time he was born, his stepbrother Francisco was 16 years old. This large age gap would make Doc an Only/Two Double Birth Order. (The early death of his sister would not be significant.) Doc would be the only natural child in the family, after the death of his sister. Having lost her first child, Doc’s Mom would be very protective of Doc, and he would be very close to his mother. His father would also be very influential in his life. Being a military man Doc was exposed to firearms early in his life.
Doc’s Early Years
Doc would have seen Francisco as an older brother but would also know he was his father’s first biological son. Competition for his father’s attention would not have been an issue. At age 15 his mother died of tuberculosis. Francisco would die of the same disease when Doc was 26. Doc was exposed to TB while caring for his mother; he would not show symptoms until he was in his 20’s. He earned a dental degree from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery when he was 20 years old. He would show signs of tuberculosis a few years later, it was then he decided to move West for his health. He had to know tuberculosis was a death sentence, having seen both his mother and stepbrother die of the disease.
The Only/Two Double Birth Order
The 16-year age difference between his older stepbrother and
Doc gave him the characteristics and parenting of an Only child. He would be, “the
adult in the room” wherever he was. In charge with an “attitude” would be his
description. The Only child characteristics, amplify, intensify and magnify his
Second born birth order characteristics. This is the birth order that says, “Don’t
tell me what to do”. This combination of two birth orders would also give him a
sense of what is right and wrong and the ability to enforce it. He would be a
person you could count on as a friend but do not cross him.
Wyatt Earp’s Friend
A story was told that while Wyatt was serving as assistant city marshal in Dodge City, he followed several cowboys into a bar after they had shot up the town while galloping down Front Street. They entered the Long Branch Saloon, and vandalized the bar and began harassing the customers. When Wyatt entered the saloon and before he knew it, the cowboys were pointing their guns at him. Holliday was playing cards in the back of the room and seeing the situation he drew his weapon and put it to the head of the leader, forcing his men to disarm, rescuing Earp from the situation. The friendship would extend to the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral where Doc killed several men.
Doc’s Personality
The strength of his personality (there could be no doubt), was influenced by his knowledge about his death sentence from tuberculosis. Putting this together, we have a powder keg ready to go off. He knew he was dying, he had seen both his mother and stepbrother die of the disease; he must have felt he had little to lose. Practicing Dentistry was difficult when patients knew he had TB, he turned to gambling to make a living which was legal in many states. The stories about him are legend but some of his quotes ended up in the newspapers. He once said to a confronted gambler, “All I want of you is ten paces out in the street.” Wyatt Earp said, “I found him a loyal friend and good company. He was a dentist whom necessity had made a gambler; a gentleman whose disease had made a vagabond; a philosopher whom life had made a caustic wit; a long, lean blonde fellow nearly dead with consumption and at the same time the most skillful gambler and nerviest, speediest, deadliest man with a six-gun I ever knew.” Bat Masterson said Holiday had a mean disposition and an ungovernable temper, and under the influence of liquor was a most dangerous man…” The Arizona Daily Star reported in 1882 by Virgil Earp. There was something very peculiar about Doc. He was gentlemanly, a good dentist, a friendly man, and yet outside of us boys I do not think he had a friend in the Territory”. They were two sides to his personality as there should be with a Double Birth Order. Some people saw both.
His Last Days
In 1887, Holliday made his way to the Hotel Glenwood near the Hot Springs. He thought the curative power of the water would help but they did not. Lying in his bed dying he looked at his bootless feet. The nurse said his last words were, “This is funny.” He always figured he would be killed someday, with his boots on.
For more information about Birth Orders and especially Double Birth Orders you can find it in my book, Life’s Fingerprint: How Birth Order Affects Your Path Throughout Life by Dr. Robert V.V. Hurst or visit my websites www.mybirthorder.com or www.lifesfingerprint.com
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