Genesis of an Outlaw

By "The Cowboy" Jim Gray
THE WAY WEST

In 1863 the Kansas- Missouri border had become a no-man’s land of burned-out farms leaving devastated families in the wake. Less than 50 miles east of the Kansas border William Y. West raised his family on a farm east of Greenfield, Mo.

Perry Kincheon West was the eighth child born to “Billy” and Willey (Perry) West in 1842. A sketch from the History of Dade County and Its People noted that the boy, known as “Kinch” enjoyed growing up “in the environment of forest, field and woodland, living very close to nature and enjoying a freedom which comes only from the hills”.

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