(SWJA)

Josephine Sarah Marcus-Earp

Also, read Harriet Rochlin's biography of Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp and visit Ms. Rochlin's website Harriet Rochlin & Western Jewish History.

Josephine Sarah Marcus was born to German immigrant parents in San Francisco, California. She was a very independent child and eager for excitement. She became stage struck after seeing the performance of "H.M.S. Pinafore." Josephine knew she wanted to venture out and become a famous actress. She ran away from home with a friend and joined the Pinafore road troupe. Eventually, her partents located her whereabouts and convinced their little rebel to return home.

At nineteen years of age, Josephine had fallen in love with a man named Johnny Behan who convinced her parents to grant permission for an engagement. Johnny was to leave for Tombstone, Arizona ahead of Josephine to get settled and would send for her to join him. The plan was for Johnny and Josephine to marry at Tombstone. Eventually, Johnny did send for Josephine. She left with her good friend, Kitty Jones. Somewhere along the way, Josephine's trip took a different turn and so began her tales. It is said that Josephine was deliberately evasive and embellished on the truth whenever she felt the circumstances called for it. Josephine never married Johnny Behan but he did introduce her to Wyatt Earp, a young non-Jewish lawman working in Tombstone. [Wyatt would later gain fame for his participation in the O.K. Corral gunfight in Tombstone].

Josephine met Wyatt Earp and it is believed they were secretely married, while others said they were never married. "Sadie" as Wyatt called her was not a dainty little lady. She hiked up the Rocky Mountains in the middle of the winter with her husband to the astonishment of the local population. She traveled throughout Mexico, Colorado, Idaho and Texas with Wyatt. They eventually settled in Alaska and opened a saloon. During these years, Sadie became despondent and was unable to bear children. The artic winters did not give Sadie much relief. She adored her life of adventure and gambling, squandering away large amounts of money. Her family had left her an inheritance which helped to sustain the Earps through hard times. The couple returned to Los Angeles, California and built a home where they lived out their lives. Wyatt died in 1929 and his wife buried him in a Jewish cemetery, the Hills of Eternity, in Colma, California. Josephine died in 1944 and is buried in a Jewish cemetery.

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