John Chisum

In the years immediately after the American Civil War in 1866–1867, Chisum formed a partnership with cattlemen Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving to assemble and drive herds of cattle for sale to the United States Army cavalry in Fort Sumner and further north at the former longtime Royal Spanish colonial city, later then the Mexican provincial capital, becoming the new American territorial capital of Santa Fe.

Ultimately, Chisum, with Pecos Valley rancher Joseph C. Lea, and James Dolan sought somebody capable of hunting down the Kid and either arresting or killing him.

In 1880, they persuaded Pat Garrett (1850–1908), a former buffalo hunter and cowboy, reformed part-time rustler, small rancher, and Bonney / Billy the Kid's one-time earlier friend, [citation needed] to run for the office of Lincoln County Sheriff.

[6] Chisum died in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, on December 23, 1884, aged 60, due to complications from surgery to remove a growth from his jaw.

Sallie kept a diary or journal that has acquired historical importance because of its references to events and people of New Mexico history such as the Lincoln County War of Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett, both of whom she knew.

When Chisum moved west, he took Jensie and their two daughters to Bonham, Texas; bought them a house and left money to care for the girls.

[10] The 1970 movie Chisum, starring John Wayne in the title role, along with Forrest Tucker, Ben Johnson, Christopher George, Bruce Cabot, Patric Knowles, Glen Corbett, Patricia McMyler, Andrew Prine, Lynda Day George, Richard Jaeckel, and Geoffrey Deuel portrayed some of the events of the Lincoln County War.