The name John “Liver-Eating” Johnson conjures images of a fearsome frontier figure, a legend of the American West whose exploits became the stuff of campfire tales. Often portrayed as a relentless Indian fighter who earned his gruesome moniker by allegedly consuming the livers of his Crow enemies, the true story of Liver-Eating Johnson is a fascinating blend of fact and frontier exaggeration.
Known as a sailor, a mountain man, a trapper, and a lawman, his life spanned an era of immense change in the American frontier, leaving behind a legacy that continues to captivate historians and enthusiasts alike.
From William Garrison to John Johnston
Born William Garrison in July 1824 in Little York, New Jersey, John “Liver-Eating” Johnson began his life far from the rugged mountains and vast plains he would later roam. His parents were Isaac Garrison and Eliza Mettler. His early years were likely typical for a young man of the era, but destiny had a far more adventurous path in store for him.
Garrison’s transformation into the legendary Johnston began with an enlistment in the Navy during the Mexican-American War. This period, however, was brief and tumultuous. After an incident where he reportedly struck an officer, William Garrison made a drastic decision: he deserted the Navy. To evade capture and start anew, he adopted a new identity, becoming John Johnston, a name he would carry for the rest of his life and that would become synonymous with frontier grit.
A Versatile Mountain Man and Frontiersman
With his new identity, Johnston headed west, drawn by the allure of the vast territories and the promise of a life unburdened by past mistakes. He settled in Montana, a region that was rapidly opening up to American expansion and enterprise. Here, he truly found his calling as a versatile frontiersman, engaging in a multitude of professions that demanded resilience, skill, and an intimate knowledge of the wilderness.
Johnston’s roles were varied and essential to the burgeoning frontier economy. He worked as a trapper, navigating treacherous landscapes in pursuit of valuable furs. He was a miner, digging for riches in the unforgiving earth. He served as a wagon master, guiding convoys through perilous terrain, and a scout, charting paths through unexplored territories. His resourcefulness also extended to commerce; he became a whiskey peddler and a crucial supplier of cordwood to the steamboats that plied the rivers, connecting remote settlements. Throughout these endeavors, he developed the robust outdoor skills and independent spirit characteristic of the mountain man.
Beyond his civilian pursuits, Johnston also contributed to the nation’s military efforts once again, albeit under his new name. He served with the Union during the Civil War, further adding to the layers of his complex biography. It is known that he had a brother named John who was tragically killed at Cold Harbor, Virginia, during the same conflict, a detail that perhaps deepened Johnston’s sense of duty or personal hardship.
The Myth of the Man-Eater
Perhaps the most sensational aspect of John “Liver-Eating” Johnson‘s legacy is the gruesome nickname itself. Popular folklore claims he earned this moniker through a brutal, personal vendetta against the Crow Nation. The story alleges that after his Flathead wife, known as the Swan, was supposedly killed by Crow warriors, Johnston embarked on a merciless campaign, killing Crow men and allegedly eating their livers as an act of ritualistic revenge. This tale, popularized in numerous dime novels and oral traditions, painted him as a barbaric, almost supernatural figure.
However, historical records and diligent research largely debunk these lurid claims. Johnston’s military records from the Mexican-American War show him serving as a sailor on board a ship during the period when his purported marriage and the subsequent tragedy were said to have occurred. This timeline directly contradicts the possibility of him waging a land-based vendetta against the Crow at that specific time.
Furthermore, the origin of his infamous nickname is far less macabre than the legends suggest. It is believed that during a Sioux battle, Johnston, known for his dark humor, jokingly told his companions that he had eaten a piece of liver. This offhand, perhaps gallows humor, remark quickly spread and was exaggerated, morphing into the grotesque “Liver-Eating” epithet that became synonymous with his name. It was a macabre joke, not an actual cannibalistic act, that cemented his place in frontier lore. This clarification highlights the often-mythologized nature of Old West figures, where sensational stories frequently overshadowed the more prosaic truths.
From Trapper to Town Marshal
As the frontier began to civilize, Johnston transitioned into roles that reflected the growing need for law and order. In the early 1880s, he served as the constable of Coulson (which later merged with Billings), Montana, a significant responsibility in a rapidly developing territory. His reputation as a tough and experienced frontiersman undoubtedly lent authority to his position.
He continued his law enforcement career into the 1890s, serving as a town marshal in Red Lodge, Montana. These roles demonstrate a pivot from the untamed life of a trapper and scout to a position of civil responsibility, illustrating the evolving nature of the American frontier itself. His long life saw many changes, from the raw wilderness to the beginnings of organized towns and institutions.
Final Years and Legacy
In December 1899, the aging frontiersman was admitted to a veteran’s hospital in Los Angeles, California. John “Liver-Eating” Johnson, the man whose legend had outgrown his reality, passed away from peritonitis on January 21, 1900. He was initially buried near Sawtelle National Cemetery, a quiet end for a man who had lived such a boisterous life.
However, even in death, Johnston’s story continued to unfold. In the early 1970s, his body was exhumed and reinterred in Cody, Wyoming, a fitting final resting place amidst other local Old West characters at Old Trail Town. This reburial was a testament to his enduring status as a folk hero and a deliberate effort to preserve the memory of those who shaped the western expansion. The popular movie Jeremiah Johnson, starring Robert Redford, is loosely based on the legends surrounding him, further cementing his place in American popular culture and ensuring that the tales of the formidable mountain man continue to be told.
Conclusion
John “Liver-Eating” Johnson stands as a towering, yet often misunderstood, figure of the American West. While the gruesome tales of liver consumption were largely myth, born from a dark joke and frontier exaggeration, his life as William Garrison and later John Johnston was undeniably one of adventure, resilience, and adaptability. From a deserting sailor to a versatile mountain man, a Civil War veteran, and eventually a lawman, Johnston embodied the spirit of a changing frontier. His story serves as a potent reminder of how easily fact and fiction can intertwine, creating legends that endure for generations and shaping our understanding of the rugged individuals who forged their paths in a wild and untamed land.
