James Cooksey Earp was born on 28th June, 1841. At age 19 he enlisted in the 17th Illinois Infantry in 1861 and was a member of the Union Army during the American Civil War. His service was cut short after being badly wounded at Fredericktown, Missouri on 31st October, 1861.
James Earp joined the rest of the family in Colton, California, before moving on to Helena, Montana. He also lived in Pineswell, Missouri and Newton, Kansas, before marrying Nellie Ketchum on 18th April, 1873. For a while he settled in Wichita before working as a deputy to Sheriff Charles Bassett in Dodge City.
In 1879 James Wyatt moved to Tombstone with his three brothers, Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp and Morgan Earp. James Earp owned the Sampling Room Saloon in Tombstone. Unlike his brothers, James was not involved in the events at the OK Corral.
When Morgan was killed, he traveled with Virgil and the Earp women to Colton, California for Morgan's burial.
He later lived in Shoshone County, Idaho before settling in California in 1890.
James Earp died on 25th January, 1926. He is buried in Mountain View Cemetery, San Bernadino County, California.
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