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Vigilante History

As of January 2002

The Osage Valley Vigilantes were formed from another western reenactment group that had been together for approximately five years. The group met at Dusty Johnson’s TJ Bar 20 Ranch just outside of Garden City, MO on August 20, 1998. There were approximately 20 people present at that meeting, including the five founding families, the Kitt Kolt family, the G.W. Poe family, the Tom Johnson family, the Peek family and the Stein family along with Brian Thomas, Dirty Dan, and Doc Holliday. The group voted to continue on under a new name and leadership.

The group moved to Kitt and Katt’s ranch for meetings on Thursday   night starting September  3rd. It was the groups new home for the next 2  years. The group voted on their new name, "The Osage Valley Vigilantes".  The following week we picked up the Ron Rushly family. The following week we picked up Sundance and Miss Cathryn. In three  weeks our group had grown to thirty-three members. In January 1999, we picked up Steve White alias "Newly". Newly also  plays Morgan Earp in our tribute to the OK Corral Shootout. In September of 1999, we picked  up Sharon Couch alias "Swede"   from our performance in Butler MO. In  October 2000, we picked up Wyatt Earp and Josie to add two likable personalities  to our "Ok Corral" tribute. Our last member  currently to join the Vigilantes is JoAnn Barber alias " Miss Simmie O’Hara".  Click on the  members page to view our current members. Our group consists of women, children, and men with a full town concept for our shows. When Ron Rushly and family came to our group, he also brought with him a full size portable western town for us to setup and perform in. Whew! All this in only 3 weeks you could say "The Vigilantes"  were off and  running and have never looked back. G.W. Poe had a large trailer and we decided  to  build a portable town on it for parades and quick shows to play off of. On one side we built a church and general store. On the other side we built a saloon and sheriff office/jail. The officers that were elected for the first year were President- G.W. Poe, Vice President- Aunt Minnie Meier, Secretary- Katie Lynn, Treasurer- Dusty Johnson and Safety Officer- Kitt Kolt. Brian Thomas was selected to be our first  Public Relations representative.

Various members of the Vigilantes have won numerous awards and titles, either with the Vigilantes or with their previous western groups. Here is a partial list as follows: Runners Up  in the National Competition in Cody WY 1995, Runner Up in the National Competition in Tombstone, AZ, National Old West Living History Champions 2000 and Branson Shootout Champions 2000.  North Texas Gunfighter Championship 1997, Kansas State Champion 1995, 1996, 1997, MO Champions 1996, Runner Up Champions MO State 1997.   Brian Thomas- National Quick Draw  Champion 1995, Kitt Kolt- third place in National Quick Draw Championship 1996, Katt Kolt  -fourth place over all National Championship  1996. Katt Kolt, Best Female Costume Tombstone Championship first day, 1996.    Dusty Johnson Best Male Costume 2000 Championship.  G.W. Poe Best Actor 2000  Championship.  Deputy Vern, "Kitt Kolt", Best Actor MO State Championship  1997. Our Junior Vigilantes have won many Best Ccostume, Best Junior Actor/Actress  Championships. We have probably five of the fastest quick draw shooters in  our group in Kitt Kolt, Katt Kolt, G.W. Poe, Cole, and Katie Lynn. Whenever we have time to put on a  quick draw contest at our shows, you can bet you will see some quick and fancy shooting from all. In our quick draw competition for the whole show year of 2000, there was only a five-point difference in the total for the year. With Kitt Kolt winning the mens title and Katt Kolt winning the womens title, second place in the mens title, Cole Younger, second place in the womens title, Katie Lynn, and third place mens title, G.W. Poe.

Aunt Minnie Meier, our Vice President past and current Treasurer is also an award winning  seamstress both for our group and others. Hank Valon is a top notch  author of books and  also writes many of our skits. Ron Rushly is a cowboy poet and  real preacher. Sundance is  also quite an accomplished shooter and actor and the best dog-gone PR representative I have ever seen. Everyone in our group is great to work with and the finest bunch of people you will ever get a chance to meet.

A little side note about our officers and their election. After the first  year, we met in  November 1999 and voted as a group to keep our present officers and  extend their term to  two years. Officers after that were to be elected for two-year terms. We felt it would  give everyone an opportunity to do their best for the club.  In November 2001, we elected  new officers: President - Dusty Johnson, Vice President - Kitt Kolt,  Secretary - Katie Lynn, Treasurer - Aunt Minnie Meier, and  Safety Officer - G.W. Poe. At our annual Christmas show at The Training Center in Garden  City, MO, The group presented our Past President a plaque for his three years of great leadership and getting the Vigilantes off to such a great start. In January 2000, we changed our meeting spot to Cylinder Optics in Garden City, MO; Dusty Johnson’s place of business. This will be our permanent spot for our clubhouse, trophies and awards. The Vigilantes thank Dusty for his kind gesture by providing a space in his buisiness. We meet there every Thursday night at 7:00.

Our first performance as " The Osage Valley Vigilantes" was   at the Austin  Bean Eaten and the Garden City Fall Festival in September 1998. We put on our Gun Safety Education program along with the skit "Ricochet".

The club officers, G.W. Poe, Kitt Kolt, and Sundance wanted a   special symbol to identify the Vigilantes. After several weeks of searching, we came upon the Liepsner Company, a badge  making company in downtown Kansas City, MO. This company is  the oldest badge making company west of the Mississippi. We settled on the circle star badge with our name and number on it. They have been a hit with everyone, receiving many good comments on them. People have asked where they could get one because they are just like  out of the old west. We got our badges in September 1998. Each member buys their own badge, and we all pitch in to help buy our Junior Vigilantes badges. We also have quite a few  Associate Vigilantes. They each have their own badge which the group buys and presents to them. Here is a list of our Associates:

    1. Jon Locke- Western actor, entertainer.
    2. Roy “Dusty” Rogers Jr.- Roy and Dale’s son/entertainer
    3. Katie West- Western artist/entertainer
    4. Jim Grady- Cowboys, Heroes & Friends.
    5. Nancy Goodnight- Cowboys, Heroes & Friends.
    6. Ernie Worthington- Roy and Dale’s best Pal.
    7. Steve Rhoads- Past president WMA and Cowboys, Heroes & Friends.
    8. Don Hearlson- Cowboys, Heroes & Friends
    9. Oma Hearlson- Cowboys,Heroes & Friends
    10. Rene’ Cavett- Mgr MGH complex, Branson, MO
    11. Mindy Peterson-The Rogers Legacy, Roy and Dale’s granddaughter.
    12. Joe “Hoppy” Sullivan- Hopalong Cassidy Look-a-Like, Cowboys, Heroes & Friends, Hoppy Festival Saddle Boss
    13. Stan Corliss- Cowboy singer/songwriter- Cowboys, Heroes & Friends.
    14. Ron "Ace" Maverick Grishaber- Vigilante Associate.
    15. Carmen " Duece" Maverick Grishaber- Vigilante Associate.

Some of the western stars that the Vigilantes have met and worked with are:

October 1998, the Vigilantes entered the American Royal parade with   their portable town  with Kitt Kolt, Katt Kolt, and Cattle Kate riding their horses. We took second place in the parade. We were asked to help the American Royal with their Wild West Show and greet  all the kids and parents.

On October 27th, Kitt Kolt, G.W. Poe, and Sundance went to   Branson, Mo to attend the first annual Cowboys,Heroes & Friends Festival. We performed  the "Lawman and the Gambler" inside the 76 Music Hall for the festival personnel and  attendees. We were well received by all. While there, we met Dale Evans. Roy "Dusty" Rogers Jr., Stan Corliss, Steve Rhoads, and The Rogers Legacy. We got to sing "Happy Birthday" to Dale Evans and “Dusty” at the Saturday show along with  the whole crowd.

Speaking of "Cowboys, Heroes & Friends", in May 1999, Kitt Kolt  received a call from Jim Grady’s mother, Gene, about coming down to talk to them about  the festival.  Kitt Kolt, G.W. Poe, Sundance, Dusty, and Ron Rushly traveled to Branson  to discuss CH&F. We were asked to be their Official Ambassadors for the festival, to set up a  competition, do a show, and bring down our portable old west town for their October festival.

When we went in October 1999, we were able to perform our gun education   show for over  1100 school children at their Wild West Show. We greeted and talked to  many people at the shows. We got to meet R.W. Hampton, Don Edwards, Waddie Mitchell, Belinda Gail, Sons of the  San Joaquin, Ben Crane, Curly Musgrave, Ben Theisson and Daughters of the Purple Sage. We  did our own show in our town and put on a gunfighter competition which was won by "The Guns Of Timber Creek" of Texas. The Vigilantes did not compete in the competition due to our producing and setting up the judging. We did our post civil war drama " The  Return of Caleb Morgan" for the crowd.

In 2000, we were back in Branson for the third annual CH&F Festival   where we put on the National Old West Living History Foundation Competition along with the Branson 2000  Shootout with OWLHF President, Dusty Webb. We had teams from CA, AZ, WY, NV, KS, and MO. Because Dusty Webb was there and in charge of the competition and judge appointments, we "The Vigilantes" decided to compete for the first time as a group. Now the groups of gunfighter clubs there to compete were no easy pickins. We had State Champions,  Regional Champions, and past National Champions there for our event, all competing for over $3000 in prize money.

After all was said, done, and acted out, "The Osage Valley Vigilantes" of  Cass County MO was judged as the best reenactment group. Plus many  individuals ---------as were past  mentioned.

The fourth annual CH&F was held in November 2001, and was shortened to only three days of shows because the festival decided to put their money towards a permanent new  home. We went to support the shows, greet the people and look forward to a great next year and future for the festival. Some of the other festivals and events we have attended are:

             Old Shawnee   Days 1999, 2000

Speaking of "MO Valley Arms Collectors Assn", G.W. Poe and Kitt  Kolt approached them about sponsoring our gun education program. They unanimously agreed writing us a check for $1500 to purchase what we needed. We purchased Vigilante pin back buttons that look like our own circle star badges. Along with American flag pins, small metal sheriffs badges and a gun safety certificate on parchment paper to give to each child or adult that is sworn in as a Jr. Vigilante at our shows. We have  presented over 5000 badges and  certificates so far. We just upgraded our button badges to pin back circle star plastic chrome badges that look like our own Vigilante badges. Each time we need the funds to replenish our supply of gun education materials, the MO Valley Arms Collector Association is always there to meet our needs. We  truly, "the whole Vigilante gang", thank them for their support in getting the  gun education out to the public in the hope that the schools will teach our kids gun education.

Thanks for coming to visit us at our website and reading a little   history about the  Vigilantes. To find out where we are going to be, click on the schedule button. If you wish to view each Vigilante individually, click on the members button. To join our group doesn’t cost you a thing, except your own badge. We meet at  Dusty Johnson’s place of business, Cylinder Optics in Garden City MO every Thursday night at 7:00.

Our group is a non-profit 501-C organization. The Vigilantes are not your  average  gunfighter group. We are a western time period reenactment group, that is as authentic as we can be. We bring a full town concept to each show with women,  children, and men. Also we set up our old west town of about nine buildings. We teach gun safety education, history, God and country.

Hope to catch you down the Trail!

Happy Trails,

Club Historian Kitt Kolt