In the pioneer days of what today is the state of Georgia, intrepid explorers, desperadoes, and opportunists of all types and description emigrated to the state, many of them ultimately continuing westward in search of a new life. It was a great movement documented in the concept of "Manifest Destiny" which helped to shape the modern nation known today as the United States.These travelers invariably were characterized by three main types of individuals: gunmen who were either intent upon self-defense or upon the taking of whatever they wanted from whomever they wished whenever they wished; lawmen who were either simply honest men intent upon obeying the laws of that day or men serving as genuine law enforcement officers; and then there was the third type who were just plain "wild men" by nature. They weren't necessarily criminal in their approach to life, but many times they were in fact individuals who were just as unpredictable and loathe to tolerate any nonsense from anyone trying to take advantage of or harm them.Most all of the individuals described on the pages within this book fall into one or more of these categories. Many of them were courageous, strong and independent almost to the extreme, and are often remembered for their admirable qualities in the folklore of Americana. Their stories have been passed down by word-of-mouth and in written accounts and histories simply because they warranted remembrance.Those in the other extremes are recalled for the abuses - and sometimes even the horrible crimes - they perpetrated upon their fellow man, leaving damaged and destroyed humanity in their wake.This, then, is the story of some of these individuals.