Urilla Sutherland had a very short life. Yet her story became part of Old West history. She was the first wife of Wyatt Earp. Long before Wyatt became famous he was a young man hoping to build a family with her.
Their story began with love and hope. The young couple married in Missouri in 1870. They planned a home together. Urilla soon became pregnant with their first child. Sadly their happy life did not last very long.
So who was Urilla Sutherland before she became Wyatt Earp’s wife? This article looks at her early life and family. We will also explore her marriage and pregnancy. Later we will look at her sad death and the mystery around her burial.
Who Was Urilla Sutherland?
Urilla Sutherland was a young woman from Missouri. She is best known today as Wyatt Earp’s first wife. She lived before Wyatt became one of the most famous names linked with the American Old West.
Wyatt later became known for his time as a lawman. His name is also tied to the famous gunfight near the O.K. Corral. But Urilla knew him many years before those events. She knew a much younger Wyatt.
This makes Urilla Sutherland an interesting part of his story. She was there during a quiet time in his life. Wyatt had work and wanted a home. He was also getting ready to become a father.
Urilla Sutherland’s Early Life
Urilla Sutherland is believed to have been born around 1850. Her exact birthday is not clear. Old records about her life are limited. This is why readers may see different birth details on different websites.
Even her first name appears in different forms. Some records and later accounts call her Urilla. Others use Aurilla. The shorter name Rilla can also be found in stories about her life.
These different names can make research confusing. They do not mean there were several different women. They are linked to the same young woman who married Wyatt Earp. Today Urilla is the name most readers know.
Urilla Sutherland’s Parents and Family
Urilla was the daughter of William Sutherland and Permelia Sutherland. Her family became part of the local community in Lamar Missouri. Some family research says Urilla was one of several children in the Sutherland home.
Her parents ran the Exchange Hotel in Lamar. A hotel was an important place in a growing town at that time. Travelers could stay there. Local people could also meet and share news. This placed the Sutherland family around many people.
This family hotel also became important in Urilla Sutherland’s story with Wyatt Earp. Wyatt had work in Lamar. His duties sometimes brought him into contact with the hotel. This helped connect the young lawman with the Sutherland family.
How Urilla Sutherland Met Wyatt Earp
The exact moment when Urilla first met Wyatt is not known. There is no trusted letter or record that tells us about their first meeting. Still we know both were living around Lamar when their relationship began.
Wyatt returned to Lamar in 1869. He was still a young man. He later became a local constable. Some historical accounts say prisoners were sometimes kept at the Exchange Hotel run by Urilla’s family.
This may have given Wyatt more chances to know the Sutherlands. He began courting Urilla. Their relationship soon became serious. It was a very different time in Wyatt’s life from the Wild West years that later made him famous.
Urilla Sutherland and Wyatt Earp’s Wedding
Urilla Sutherland and Wyatt Earp married in January 1870. January 10 is the date often given by historical sources. A few local accounts give another January date. So some small details remain open to debate.
Both were very young. Wyatt was about 21 years old. Urilla was around 20. Wyatt’s father Nicholas Earp is reported to have performed the marriage. The wedding started what seemed like a bright new chapter for them.
At this point Wyatt was not the Old West legend people know today. He was a young husband with local work. Urilla was his new wife. Together they were hoping for a simple home and a family of their own.
Urilla Sutherland’s Married Life
After their wedding Urilla Sutherland and Wyatt Earp began building a life in Lamar Missouri. Wyatt had work as a local constable. He was still very young. Yet he seemed ready to live a calm and settled life.
The couple also planned a home of their own. Historical accounts say Wyatt bought land near Lamar. A house was built for the young couple in 1870. This was meant to be the place where they could start their family.
This part of Wyatt’s life may surprise some readers. He was not yet the famous man linked with gunfights and frontier towns. He was a young husband with a wife and a home. His life looked very different from what came later.
Urilla Sutherland’s Pregnancy and Baby
Soon after the marriage Urilla became pregnant. She and Wyatt were expecting their first child. By the summer of 1870 they were preparing for the baby while building their new life together.
Very little is known about the unborn child. There is no strong record that clearly gives the baby’s name or sex. Some stories online may offer more details. Yet these claims should not be treated as proven facts.
What we do know is sad. Urilla did not live to raise the baby. Their unborn child also did not survive. Wyatt lost the family he had been preparing for in a very short time.
What Was Urilla Sutherland’s Cause of Death?
Urilla Sutherland died in 1870. She had been married to Wyatt for less than one year. Her death came while she was still a very young woman. She was also expecting their first baby.
The exact cause of her death is not fully clear. Some historical sources say she died from typhoid. Other accounts use the word typhus. There are also stories that link her death with problems during pregnancy or childbirth.
Because old records are limited we should be careful. There is no clear death record that answers every question. The safest answer is that Urilla became very ill while pregnant. She and her unborn baby then died in 1870.
Where Was Urilla Sutherland Buried?
The place where Urilla was buried is another mystery. A memorial stone for her can be found at Howell Cemetery near Milford Missouri. It was placed there many years after her death.
However this does not fully prove that Urilla was buried there. Some local history points toward Lamar instead. East Cemetery in Lamar has been mentioned as another possible place where she may have been laid to rest.
Why is the answer so hard to find? Records from that time are not complete. More than 150 years have also passed. In 2026 there is still no clear proof that settles the burial question for everyone.
Wyatt Earp’s Life After Urilla Sutherland
Wyatt was only about 22 when he lost Urilla and their unborn child. His new home suddenly had a very different meaning. The family life he had planned was gone before it truly had time to begin.
Historical records show that Wyatt sold his house in November 1870. He soon moved away from the settled life he had started in Lamar. His life became much more restless during the years that followed.
We cannot say that Urilla’s death alone caused every choice Wyatt later made. Life is rarely that simple. Still the timing is important. His life before her death was built around a home and family. His life afterward took a very different path.
Wyatt later traveled through the American West. He became linked with places such as Wichita and Dodge City. His most famous years came in Tombstone Arizona. There his name became tied to the famous 1881 gunfight near the O.K. Corral.
Closing Thoughts
Urilla Sutherland never lived to see Wyatt become famous. She died more than ten years before the events in Tombstone that helped turn his name into an Old West legend. Her own story stayed much quieter.
That does not mean her life was unimportant. Urilla shows us another side of Wyatt Earp. Before the gunfights and famous stories he was a young husband. He wanted a home and was getting ready to welcome his first child.
Lamar Missouri still remembers this part of the story. Wyatt Earp Park has a statue showing Wyatt with Urilla. The park helps visitors learn about their short marriage and Wyatt’s early years in the town.
There is also a reason Urilla Sutherland still interests people in 2026. So much about her remains unknown. Her exact birthday is unclear. Her cause of death has different reports. Even her true burial place is still debated.
(FAQs)
How old was Urilla Sutherland?
Urilla Sutherland was likely about 20 years old when she died in 1870. Her exact birthday is not known.
What was Urilla Sutherland’s net worth?
Her net worth is not known. There are no trusted records about her money or wealth.
Is Urilla Sutherland still alive today?
Urilla Sutherland died in 1870. She died very young while she was expecting her first baby.
Where did Urilla Sutherland live?
Urilla lived in Lamar Missouri. She and Wyatt Earp planned to build their family life there.
What was Urilla Sutherland’s ethnicity?
Her exact ethnicity is not known. Old records do not give clear details about her family background.
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