Hamilton Polk Rayner

Hamilton Polk Rayner (1860 – 1932) was appointed the town marshal of Hunnewell, Kansas, a rough cattle town where at the age of 23 he cleared out a gang of ruffians, six-guns blazing. Later served as deputy sheriff in Tarrant and Hood counties, Texas.

Moved to El Paso to be special agent for the Southern Pacific Railroad and a Texas Ranger.

Married Desota MS 24 Nov 1887 Eliza Nelms ca 1863 –

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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/120427794/hamilton-polk-rayner

He died in a Wichita County Hospital, He lived in El Paso per his Death Cert.

Hamilton Polk Rayner was one of the first, IF NOT THE FIRST, Chihuahua breeder. He lived in El Paso and sold Chihuahua to the very wealthy. He would go to Mexico and capture wild Chihuahuas. He had the foundation stock for our today Chihuahuas.

His father was Kenneth Rayner. His sons seemed to have inherited his fiery temper and penchant for brawling.

Hamilton Polk Rayner was appointed the town Marshal of Hunnewell, Kansas, a rough cattle town where at the age of 23 he cleared out a gang of ruffians, six-guns blazing. Later served as deputy sheriff in Tarrant and Hood counties, Texas. He was the last surviving son (of Kenneth) and moved to El Paso abt 1882 to be special agent for the Southern Pacific Railroad and a Texas Ranger. This is the same time era he started to capture Chihuahuas.

Hamilton's brother, William Polk Rayner, while deputy US revenue collector in Fort Worth, killed the proprietor of a gambling hall in a conflict over a woman of dubious character. He pleaded self-defense at his trial and was acquitted. He was a Deputy US Marshal in Dallas, then moved to El Paso where late one night in 1885 while he was gambling in a saloon with Wyatt Earp, a brawl erupted among the patrons during which Rayner was shot in the arm and abdomen. He died over a month later of his wounds.