John Wesley Hardin
This ferrotype photograph is a mirror image of Hardin.
Born	(1853-05-26)May 26, 1853[1] Whitewright, Texas, U.S.[2]
Died	August 19, 1895(1895-08-19) (aged 42)[1] El Paso, Texas, U.S.
Cause of death	Gunshot wound
Other names	"Little Arkansas" "Wesley Clements" "J. H. Swain"
Occupation(s)	Gambling/card sharp, cowboy, cattle rustler, lawyer
Known for	Very young outlaw and prolific gunfighter
Spouses	Jane Bowen Carolyn Jane "Callie" Lewis
Parent(s)	James Gibson "Gip" Hardin Mary Elizabeth Dixson

John Wesley Hardin (May 26, 1853 – August 19, 1895) was an American Old West outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk icon. Hardin often got into trouble with the law from an early age. He killed his first man at the age of 15, claiming he did so in self-defense.

Pursued by lawmen for most of his life, in 1877, at the age of 23, he was sentenced to 24 years in prison for murder. At the time of sentencing, Hardin claimed to have killed 42 men,^[3] while contemporary newspaper accounts attributed 27 deaths to him.^[4] The actual number, while unknown, is believed to be in excess of twenty, possibly higher.^[5] While in prison, Hardin studied law and wrote an autobiography. He was well known for exaggerating or fabricating stories about his life and claimed credit for many killings that cannot be corroborated.

Within a year of his 1894 release from prison, Hardin was killed by John Selman in an El Paso saloon.