Phineas Clanton

Phineas Fay Clanton (December 1843 – January 5, 1906) was the son of Newman Haynes Clanton and the brother of Billy and Ike Clanton. He was witness to and possibly played a part in a number of illegal activities during his life. He moved frequently in his early life from Missouri to California and to Arizona.

Their father was implicated in the ambush and murder of a number of Mexican smugglers in July 1881. The following month he was killed by Mexican Rurales. Phin's brother Ike Clanton had an ongoing series of conflicts with Deputy U.S. Marshal Virgil Earp and was accused of cattle rustling among other things. Phin and his brothers developed bitter and angry feelings for the Earps. During the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on October 26, 1881, Ike escaped unharmed but their brother Billy was killed. Ike and Phin were accused of attempting to murder Virgil in December and assassinating Morgan Earp two months later, but Cowboy friends vouched for their presence in Contention, 12 miles (19 km) away.

Phin had numerous other brushes with the law during his life. He and his brother Ike moved to northern Arizona near their sister and her husband, Eben Stanley. The three men developed a reputation for stealing livestock. The grand jury indicted them and Ike was killed while resisting arrest. Phin served one year and five months of his 10-year prison term. He married late in life and four years later died after contracting pneumonia.