Lonesome Dove Characters

Fowler is the leader of the crew of whiskey traders with whom Elmira leaves Fort Smith. While she’s in their company, Fowler takes Elmira under his wing, offering her protection and occasional friendly conversation. He encourages her to go across the plains with buffalo hunter Big Zwey.

Bert Borum is an experienced cowhand hired by Call to join the drive to Montana. Bert is very proud of his roping skills and shows them off whenever he gets the opportunity, provoking the other cowhands. He leaves the company with Soupy Jones after spending one winter in Montana.

Monkey John is one of two white men in Blue Duck’s band of brigands. He and Dog Face purchase a half share of Lorena from Blue Duck with some hides, and he subsequently rapes and beats Lorena frequently. Augustus McCrae shoots Monkey John dead when he rescues Lorena.

Pedro Flores is a Mexican rancher, cattle rustler, and old rival of Call and McCrae with large holdings just south of the border. His men are responsible for stealing the horses that belong to Wilbarger’s and Chick’s company. He dies before the cattle drive gets underway.

Dillard Brawley is Lonesome Dove’s white barber. One of his legs had to be amputated following an infected centipede bite. When Call returns to Lonesome Dove, it’s Dillard who tells him what happened to Xavier Wanz and the Dry Bean Saloon.

Jennie is a sex worker living in Dodge City, Kansas. She was a close friend of Elmira’s and another of Dee Boot’s lovers. She treats July Johnson very kindly and tells him some of Elmira’s history when he makes it to Dodge City.

At 10 years old, Sally Allen is the older of Bob and Clara Allen’s two daughters. She is vivacious and friendly and quickly befriends July Johnson, Newt, and Dish Boggett when each—at various points—stops by her family’s farm.

Betsey Allen is the younger of Bob and Clara Allen’s two daughters. She is three years younger than her sister. She likes company as much as her sister but becomes more attached to Lorena Wood than any of the menfolk who pass by.

Cholo is an elderly Mexican cowhand whom Bob and Clara Allen hire to help run their horse farm in Nebraska. He is entirely devoted to Clara and takes excellent care of her and her family, especially after Bob is grievously injured by an unbroken mare.

Mosby is a Texan ne’er-do-well who convinces Lorena Wood that he is a southern gentleman and takes her from Baton Rouge to Gladewater, Texas as his live-in mistress. He introduces her to John Tinkersley when he offers Lorena’s sexual services to the gambler.

Mary Cole is a widow who lives in Lonesome Dove. One of the town’s few literate citizens, she often reads aloud from the Bible during church services. McCall and Deets like to tease Pea Eye about marrying Mary.

Swift Bill Spettle is a greenhorn cowhand hired by Call along with his older brother Pete. Lightning strikes Bill, killing him instantly, when the drive is between the Red and the Canadian Rivers in northern Texas.

Pete Spettle is a greenhorn cowhand hired by Call along with his younger brother Swift Bill. He makes it all the way to Montana.

Jimmy Rainey is a greenhorn cowhand hired by Call along with his brother Ben. He makes it all the way to Montana.

Ben Rainey is a greenhorn cowhand hired by Call along with his brother Jimmy. He makes it all the way to Montana.

Needle Nelson is an experienced cowhand hired by Call to join the drive to Montana. He makes it all the way north and stays on with the company afterwards.

Maggie was a sex worker and Newt’s mother, although she died years before the events in Lonesome Dove take place. Her clients included Woodrow Call and Jake Spoon.

Martin is Elmira’s son—possibly with July Johnson, possibly with one of the buffalo hunters who were among her clients when she was still a sex worker. After Elmira abandons him, Clara Allen gives him his name and takes care of him.

Aus Frank was a trapper-turned Waco businessman whom Call and McCrae arrested for robbing a bank when they were Rangers. Frank escaped from jail and disappeared. While tracking Blue Duck, Augustus finds him collecting buffalo bones on the banks of the Canadian River.

Dixon is Captain Weaver’s scout. In Ogallala, he tries to buy—and then requisition—Dish Boggett’s horse and when Newt tries to stop him, he ends up attacking Newt with a horse whip. Call beats him senseless for touching Newt.

Captain Weaver is an officer in the United States Army who tries unsuccessfully to requisition horses from Call’s and McCrae’s remuda near Ogallala, Nebraska.

Old Sam is the old man who buys Janey from Bill for 40 skunk pelts. He abuses her severely. She breaks his knees before running away.

Sedgwick is an entomologist-turned-itinerant preacher whom July Johnson and Joe Boot briefly meet as they cross the Red River from Arkansas into Texas.

Charlie Barnes is a banker in Fort Smith, Arkansas, who attaches himself to Peach Johnson after she becomes a widow.

Chick is Wilbarger’s noticeably short and undignified employee. He dies at the hands of Dan, Roy, and Ed Suggs when they steal Wilbarger’s horses.

Dora is a tubercular sex worker who was born in Philadelphia but ended up in Miles City, Montana. She plays the piano while Augustus is dying.

Big Tom is an allegedly accidental and reformed horse thief who briefly lives at the Hat Creek Cattle Company’s ranch until Call catches him stealing from the men and executes him.

Charles Goodnight is a former lawman turned cattle rancher who visits Call’s camp when Call is traveling through Colorado on his way back to Texas. He tells Call about Blue Duck’s impending execution.

Bill is the man who sold Janey to Old Sam for 40 skunk pelts.