OUTLAW BEGININGS
BUTCH CASSIDY BIRTH HOME?
Definitely Butch’s Boyhood home - Joseph Bohn House, Beaver Utah

It has been claimed that the original old black basalt portion (right side) of this home built by Thomas Frazier in Beaver was the birth place of Butch Cassidy. Butch, born Robert Leroy Parker was born 13 April 1866. Records show however that Thomas Frazier did not move to Beaver Utah until 1868.The earliest this home could have been built was in 1869/1870 when Thomas Frazier first started building homes in the area. So no, this is not the house that Butch was born in. That home probably no longer exists.

But, could Butch have lived in this home during his growing years? Records show that this is probably the case, that Butch was born on the adjoining property in either a small log or adobe house (no longer extant) which preceded the building of this home. Joseph Bohn who owned the house and had it built did not live here. He actually lived across the street in an old adobe home. He rented this home and property out until he sold it in 1876 to David and Christina Gillis Levi. The Levis probably rented the property for several years before buying it as a home for Jane Gillis, Christina’s mother (Butch’s Grandmother), and her family. David and Christina usually lived on their farm, west of town. Max Parker did not buy his first property in Beaver until 1877. Records show that Anne Parker lived with her mother, Jane Gillis most of the time before the family moved to Circleville, as Max Parker was away from the family much of the time. Lula Betensen, in her book Butch Cassidy, My Brother also states that her brother Butch was born at the home of Anne’s mother, Jane Gillis.

So this was probably Butch Cassidy’s Boyhood home until he was 13 and already working away from home.