Frank Eaton "Pistol Pete"

by Harold T. Holden

Frank Eaton was born October 26, 1860 in Hartford, Connecticut. When Frank was eight, the Eaton family moved to Kansas to homestead. Shortly after their relocation, Eaton witnessed his father's murder. After being challenged to avenge the death by a family friend, Frank learned how to handle guns and could "shoot a snake's head off with either hand." At 15, before setting off on his mission to avenge his father's death, he decided to visit Fort Gibson, a cavalry fort, to learn more about handling a gun. There he competed with the cavalry's best marksmen, beating them each time. After many competitions, the fort's commanding officer, Colonel Copinger, gave Frank a marksmanship badge and a new name. From that day forward, Frank would be known as "Pistol Pete."

At 17, Frank became a Deputy U.S. Marshal under Judge Isaac C. Parker, "the hanging judge." At 29, he joined the land rush to Oklahoma Territory. He settled near Perkins, Oklahoma, serving as sheriff and later as a blacksmith.

Frank Eaton lived the life of a true cowboy and was said to "pack the fastest guns in the Indian Territory." He usually carried a loaded forty-five and often said "I'd rather have a pocket full of rocks than an empty gun." He was also known to throw a coin in the air, draw and shoot it before it hit the ground.

After seeing Eaton ride a horse in the 1923 Armistice Day parade in Stillwater, a group of Oklahoma A&M College students decided that Eaton's "Pistol Pete" would be a suitable mascot for the school. They felt "Pistol Pete" represented the old west and the spirit of Oklahoma. However, it was not until 1958 that "Pistol Pete" was adopted as the school's mascot. The familiar caricature of "Pistol Pete" was officially sanctioned in 1984 by the university as a licensed symbol. Frank Eaton lived in Perkins until his death on April 8, 1958.

Frank Eaton "Pistol Pete" by Harold T. Holden was dedicated on February 6, 2002 the commission was managed by the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc.

Frank Eaton "Pistol Pete" by Harold T. Holden is located inside the Oklahoma State Senate lounge on the fourth floor of the Oklahoma State Capitol and can be viewed daily from 8:30-5:30 when the Senate is not in session.

The Artist

Affectionately referred to simply as “H”, Harold Holden was born in Enid, Oklahoma to a family of avid inventors and engineers.  Holden earned his degree from the Texas Academy of Art in Houston after first attending Oklahoma State University.  He began his career in the commercial art field as the art director of Horseman Magazine.  While holding the position Holden would begin to dabble in painting and sculpture, most often documenting the American West.  After serving in Vietnam with the Navy, Holden decided to stake out a career as a full time artist in 1973.  He received numerous commissions from the National Cattlemen’s Association in the mid 1980s, and soon regard for his work grew to the point that private art collectors began to take stock of Holden’s art.  In 1987, Holden was chosen to sculpt the first of his nine to-date monuments that are currently scattered around the state of Oklahoma.  His work has since graced numerous publications, and has even been featured as a U.S. postal stamp – 92,000,000 of which were released in 1993.  Holden’s work is included in various collections throughout the country, including the Oklahoma Arts Council collection.  He has received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Oklahoma Sculpture Society as well as the Oklahoma Governor’s Art Award.