Braving all sorts of weather and ceasing work only for the worst, fields brought mail to settlers in montana, one of very few black people in the new state, henry louis gates jr. Jul 31, 2014 this pin was discovered by lisa lightfoot jones. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Mary fields, rough exterior with a giving heart african. How the once enslaved stagecoach mary became the gun. The author profiles the life of mary fields, a freed slave who,as the first african american woman letter carrier, delivered theu. The year was 1895, and at a towering sixfeet tall and approximately 200 pounds, fields was one tough customer.
Claire almon the true story of mary fields, aka stagecoach mary, a trailblazing african american woman who helped settle the american west. She earned the nickname stagecoach mary for her reliability and speed, and she drove the fifteenmile route between the mission and cascade from 1895 to 1903. Mary fields, black mary, and stagecoach mary are all one of the same person. Postal service stagecoach, armed with a pistol, a shotgun, and a jug of whiskey, mary fields was the first african american woman to work as a u. Her empathy for the native american children was profound. Women in exploration stagecoach mary fields classic. Fearless mary the story of stagecoach pioneer mary fields.
Better known as stagecoach mary, the formidable mary fields was the 1st african american female united states postal service carrier. Back and forth along the route, mary fields, a former slave, drove a stagecoach carrying mail for people in the central area of the state. Mary was a cigar smoking, shotgun and pistol toting negro woman, who even frequented saloons drinking whiskey with the men, a privilege only given to her, as a woman. Mary fields was known as black mary and stagecoach mary. Free shipping get free shipping free 58 day shipping within the u. She delivered the mail regardless of the heat of the day, cold of night, wind, rain, sleet, snow, blizzards, indians and outlaws. At sixty years old, mary became the first black woman mail carrier and became known as stagecoach mary. Fearless mary read aloud for children is an incredibly inspiring book for kids. The reader is granted an incisive perspective of how the missions rationalized their treatment i stumbled upon this book in a used book shop, a first edition signed by the. She was a black entrepreneur and stagecoach driver. It is an incredible story about a larger than life figure that helped pave the way for others of color and women in general. Orphaned as a child, she grew up with ursuline nuns but received no formal education. Meet stagecoach mary, the daring black pioneer who protected. She was not an employee of the united states post office.
She received her freedom when the war ended and slavery was outlawed but she stayed near her original owners, the dunn family, as she and the dunns daughter had become good friends. Here is her story, filled with colorful anecdotes and rich imagery from the old west. A littleknown but fascinating and largerthanlife character, mary fields is one of the unsung, trailblazing african american women who helped settle the american west. This made her the second woman and first african american woman to work for the u. Mary fields by james franks meet your next favorite book. Michael searles, history professor, augusta university wishing shelf u. Freed after the civil war, she moved west and settled in montana. Mary heard about a job opening up in cascade, montana. Affectionately known as stagecoach mary, the cigarsmoking fields was good with her fists and known for being a crack shot with a heart of gold. She was a fascinating woman, of course the book tells you the real account, not the fictional in the western. She traveled north to ohio, settled in toledo, and worked for the catholic convent where she formed a strong bond with mother amadeus. Stagecoach mary fields and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Mary fields, aka stagecoach mary 18321914 born as a slave in tennessee, fields was one of the first women entrepreneurs, stagecoach drivers, pioneers of the american west. Based on true accounts, mary fields was born into slavery.
Today i want to share the historical account of a woman whose life is so incredible, that she deserves her own movie this is the story of mary fields otherwise known as stagecoach mary this first black woman. Stagecoach mary fields by georgianne landykordis 2016. Mary fields aka stagecoach mary paperback march 9, 2016. They celebrated her birthday twice a year since she didnt know the exact date of her real birthday. In 1895, at 60 years old, fields was hired as a mail carrier because she was the fastest applicant to hitch a team of six horses. In 1890s montana, wouldbe mail thieves didnt stand a chance. A person can follow mary s life very easily reading this book.
In a span of 15 years, stagecoach mary fields had gone from cascades outsider to its most respected citizen. Introduction to mary fields aka stagecoach mary the novel. Mary fields aka stagecoach mary by erich martin hicks. Even though she frequented saloons, smoked cigars and fought like a man, she was loved by the town of cascade and given more privileges than a white woman. Presgr 2this adventurepacked account set in 1895 cascade, mt, centers on mary fields, a former slave and the first african american woman to drive a stagecoach. Peters mission, as the first african american woman ever to carry the united states mail. Learn more about the life and legend of mary fields. Fearless mary by tami charles illustrated by claire almon is a nonfiction early reader about mary fields the first african american woman to drive a stage coach.
Mary fields was born into slavery in tennessee in about 1832. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. The harddrinking, quickshooting mail carrier sported two guns and mens clothing. Fearless mary mary fields american stagecoach driver. Mary fields aka stagecoach mary and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle.
Mary fields, a rough and tough black female pioneer. This is the story of mary fields, stagecoach mary, who got her nickname at the turn of the 20th century. Her dedication and reliability on the difficult route earned her the sobriquet stagecoach mary. Fields was the first black postal carrier in the u. Born a slave in the 1830s, mary fields arrived in montana with the ursuline sisters who came. Now cascade montana in 1895 was not exactly the place that celebrated. Mary fields lady stagecoach driver legends of america. With the nuns she traveled west but never known for her quiet temperament, she left the convent when she was still in her teens. If the reader has any interest in mary fields, aka stagecoach mary, deliverance is the one book you must read. Mary fields was born a slave around the early 1830s, and arrived in montana with a nun whom she worked for and befriended.
Women in exploration stagecoach mary fields march, 2020 this year, for womens history month, classic escapes is taking a look at women who have paved the way into the unknown corners of the world as pioneers, adventurers, scientists, and of course travelers. The story of stagecoach mary fields stories of the. Every february, black history month profiles the biographies and prodigious accomplishments of black men and women who have defied all odds and have carved their own path. The life and legend of mary fields womens history matters. Mary was born in 1832, a slave in tennessee and was owned by a catholic family. Able to outshoot, outride, and outfight most men, sixfoottall, 200 pound, roughhewn mary fields cut quite a figure back in the time when the west was as wild as a mustang stallion. If the reader has any interest in mary fields, aka stagecoach mary, deliverance is. Meet stagecoach mary, the daring black pioneer who protected wild west stagecoaches. Miller 1994, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. A littleknown but fascinating and largerthanlife character, mary fields is one of the unsung, trailblazing african american. I had read many things about mary fields, until i read the book on mary fields aka stagecoach mary life i really learned a lot more about her life.
The authors note discusses the lack of available information on fields hence, the book reads more like a composite of fields than a precise biography. Mary fields exslave mary fields felt at home in montana, whether working in a convent or managing a mail route. Stagecoach mary has a remarkable story that defies all. Mary fields aka stagecoach mary kindle edition by hicks, erich. She was around seventy years old when she finally retired. A former slave, fields became the first african american woman stagecoach driver in. One can tell the author of this book, erich martin hicks, put a lot of time and effort into. Stagecoach mary was portrayed in the 5th season of hell on wheels on amc.
Weird wonderful women episode 5 mary fields youtube. This is a very short story, reading time under 15 minutes. After emancipation, mary found it difficult to remain close to her childhood friend and struggled with many jobs throughout her life. She earned the nickname stagecoach mary for her reliability and speed, and she drove. Fearless mary mary fields, american stagecoach driver youtube. When dolly became a nun and moved to toledo, ohio, mary. She earned this nickname by working for the united states postal system delivering the united states mail through adverse conditions that would have discouraged the most hardened frontiersmen of that period. She was allowed to grow up with her owners daughter, molly and was taught to read and write. Mary fields was a fascinating woman, and the prosaic story of her life was both entertaining and informative.
Back in 1895 an exslave, a woman, named mary fields had a chance to show the world she could do it. With the discerning eye of a photographer, the deft hand of a historian, and the literary heart of a poet, the life of mary fields, legendary black woman of montana, rises majestically off the page into living history. She was considered an eccentric even in these modern times. Mary fields, american pioneer who was the first african american woman to become a u. Oct 20, 2016 mary had no fear of man, nor beast, and this sometimes got her into trouble. At the age of 70, mary retired from the postal service and settled in cascade. According to the authors note, mary fields was the first african american woman to carry the united states mail, driving a stagecoach route from cascade to st. After two failed attempts at running a restaurant, fields secured a contract to deliver mail to st. Wouldbe mail thieves didnt stand a chance against stagecoach mary. At the age of sixty, mary fields got the job of delivering mail via stagecoach from cascade, montana, to st.
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