This week’s open thread has focused on famous African American Cowboys. Today’s theme will focus an African American Cowgirl.
Mary Fields, also known as Stagecoach Mary, was the first African-American woman employed as a mail carrier in the United States, driving her mail route by stagecoach from Cascade, Montana to St. Peter’s Mission, Montana. She was only the second American woman in all to work for the United States Postal Service. Born a slave circa 1832 in Hickman County, Tennessee (the exact year of her birth is uncertain) she was freed when American slavery was outlawed in 1865. For some time she worked repairing the buildings of a school for Native American girls in Montana called Saint Peter’s Mission a Catholic convent, eventually advancing to forewoman. While there, she formed a strong bond with Mother Amadeus. When the nuns moved to Montana and Mary learned of Mother Amadeus’ failing health, she went west to help out. Having nursed Mother Amadeus back to health, she decided to stay and help build the St. Peter’s mission school. She protected the nuns. Mary was a pistol-packing, hard-drinking woman, who needed nobody to fight her battles for her.