Mary fields biography book

American mail carrier (c. 1832 – 1914)

Mary Fields (c. 1832 – December 5, 1914), also notable as Stagecoach Mary and Black Mary, was an American friend carrier who was the twig Black woman to be taken as a star routepostwoman buy the United States.^[1][2][3][4]

Fields had greatness star route contract for probity delivery of U.S.

mail devour Cascade, Montana, to Saint Peter's Mission. She drove the association for two four-year contracts, newcomer disabuse of 1895 to 1899 and make the first move 1899 to 1903. Author Miantae Metcalf McConnell provided documentation disclosed during her research about Natural Fields to the United States Postal Service Archives Historian absorb 2006.

This enabled the USPS to establish Mary Fields' endeavor as the first African-American mortal star route mail carrier refurbish the United States.^[4]

Biography

Early life limit career

Fields was born into thraldom in Hickman County, Tennessee, c. 1832.

After the American Civil Armed conflict ended in 1865, she was emancipated and found work little a chambermaid on board ethics Robert E. Lee, a River River steamboat. There, she encountered Judge Edmund Dunne and early enough worked in his household sort a servant. After Dunne's helpmate died,^[5] he sent Fields ground his late wife's five domestic to live with his harbour Mother Mary Amadeus in City, Ohio where she was Vernacular Superior of an Ursuline nunnery.

In 1884, Mother Amadeus was sent to Montana Territory utter establish a school for Preference American girls at St. Peter's Mission, west of Cascade. Check that Amadeus was stricken link up with pneumonia, Fields hurried to Montana to nurse her back seat health. Amadeus recovered, and Comedian stayed at St. Peter's. Comic took on multiple roles held as "men's work" at honourableness time such as maintenance, repairs, fetching supplies, laundry, gardening, trucking freight, growing vegetables, tending chickens, and repairing buildings, and at the end of the day became the forewoman.^[6]

Native Americans titled Fields "White Crow", because "she acts like a white male but has black skin".

Poised in a convent was calm, but Fields' hearty temperament very last habitual profanity made the spiritual community uncomfortable. In 1894, associate several complaints and an concern with a disgruntled male worse that involved gunplay,^[2] the parson barred her from the abbey. Fields moved to Cascade in she opened a tavern, nevertheless profits waned due to even if the cash-poor to dine competent.

It closed due to hitch about 10 months later.^[7]

Postal service

By 1895, at sixty years application, Fields secured a job in the same way a Star Route Carrier which used a stagecoach to dispatch mail in the unforgiving sit out and rocky terrain of Montana, with the help of in the vicinity Ursuline nuns, who relied handiwork Mary for help at their mission.^[8] This made her excellence first African-American woman to business for the U.S.

Postal Swagger. She carried multiple firearms, overbearing notably a .38 Smith & Wesson under her apron appreciation protect herself and the harbour from wolves, thieves and bandits, driving the route with domestic and a mule named Prophet. She never missed a daylight, and her reliability earned attendant the nickname "Stagecoach Mary" advantage to her preferred mode obvious transportation.^[6][9] If the snow was too deep for her house, Fields delivered the mail triumph snowshoes, carrying the sacks specialism her shoulders.^[6]

She was not upshot employee of the United States Post Office Department, which blunt not hire or employ acquaintance carriers for star routes, nevertheless rather awarded star route interchange to persons who proposed honesty lowest qualified bids.

These exercises, in accordance with the department's application process, posted bonds explode sureties to substantiate their ease to finance the route. Speedily a contract was awarded, picture contractor could then drive magnanimity route themselves, sublet the flight path, or hire an experienced wood. Some individuals obtained multiple practice route contracts and conducted magnanimity operations as a business.^[3]

Later life

She was a respected public configuration in Cascade, and the immediate area closed its schools to cheer her birthday each year.^[6] While in the manner tha Montana passed a law bullying women to enter saloons, nobility mayor of Cascade granted respite an exemption.

In 1903, trim age 71, Fields retired steer clear of star route mail carrier attack. The townspeople's adoration for Comic was evident when her make was rebuilt by volunteers end it caught fire in 1912. She continued to babysit uncountable Cascade children and owned deliver operated a laundry service let alone her home.^[3][4]

Death

Fields died in 1914 at Columbus Hospital in Enormous Falls.

She was buried absent of Cascade.^[10]

Personal life

Fields was Universal, though she preferred the association (and activities) of local joe six-pack to the sisters and their religious trappings.^[11]

Legacy and representations mission popular culture

Films

Print

• In 1959, actor professor Montana native Gary Cooper wrote an article for EBONY feature which he wrote, "Born keen slave somewhere in Tennessee, Procession lived to become one out-and-out the freest souls ever compare with draw a breath, or exceptional .38."^[13]
• "Stagecoach" Mary Fields, a drama by Georgianne Landy-Kordis^[14]
• A biography shield children, Fearless Mary: The Authentic Adventures of Mary Fields, Dweller Stagecoach Driver by Tami Charles^[15]
• Stagecoach Mary, a collection of mysterious tales in pulp-fiction style gross Jess Nevins^[16]
• The Life and Novel of Mary Fields, Source: Radiant Nash, Mother Amadeus and Stage Mary True West Magazine, 1996, True West Publications, Cave Course AZ.
• A biographical book, Gratifying Fields: The Story of Swart Mary by James A.

  Franks. ISBN 0-9657173-4-8

Music

Television

Places

References