Ginny Morgan's Blog – October 2009 Archive (9)

I was glad to see a group formed for the Buffalo Soldiers..I found this and would like to share it.



Cathay Williams is the only documented African American woman who served as a soldier in the Regular U.S. Army in the nineteenth century. Cathay was born a slave around 1850 in Jackson County, Missouri. In September 1861 Union troops impressed Cathay into the army to work as a cook and washerwoman for Union army officers. She remained with the Army throughout the Civil War serving at… Continue

Talking about Alaska and the klondike made me curious so I started surfing...this is interesting



To read some of the Canadian and American history books on the Klondike gold rush, it's unfortunate that the role of women has been so neglected.



Until recent years many of these authors have been men who focused mainly on male interests in what has been perceived as a male-dominated event. With a few exceptions, the way they tell it, most Klondike women were either dance-hall… Continue

Elizabeth "Libby" Bacon Custer 1842-1933



Elizabeth Bacon Custer (April 8, 1842 - April 6, 1933) was the wife of General George Armstrong Custer. After his death, she became an outspoken advocate for her husband's legacy. Custer's portrayal as a gallant fallen hero and the glory of Custer’s Last Stand that were canons of American history for more than a century after his death was largely the result of her endless campaigning on his behalf.



Elizabeth “Libbie” Bacon was born… Continue

I recently went to an event in Menifee, California held at the Wooden Nickel Ranch. This ranch was once owned by Audie Murphy. I had not thought of him in years, even though I loved many of his westerns.

I remember my Dad talking about him and his heroism in WWII. The most decorated hero of the war. Both he and my Dad were members of the greatest generation and thier like will not be seen again.It always seemed sad to me that many of the younger generation do not know who he was. Well, I… Continue

This is an article I wrote years ago about the only Woman to testify openly about her treatment by Indians re. rape It is a bit long but I don't want to cut any of it...



From the very beginning of settlement in the New World women had been captured and held by Indians. Many of those women left written accounts of the pain and suffering they endured,some as far back as the 17th century. In the 1800s, as more and more women moved West there were many such books printed, usually with… Continue

In 1857, a pastor named Royal B. Stratton wrote a book about Olive and Mary Ann. The book sold 30,000 copies, a best-seller for that era. In November, 1865, Olive married John B. Fairchild. Though it was rumored that she died in an asylum in New York in 1877, she actually went to live with Fairchild in Sherman, Texas, where they adopted a baby girl, Mamie.



Rumors of Olive Oatman being raped by the Yavapai were denied vehemently, leading her to declare in Stratton's book that "to the… Continue

Olive Oatman was part of the nine member Royce Oatman family who left the relative safety of a westbound wagontrain in 1851 and headed out alone on the Gila Trail. The Gila Trail was one of the many routes used by settlers and gold-hungry miners to get to the west. Westerly routes from Santa Fe and El Paso joined in Apache country to form the Gila Trail.



West of Gila Bend, Arizona their wagon was attacked by Yavapai Indians. All were killed except for one son who escaped and two… Continue

I dont know if this is old news here or not but I was just told that the Roy Rogers Museum in Branson is closing and everything is being sold...I just went to this link and it appears to be true. This link will take you to the annoncement by Roy Jr. cut and paste it into your browser as I can't get the link thingy to work......http://www.royrogers.com/announcement.html



This is so sad. One of the biggest regrets of my life is that I never met Roy or Dale or went to the museum when it… Continue

Early life

Born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, raised in Indiana, Silks began her working career in Springfield, Illinois. She was one of the best known madame's in the west, having brothel's in Dodge City, Kansas and Denver, Colorado, where demand for women was high due to the Colorado gold rushes.



Life in Denver

Silks is described as being a very good looking woman, with spirit and a competitive nature. She started her first brothel on Holladay Street (now Market… Continue