Martha Jane Canary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits, she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Late in her life, she appeared in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. She is said to have exhibited compassion to others, especially to the sick and needy. This facet of her character contrasted with her daredevil ways and helped to make her a noted frontier figure. She was also known for her habit of wearing men's attire.
Early life
Much of the information about the early years of Calamity Jane's life comes from an autobiographical booklet that she dictated in 1896, written for publicity purposes. It was intended to help attract audiences to a tour she was about to begin, in which she appeared in dime museums around the United States. Some of the information in the pamphlet is exaggerated or even completely inaccurate.
Calamity Jane was born on May 1, 1852, as Martha Jane Canary (or Cannary) in Princeton, within Mercer County, Missouri. Her parents were listed in the 1860 census as living about 7 miles northeast of Princeton in Ravanna. Her father Robert Wilson Canary had a gambling problem, and little is known about her mother Charlotte M. Canary. Jane was the eldest of six children, with two brothers and three sisters.
Acquiring nickname
Jane was involved in several campaigns in the long-running military conflicts with Native Americans. Her claim was that:
"Captain Jack" Crawford served under Generals Wesley Merritt and George Crook. According to the Montana Anaconda Standard of April 19, 1904, he stated that Calamity Jane "never saw service in any capacity under either General Crook or General Miles. She never saw a lynching and never was in an Indian fight. She was simply a notorious character, dissolute and devilish, but possessed a generous streak which made her popular."
A popular belief is that she instead acquired the nickname as a result of her warnings to men that to offend her was to "court calamity". It is possible that "Jane" was not part of her name until the nickname was coined for her. It is certain, however, that she was known by that nickname by 1876, because the arrival of the Hickok wagon train was reported in Deadwood's newspaper, the Black Hills Pioneer, on July 15, 1876, with the headline: "Calamity Jane has arrived!"
Another account in her autobiographical pamphlet is that her detachment was ordered to the Big Horn River under General Crook in 1875. She swam the Platte River and travelled 90 miles at top speed while wet and cold in order to deliver important dispatches. She became ill afterwards and spent a few weeks recuperating. She then rode to Fort Laramie in Wyoming and joined a wagon train headed north in July 1876. The second part of her story is verified. She was at Fort Laramie in July 1876, and she did join a wagon train that included Wild Bill Hickok. That was where she first met Hickok, contrary to her later claims, and that was how she happened to come to Deadwood.
In 1865, the family moved by wagon train from Missouri to Virginia City, Montana. In 1866, Charlotte died of pneumonia along the way, in Blackfoot, Montana. After arriving in Virginia City in the spring of 1866, Robert took his six children to Salt Lake City, Utah. They arrived in the summer, and Robert supposedly started farming on 40 acres of land. The family had been in Salt Lake City for only a year when he died in 1867. At age 14, Martha Jane took charge of her five younger siblings, loaded their wagon, and took the family to Fort Bridger, Wyoming Territory, where they arrived in May 1868. From there, they traveled on the Union Pacific Railroad to Piedmont, Wyoming.
Calamity Jane does seem to have had two or four daughters, although the father's identity is unknown. In the late 1880s, Jane returned to Deadwood with a child who she said was her daughter. At Jane's request, a benefit was held in one of the theaters to raise money for her daughter's education in St. Martin's Academy at Sturgis, South Dakota, a nearby Catholic boarding school. The benefit raised a large sum; Jane got drunk and spent a considerable portion of the money that same night and left with the child the next day.
Jane also claimed that, following Hickok's death, she went after his murderer Jack McCall with a meat cleaver because she had left her guns at her residence. Following McCall's execution for the crime, Jane continued living in the Deadwood area for some time, and at one point, she helped save numerous passengers in an overland stagecoach by diverting several Plains Indians who were in pursuit of the vehicle. Stagecoach driver John Slaughter was killed during the pursuit, and Jane took over the reins and drove the stage on to its destination at Deadwood.
In late 1876 or 1878, Jane nursed the victims of a smallpox epidemic in the Deadwood area.
In 1881, Jane bought a ranch west of Miles City, Montana, along the Yellowstone River, where she kept an inn. According to one version of her life, she later married Clinton Burke from Texas and moved to Boulder, where she once again made an attempt in the inn business.
In 1893, Calamity Jane started to appear in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show as a storyteller. She also participated in the 1901 Pan-American Exposition.
Her addiction to liquor was evident even in her younger years. For example, on June 10, 1876, she rented a horse and buggy in Cheyenne for a one-mile joy ride to Fort Russell and back, but she was so drunk that she passed right by her destination without noticing it and finally ended up about 90 miles (140 km) away at Fort Laramie.
Death
Jane returned to the Black Hills in the spring (April/May) of 1903, where brothel owner Madame Dora DuFran was still running her business. For the next few months, Jane earned her keep by cooking and doing the laundry for Dora's girls in Belle Fourche. In late July, Jane traveled by ore train to Terry, South Dakota, a small mining village near Deadwood. It was reported that she had been drinking heavily while on board the train and had fallen ill. The conductor, S. G. Tillett, carried her off the train, a bartender secured a room for her at the Calloway Hotel, and a physician was summoned. Jane's condition deteriorated quickly, and she died at the hotel on Saturday, August 1, 1903, from inflammation of the bowels and pneumonia.
If you want to read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calamity_Jane
- SERVES
- 8
- COOK TIME
- 7 Hr
If you love traditional German recipes, you need to try our Bavarian Roast Pork! This roast recipe is perfect for when you're craving a hot, hearty, and completely satisfying dinner experience. A touch of sweet honey, combined with delicious beer 'n' brat mustard, ladled over juicy pork, makes this a German classic that has stood the test of time.
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup mustard
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 cups beer
- 1 (3-1/2- to 4-pound) boneless pork loin
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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- Meanwhile, to make a honey mustard sauce, bring marinade to a boil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until it thickens, stirring occasionally. Carve pork into 1/2-inch slices and drizzle with sauce.
National Farmer’s Day on October 12th offers much-deserved praise to the hard-working farmers across the nation. In the midst of harvest-season, the day pays tribute to the men, women, and families who put food in the grocery stores and on our tables every day.
National Farmer’s Day was previously known as Old Farmer’s Day.
From very early in American culture, farmers set an example with their endless hard work. Not only do they provide a nation with the food we eat, but they also contribute to our economy in numerous ways. Before seeds even find their way into the ground, farmers supply a stream of jobs. From manufacturing, marketing, and tourism, farmers keep small and large communities going strong. Additional products and areas that rely on agriculture include:
- leather
- apparel
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- beverages
- textiles
- trucking
- railroad
- forestry
- pharmaceuticals
- transportation
Some cities and towns across the United States celebrate their own versions of Farmer’s Day. Dates are scattered throughout the year with celebrations and festivals. Many of them are held in September and October.
October does seem fitting for celebrating this National Day as it is near the end of the harvest. Many farmers will be able to take a rest from their hard labor to join in the celebration of this holiday.
Today is also.......
Emergency room nurses are the first people we see when we have an accident or a medical emergency. They work hard to put us at ease and eliminate pain and discomfort. The day encourages us to let them know just how important they are in keeping hospitals running smoothly.
According to the CDC, per 100 persons, 45.8 visits were recorded. Since the ER nurse will be the first to see the patient, their training means the utmost to the patient. Most ER nurses earn a degree as a Registered Nurse. Beyond their degree program, many nurses continue their training, advancing their skills and improving their knowledge of the ever-changing medical field. Some will specialize as well.
Statistics on ER nurses a difficult to find. However, there are over 3 million RNs in the U.S. workforce today.
