Mary Fields was born into slavery around 1832
in Hickman County, Tennessee southwest of Nashville. Most famously home to Hurricane Mills, where
Loretta Lynn has her home. Following the
Civil War Mary worked her way up the Mississippi River working as a servant and
laundress on the boats. She finally
stopped in Toledo OH, where she worked for the Ursuline Convent of the Sacred
Heart. It is believed that the Mother
Superior of the order, Mother Amadeus Dunne was the child of Mary’s former
owner and the 2 were companions in their earlier lives. At the convent Mary performed heavy
labor. It was said that she had a fierce
temper and a rough personality and she liked her hard liquors.
Several years later Mother Amadeus was called
to mission in the Montana Territory working with Jesuits to establish schools
for Blackfeet children. She became ill
and sent for Mary to come to her. Mary
didn’t hesitate she hopped on the stage coach and went west. After nursing Mother Amadeus back to health,
her foul tempers and rough behaviors would come to bite her, when the Bishop
began to voice his concerns about Mary’s suitability to be a part of the
convent. Following an armed disagreement
with a man who also worked at the convent, she was dismissed from her
position. She worked her and was able to
handle many difficult situations. One of
her duties had been supply runs to Helena for the convent. There was story circulated that on the route
her horses were overwhelmed by hungry wolves.
It was said that she held the wolves off until daybreak with her
revolver, rifle and a camp fire.
It wasn’t long after her dismissal that she
acquired a contract at a star route carrier, or independent contractor who used
a stagecoach to deliver mail for the US Postal Service. Here her rough exterior would serve her
well. She was a woman, a black woman at
that, in a male dominated world where she excelled. She was so dedicated that she was the
embodiment of the postal carrier’s motto (not official motto) “Neither snow nor
rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion
of their appointed rounds.” For 8 years she ran her stagecoach
efficiently, her demeanor discouraged bandits and thieves but she was also
known to have a kind and generous nature when she wanted with a special soft
place for children. Her age and lifestyle took its toll and she retired. During her retirement she took in laundry and
did odd jobs around town. She was also known to babysit the town’s children so
that the parents could have a break. She
was a beloved figure in Cascade and often was given her meals at local
restaurants at no charge and could spend time in the saloons passing time with
cowboys or at least she could until the local government put restrictions on
who patronize the saloons. 
Her death in December 1914 from liver failure was one of the
saddest events in the town with her funeral being one of the largest the
townspeople had ever seen. She and her
story were larger than life, she made friends with actor Gary Cooper, was
beloved by an entire town and would go down in history as a tough and rugged
woman who lived her life on her own terms.
In an era where women didn’t have rights and black women had even less,
she made a way. She took the hardest
path imaginable and rode it smooth. If
you want to learn more about Stagecoach Mary Fields, check out the websites
below.
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