Martha Jane Cannary was born in 1852 in Princeton, Missouri. By the time she turned twelve, both of her parents were dead and Martha was forced to make her own way in the world. She was known to be an accomplished rider and excellent marksman due to the time she had spent riding and hunting with adults before her parents passed away. Martha held several jobs to provide for her siblings, working as a prospector, a nurse, and as a rider for the Pony Express. By the time she was eighteen, she was working as a scout for General George Armstrong Custer. She moved around constantly and eventually joined Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show, thrilling audiences with her tall tales, riding skills, and keen marksmanship. Martha lived a hard life, never knowing financial security, and was an alcoholic. She died in 1903 at the age of fifty-one.
Photograph shows Martha Jane Burke, popularly known as “Calamity Jane,” on horseback, wearing an elaborate Western costume, in front of tipis and tents at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, ca. 1901. (Library of Congress)
As is often the case with the legends of the West, it is difficult to separate fact from fiction. This is the case with Calamity Jane, who was a contemporary of other Wild West legends like Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok. It is known that Calamity Jane was forced to grow up quickly when her parents died when she was twelve years old. She was described by many contemporaries as tall, powerfully built, and pretty. She is also described as having many male characteristics and is often seen in photographs from the time in men’s clothing. Much of what is known about the exploits of Calamity Jane comes from Martha’s own autobiography and the stories that she would tell to anyone who would listen. Like Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane was known to exaggerate her deeds, and historians have found no proof of many of her supposed exploits. Contemporary accounts do indicate that she was a horse rider of note and a superior marksman; her several other claims to fame have never been confirmed.
Calamity Jane claimed to be a uniformed scout for General George Armstrong Custer in 1870 at Fort Russell, Wyoming. Calamity Jane seems to have spent several years playing a role in the ongoing Indian Wars that the federal government was waging against various Native American tribes. Legend has it that in 1872 Calamity Jane went to Fort Sanders, Wyoming, and there served in some capacity with Captain Egan. According to Calamity Jane, this is where her famous nickname originated. A group of soldiers under Captain Egan was ambushed by Indians; the captain was hit and fell from his horse; and Calamity Jane rescued him, taking him back to the fort where he was able to recover from his wounds. Supposedly, it was Captain Egan who then decided that Martha Jane Cannary should be called “Calamity Jane” for her heroic efforts. In the mid-1870s Calamity Jane worked delivering dispatches between military outposts until she became sick and was bedridden for about two weeks with a severe illness.
Martha met Wild Bill Hickok on her way to Deadwood, South Dakota. The two struck up a friendship. It was rumored that they were romantically involved, but there is no proof of that claim. Calamity Jane worked as a Pony Express rider carrying mail between the town of Deadwood and George Custer’s encampment. Even after Wild Bill Hickok was murdered while playing cards, Calamity Jane remained in Deadwood as a prospector. When smallpox struck the town, she acted as nurse for the sick. Her reputation for caring for others continued to grow during and after the outbreak. While in Deadwood, Calamity Jane was often involved in the town’s notorious events, from spitting at actors and shooting up theaters to rescuing stagecoaches that had come under Indian attack. Calamity Jane was a central figure in the local gossip and lore.
In 1877 Calamity Jane left Deadwood and spent time prospecting for gold and driving mule trains. At the age of twenty-five, she had already experienced a great deal of hardship and adventure in the West. At that time Americans, mostly on the East Coast, were intensely interested in the adventure and romance of the West. Idealized and glorified visions of the West were far different from the realities. These idealizations were often the direct product of tall tales told by figures like Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok. Journalists and dime store novelists seeking to make a profit gave the public the adventure that they craved by passing off these fictional stories as the realities of frontier life. Calamity Jane, like Wild Bill Hickok, became a legend in her own time due to her own ability to tell a tall tale, an eager audience willing to suspend disbelief, and journalists that were not really interested in facts.
In the 1880s it looked as if Calamity Jane might settle down. She kept an inn, got married, and gave birth to a child. It was not long after that that she and her family were on the move. They moved through several states and territories holding various jobs. Eventually, Calamity Jane tried to sell her life story, but apparently people were no longer interested. Trying to capitalize on her fame any way that she could, she joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. The show traveled around the country and Calamity Jane was able to show off her riding and shooting skills. However, Calamity had always been a heavy drinker, and at this point in her life it was apparent that she was suffering from alcoholism. Her drunkenness made it difficult for her to hold steady employment in the years to come.
By 1903, Calamity Jane had returned to South Dakota and was dying from alcoholism. She died before the year was out and her last request that she be buried next to Wild Bill Hickok in Deadwood was granted.
Paul Frazier
See also Cody, William F. “Buffalo Bill”; Custer, George Armstrong; Hickok, James Butler “Wild Bill”
Further Reading
Etulain, Richard W. 2014. The Life and Legends of Calamity Jane. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.
Hein, Rebecca. “Calamity Jane: Heroine of the West or Ordinary Woman?” WyoHistory.org. http://www.wyohistory.org/essays/calamity-jane. Accessed August 24, 2015.
McLaird, James D. 2012. Calamity Jane: The Woman and the Legend. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press.