Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-11-12
Double Life of Long Duration
is Revealed By Death at
Trinidad, Col.
SUPPORTED FAMILY BY LABOR
Woman Dies at Age of 80 After Work
ing as Rancher and Cook for Many
Years and Supporting Wife-Infant
Child in Family Adds to Peculiarly
of the Case.
Of the Case.

Trinidad, Colo, Nov. 12.-katherine
Vosbaugh, an eccentric F'renchWoman
of brilliant attachments, died here yes
terday morning at the age of IS, after
Incorporating sixty years as a man.
The woman donned trousers when q
girl and had q horror Of skirts up TO
the time of her death. She filled a
score of responsible positions, and her
true sex was never suspected. She pos
sessed the spirit of a man apart from
mans apparel and proved it by mar
rying, in chivalrous way. young
woman, whose fiance had deserted her
at time when her good name was at
stake.
Just twice during her entire life was
the fact that katherine Vosbaugh was
a woman made known. The first time
was when, at 80 years of age, she re-
vealed it to the young woman she
married in st. Joseph, Mo. The next
and last time was when she was con-
WINGED she was dying, and was COM
PEELED to inform the hospital physi-
clan.
Works in Many Fields.
During her long life she had been
a bank clerk, sheep herder, u book
keeper, a restaurant keeper and a min
ing camp cook. Altho she spoke sew
eral languages and had been brought
up in refinement. she seemed never 50
happy as when she was clad in rough
overalls and heavy shoes. doing the
most laborious work.
She wandered all over the world and
altho often compelled to associate with
the toughest men, she was never suS-
pected of being a woman, and on more
than one occasion proved herself more
of a manly man than her associates.
She came to American in 1912 at the
Iage of 10, shortly after her fathers
death. She decided that she could make
her way as man, but not as a WON
an. She donned trousers and settled
in Joplin, Mo, as a, bookkeeper.
For nine years she remained in Jop-
lin and was esteemed fine young man
and one whom more than one young
woman considered most eligible part
ner. Her excellent record, education
and steadiness procured her position
as clerk in a ST Joseph bank. 1t was
shortly after she accepted this position
that she learned of the trouble of the
young woman whom she afterWard
married
Bears Burden of "Father."
When Miss Vc~',augh's "wifes"
baby was born the v.Iy attached peo-
pie removed to Trinidad and opened
UP a French restaurant. The town
people thought them model couple.
The baby died few months later.
Shortly after the mother disappeared.
and the husband" refused to make a
search for her. The people of Trini-
dad were profuse in their expressions
of sympathy for the deserted man
Forty years ago Miss Vosbaugh OBJ
tanned employment at the Sam Brown
ranch, near Trinchera, as sheep
herder. Later, when she saw that her
sex could not be discovered, except
thru unusual accident, she accepted
work as camp cook, and remained in
that capacity UP to two or three years
ago Some of the toughest characters
known to the west associated with her
without ever suspecting her sex. In
many stirring scenes when mem re-
vealed fear and nervousness she kept
her poise.
Two years ago her infirmities COM
PEELED her removal to San Raphael
hospital Even then the men of the
camp babe her good-by affectionately
as "Grandpa' and odd Man Frenchy."
For many weeks she refused to bathe
unless she could do>so without attend
ants being present, to the great amuse-
ment of the sisters, who joked about
the old mans overmodesty. Shortly
after she was seized with severe cold,
which led to the physicians examina-
ton laying bare her life secret
When her sex was revealed the hos
pital authorities at first insisted that
she wear the proper garb of her sex.
The garments proved so irksome to
her, however, that she was finally
permitted to return to overalls. She
potted around the hospital working for
the sisters UP to the time of her death.
She was supported by the county, but
number of Trinidad residents have
arranged so that she will not have a