The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-12-25
FIFTY YEARS A NAN
STRANGE STORY OF WOMAN IN
MONTANA MINING CAMP.
CHANGE DUE TO LOVE AFFAIR
Was Attentive 10 Girls. Drank With
Men and In Fact Was Zone
OF the Boys"

Manhattan. Mont. Special: tale
as strange and fascinating as the eli
max OF her career was tragical is the
life story OF lngeborge Wekan, for
merly Of Eau Claire. Wis. who died
al Manhattan after posing for over
half century as a man.
AS Sam Williams she lived nearly
a score Of years among the rough men
Of the frontier and plains without de-
lection. Not only that but she proved
a good mixer" the same as she did
for years among the lumberjacks Of
Eau Claire. She was principal in
more than one drinking bout, though
she generally used liquor more mod
eTately than her companions
Disappointment in a love affair is
what relatives OF the dead woman as
sert drove her TO the strange life she
led for over half a century. Sam VIII
liams or rather Ingeborge Wekan, was
born in Hallingdal, Norway. nearly
eighty years ago. On a neighboring
farm lived Sven NOrem, who was Of
the same age. and as they grew up
they fell in love and were betrothed.
When she was 20 years of age her
parents moved 10 America and settled
near Waukon, Allamakee county. la.
The lover and his parents also came
over and all seemed to go well until
the wedding day was set. Norem's
parents objected TO the match. de-
claring that the girls parents were of
i a lower station in life.
The match was then broken off. and
/ IngebOrge. dressed in male attire. went
10 Eau Claire. and took up the life Of
/ the roisterous lumberjacks. Never
/ did her parents know what had become
/ Of their daughter. Under the name of
/ Billy Williams she cooked for years
/ In lumber camps for Anderson Broth
ers and other Eau Claire logging firms
and with other lumberjacks spent her
leisure hours in Eau Claire She pur.
chased property. which is now in the
heart OF the city. but disposed Of II
before she left
Only cnce was she unable to over
come the longing 10 behold those who
were near and dear TO her. That was
/ after she had spent about ten years
here and suspicious were beginning
TO gain ground that there was some
thing mysterious about Billy and that
she might be a woman. Dressed as
| a tramp. Billy went from Eau Claire
10 the old home near Waukon. la.
and without her identity being known
she called at her old home as beg
gar. From there she went TO the home
Of her old lover. Sven Norem, who hac
married another woman by this tins
and settled down. Here she was giveI
some food
Billy returned to Eau Claire an'
took up her old vocation of cook anC
gained such a reputation that she was
known as Billy Cook despite the fac
that she had said her name was Billy
Williams. She received higher wages
than other cooks, because she did hel
work so much better, and consequent
ly made money. Whenever she came
10 town she attended the dances. wen
out with the girls. drank, and in ever!
way acted like her male companions
She was short and stout She spok'
three or four languages fiuently.
Her body may be brought back 4
Eau Claire and relatives in Iowa hav'
been notified II is thought some o
her brothers or sisters may be living