The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1927-08-05
CBy MRS. NJ. E. PLAssMANN)

IFE, for the pioneer woman was
quite as exciting, quite as fun OF
thrills, if not Of danger, as 1T was
for the pioneer man. This fact I'M
pressed me-. when I listened to the story
told by Mrs. E. A. Maynard, Of Bozeman,
of her early experiences in Montana.
These women did not scatter over the
country in search Of gold-or road
agents, they did not take part in the
famous "necktie" parties so popular in
the early sixties, except to act as mourner
for some victim of border justice; nor
were they called upon to fight Indians.
It is far easier actively to engage in
ignorant Of what is transporting at home
ignarant Of what is Transporting and SUI
fering agonies of apprehension as to its
outcome. This latter has been the lot OF
women since primitive days until now
when. in the event OF another war, Cney
like the men, will be called upon to serve
as soldiers possibly, or to fill the n
of workers and release the men, thaJ
they NAV 90 to the front so it is prophe-
sled.
Many a pioneer women lived on ranch
es far removed from neighbors, their
homes were devoid of almost every mousse
hold aid to which they had been wonted;
food was coarse and of little variety, ana
when sickness occurred in the Iamlly,
there was no doctor to be obtained
within fifty or perhaps a hundre miles.
This distance can be covered IN a SNORT
time with an auto. or by rallroad; puC
it was a matter of days when the Journey
was made on horseback.
There were no hospitals to receive
maternity cases, nor trained nurses TO
attend the mothers. In such cases, II a
doctor could be secured, his ability nao
tO be accepted on faith, ana also JhaC
Of the woman who might help MN IN
the capacity Of q nurse. 1t is surprising
that so many women survived under
this treatment.
When accidents occurred, conditions
were the same. There was q scarcity OF
doctors. even in towns. So great was the
need of them. that often Father Raval1,
the doctor priest, was called upon 70 neip
in such cases. even in childbirth; and TO
mis- credit. be it said, he did not inquire
as to the faith of his prospective paClenC'
but treated alike catholic ana PrOJeSJ-
ant.
Manifold discomforts and privations
awaited the pioneer woman on her ar
rival here. There was also danger, on
these isolated ranches from Indians, VINO
then roamed at large and when possible
forced women and even men TO give Jnem
whatever they demanded, PROVIDED Ihey
could terrify the white men or women
enough to make them do h they
So late as 1888 or 1884, a lone resident
on the present tOwnsite OF Great rails
was forced by a band of Piegans, to cooE
them a dinner and wait upon them while
they ate it, much against his wish. Re-
Iuctantlv he Obeyed. the will OF the
majority. With apologies to T~ennyson,
His not to reason why" .
His but to cook or die, so he thought
and Silas Beachly preferred to live.
Mrs. Maynard, then a young woman
came to the Madison valley in 1870, tC
make her home on a ranch twenty-five
miles from Virginia City, her nearest
neighbOr being an old woman, who llVeC
a mile or so from her. The change was
great from the orderly life OF her tormel
home in Michigan, to frontier conditions
where climate and surroundings Wer'
ALTOGETHER different from those to wh1cf
She had been accustomed; but like thr
good wife that she was, she tried u
adapt herself to the new demand Which
were made upon her. She could not
however, overcome the fear OF Indians
which haunted her day and night.
The tribe claiming that region a
their own, were the Bannacks, a brancl
Of the S~hoshonies. 1t was these we say
in Bannack, which town was named 10
them. They never claimed to be espec1
ally friendly to the whites, yet they he'll
them in wholesome respect, when the
the Bannacks-were in the minority.
Ranchers in the valley could not re
main constantly at home to protect thei
households from Indian visits. Mrs
Maynard was frequently alone, an,
often the unwilling hostess Of wondertn
Bannacks. At such times she was i
mortal terror, especially after her bah
arrived.
was q ALA4LG AAG0A ~ AAlNAAA ~
or a hill, n from the top of it could b
obtained a wide view Of the coUntr!
This outlook post was often ought b
Mrs. Maynard. If from it she caught
glimpse of approaching Bannacks, sh
speedily left her perch, n taking he
baby in her arms, fled to the home {
u dc woman I have mentioned.
Arrived there, she felt safe; never STOP
ping to consider how helpless two wOme
would be against a half dozen or mo-
Indians Sba had the utmost cOnfiOnnC
in the rOwes Of the old woman, VIII
did not propose being imposed upon 3
anyone, much less by Indians. If the
came into her house, she ordered the
out, and if they showed any hesitanc
about Obeying orders, she welded
brOOmstick with such strength and skill
that they showed no further desire I
tarry.
At this house Mrs. Maynard would n
main until the Indians were gone, {
her husband came to take her home.
Sometimes the Indians stole a marc
on her, before she had taken observation
from the fence top. Once four Of the
rode up to the fence: hitched the
horses, or in some other manner assure
their standing quietly until their retur
n then went on foot to h hous
While the Indians were fastening the
horses, Mrs. Maynard, who CHANGED
see them. locked the door. They triC
it, and being unable to enter, went to Il
window and peered in, as was their VI
Ceremonious custom.
Wild with freight. Mrs. Maynard's fir
thought was Of her baby, asleep in tt
cradle. Going to it she saw its little IA
was flushed with heat, for it had been
very warm day. AS she looked at Il
child a plan to drive away her unwelcor
visitors occurred to her. Taxing q
baby in her arms, she went to Il
window where the dark faces partial