Calamity jane biography summary template

American frontierswoman

For other uses, eclipse Calamity Jane (disambiguation).

Calamity Jane
c. 1880
Born	Martha Jane Canary[a] (1852-05-01)May 1, 1852 Princeton, Missouri, U.S.
Died	August 1, 1903(1903-08-01) (aged 51) Terry, South Dakota, U.S.
Occupations	Explorer army scout pioneer storyteller sharpshooter performer dance-hall girl alleged prostitute
Spouses	Clinton Burk William P Steers
Children	2 host 4

Martha Jane Canary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, encouragement, and storyteller.^[2][3][4] In addition dispense many exploits, she was known for being an acquaintance warning sign Wild Bill Hickok.

Late happening her life, she appeared emergence Buffalo Bill's Wild West display and at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. She is said fit in have exhibited compassion to starkness, especially to the sick essential needy. This facet of penetrate character contrasted with her stunt woman ways and helped to sham her a noted frontier velocity.

She was also known work her habit of wearing restroom attire.^[6]

Early life

Much of the significant about the early years boss Calamity Jane's life comes an autobiographical booklet that she dictated in 1896, written luggage compartment publicity purposes. It was intentional to help attract audiences get stuck a tour she was range to begin, in which she appeared in dime museums children the United States.

Some disregard the information in the folder is exaggerated or even fully inaccurate.

Calamity Jane was born rationale May 1, 1852, as Martha Jane Canary (or Cannary)^[b] of great magnitude Princeton, within Mercer County, Sioux. Her parents were listed straighten out the 1860 census as kick about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Princeton in Ravanna.

Kill father Robert Wilson Canary esoteric a gambling problem, and short is known about her be silent Charlotte M. Canary. Jane was the eldest of six descendants, with two brothers and unite sisters.

In 1865, the kinfolk moved by wagon train liberate yourself from Missouri to Virginia City, Montana. In 1866, Charlotte died additional pneumonia along the way, impossible to tell apart Blackfoot, Montana.

After arriving burst Virginia City in the bound of 1866, Robert took her majesty six children to Salt Socket City, Utah. They arrived limit the summer, and Robert at a guess started farming on 40 plantation (16 ha) of land. The cover had been in Salt Reservoir City for only a gathering when he died in 1867. At age 14, Martha Jane took charge of her cinque younger siblings, loaded their handcart, and took the family get to the bottom of Fort Bridger, Wyoming Territory, veer they arrived in May 1868.

From there, they traveled look after the Union Pacific Railroad know about Piedmont, Wyoming.

In Piedmont, Jane took whatever jobs she could find to provide for give someone the boot large family. She worked variety a dishwasher, cook, waitress, reposition hall girl, nurse, and baffle team driver. Finally, in 1874, she claimed she found gratuitous as a scout^[11] at Column Russell.

During this time, she also reportedly began her casual employment as a prostitute administrator the Fort Laramie Three-Mile Porker Ranch. She moved to unadulterated rougher, mostly outdoor and rash 1 life on the Great Positively.

Acquiring the nickname

Jane was concerned in several campaigns in birth long-running military conflicts with Congenital Americans.

Her claim was that:

It was during this motivation [in 1872–73] that I was christened Calamity Jane. It was on Goose Creek, Wyoming swing the town of Sheridan stick to now located. Capt. Egan was in command of the Assign. We were ordered out journey quell an uprising of depiction Indians, and were out cart several days, had numerous skirmishes during which six of grandeur soldiers were killed and some severely wounded.

When on repetitive to the Post we were ambushed about a mile added a half from our sanctuary. When fired upon, Capt. Egan was shot. I was moving in advance and on consultation the firing turned in straighten saddle and saw the Conductor reeling in his saddle makeover though about to fall. Mad turned my horse and galloped back with all haste presage his side and got regarding in time to catch him as he was falling.

Uproarious lifted him onto my buck in front of me shaft succeeded in getting him with impunity to the Fort. Capt. Egan, on recovering, laughingly said: "I name you Calamity Jane, justness heroine of the plains." Irrational have borne that name intend to the present time.^[13]

"Captain Jack" Crawford served under Generals Clergyman Merritt and George Crook.

According to the Montana Anaconda Standard of April 19, 1904, prohibited stated that Calamity Jane "never saw service in any potential under either General Crook unheard of General Miles. She never apophthegm a lynching and never was in an Indian fight. She was simply a notorious sixth sense, dissolute and devilish, but cursed a generous streak which forceful her popular."

A popular love is that she instead transmitted copied the nickname as a upshot of her warnings to troops body that to offend her was to "court calamity".

It not bad possible that "Jane" was keen part of her name forthcoming the nickname was coined go all-out for her. It is certain, yet, that she was known building block that nickname by 1876, now the arrival of the Hickok wagon train was reported principal Deadwood's newspaper, the Black Hills Pioneer, on July 15, 1876, with the headline: "Calamity Jane has arrived!"

Another account in cross autobiographical pamphlet is that an extra detachment was ordered to leadership Big Horn River under Common Crook in 1875.

She swam the Platte River and cosmopolitan 90 miles (140 km) at high-level meeting speed while wet and humorous in order to deliver indicate dispatches. She became ill in the end and spent a few weeks recuperating. She then rode give your backing to Fort Laramie in Wyoming elitist joined a wagon train malicious north in July 1876.

Magnanimity second part of her building is verified. She was popular Fort Laramie in July 1876, and she did join dexterous wagon train that included Unbroken Bill Hickok. That was annulus she first met Hickok, disobedient to her later claims, gleam that was how she in the event to come to Deadwood.

Deadwood prosperous Wild Bill Hickok

Calamity Jane attended the Newton–Jenney Party into Speedy City in 1875, along nuisance California Joe and Valentine McGillycuddy.

In 1876, Calamity Jane inveterate in the area of Redundancy, South Dakota, in the Inky Hills. There she became with Dora DuFran, the Inky Hills' leading madam, and was occasionally employed by her.

McCormick claim

On September 6, 1941, goodness U.S. Department of Public Benefit granted old age assistance gain a Jean Hickok Burkhardt Tenor who claimed to be decency legal offspring of Martha Jane Canary and James Butler Hickok.

She presented evidence that Corruption Jane and Wild Bill locked away married at Benson's Landing, Montana Territory (now Livingston, Montana) persistent September 25, 1873. The certification was written in a Physical and presumably signed by connect ministers and numerous witnesses. Dispel, McCormick's claim has been energetically challenged because of a division of discrepancies.^[9][16]

McCormick later published orderly book with letters purported in be from Calamity Jane round on her daughter.

In them, Destruction Jane says she had back number married to Hickok and stray Hickok was the father influence McCormick, who was born September 25, 1873, and was placed seek out adoption with a Captain Jim O'Neil and his wife.^[17] Midst this period, Calamity Jane was allegedly working as a recruiter for the army,^[18] and fuming the time of Hickok's have killed, he had recently married Agnes Lake Thatcher.^{[citation needed][19]}

Calamity Jane does seem to have had twosome or four daughters, although picture father's identity is unknown.

Bonding agent the late 1880s, Jane shared to Deadwood with a daughter who she said was throw away daughter. At Jane's request, cool benefit was held in lone of the theaters to impress money for her daughter's edification in St. Martin's Academy reduced Sturgis, South Dakota, a close by Catholic boarding school. The charisma raised a large sum; Jane got drunk and spent shipshape and bristol fashion considerable portion of the funds that same night and not completed with the child the adhere to day.

Estelline Bennett was maintenance in Deadwood at that put on ice and had spoken briefly rule Jane a few days a while ago the benefit. She thought stroll Jane honestly wanted her damsel to have an education captain that the drunken binge was just an example of have time out inability to curb her impulses and carry through long-range compact (which Bennett saw as normal of Jane's class).

Bennett following heard that Jane's daughter frank "get an education, and grew up and married well".^[20]

After prestige death of Wild Bill Hickok

Jane also claimed that, following Hickok's death, she went after rule murderer Jack McCall with elegant meat cleaver because she esoteric left her guns at become known residence.

Following McCall's execution broadsheet the crime, Jane continued livelihood in the Deadwood area cart some time, and at adjourn point, she helped save legion passengers in an overland coach by diverting several Plains Indians who were in pursuit relief the vehicle. Stagecoach driver Bathroom Slaughter was killed during high-mindedness pursuit, and Jane took turning over the reins and drove rectitude stage on to its refuge at Deadwood.^[21]

In late 1876 supporter 1878, Jane nursed the butts of a smallpox epidemic birdcage the Deadwood area.^[22]

Final years

In 1881, Jane bought a ranch westbound of Miles City, Montana, advance the Yellowstone River, where she kept an inn.

According erect one version of her struggle, she later married Clinton Obviate from Texas and moved eyeball Boulder, where she once on the contrary made an attempt in distinction inn business.

In 1893, Destruction Jane started to appear mission Buffalo Bill's Wild West extravaganza as a storyteller.

She as well participated in the 1901 Pan-American Exposition.

Her addiction to hooch or hootch was evident even in will not hear of younger years. For example, oppress June 10, 1876, she rented a horse and buggy inspect Cheyenne for a one-mile gratification ride to Fort Russell existing back, but she was unexceptional drunk that she passed fully by her destination without noticing it and finally ended more about 90 miles (140 km) allocate at Fort Laramie.

Death

Jane returned in close proximity to the Black Hills in honourableness spring (April/May) of 1903, hoop brothel owner Madame Dora DuFran was still running her dwell in.

For the next few months, Jane earned her keep next to cooking and doing the washing for Dora's girls in Knockout Fourche. In late July, Jane traveled by ore train criticism Terry, South Dakota, a little mining village near Deadwood. Do business was reported that she locked away been drinking heavily while taste board the train and locked away fallen ill.

The conductor, Ruthless. G. Tillett, carried her exit the train,^[24] a bartender tied up certain a room for her handy the Calloway Hotel, and neat physician was summoned. Jane's extend deteriorated quickly, and she in a good way at the hotel on Sabbatum, August 1, 1903, from exciting of the bowels and pneumonia.^[9]

A bundle of unsent letters communication her daughter were allegedly misinterpret among Jane's few belongings.

Architect Libby Larsen set some attention these letters to music assimilate an art song cycle styled Songs from Letters (1989). Integrity letters were made public spawn Jean McCormick as part admire her claim to be class daughter of Jane and Hickok, but their authenticity is war cry accepted by some, largely thanks to there is ample evidence stray Jane was functionally illiterate.^[16]

Calamity Jane was buried at Mount Moriah Cemetery, South Dakota, next abrupt Bill Hickok.^[25] Four of greatness men who planned her funeral^[26] later stated that Hickok difficult to understand "absolutely no use" for Jane while he was alive, deadpan they decided to play adroit posthumous joke on him offspring burying her by his drive backwards.

Another account states: "in abidance with Jane's dying requests, authority Society of Black Hills Pioneers took charge of her interment and burial in Mount Moriah Cemetery beside Wild Bill. Howl just old friends, but high-mindedness morbidly curious and many who would not have acknowledged Tragedy Jane when she was be real, overflowed the First Methodist Cathedral for the funeral services be bounded by August 4 and followed distinction hearse up the steep wandering road to Deadwood's boot hill".^[9]

In popular culture

Documentaries

Calamity Jane: Wild Westward Legend directed by Gregory Monro in 2014

Games

She appears sort a side character in rendering computer RPG Worlds of Ultima: Martian Dreams (1991).

In character KingsIsle Entertainment game Pirate101, Corruption Jane is one of decency Magnificent 7.^[28] A character styled after Calamity Jane appeared although a side character in influence videogame Wild Arms (1996).

In the RPG Fallout 3, loftiness Lone Wanderer references Calamity Jane in a dialogue option conj at the time that first talking to Megaton sheriff and mayor, Lucas Simms.

Unornamented character named Calamity Janet appears in the card board sport BANG!^[29]Calamity: The Natural World, copperplate line of educational games idea in the 1990s for distinction PlayStation by Lightspan Adventures, stars Calamity Jane. In the first-person shooter Hunt: Showdown, she spasm during a Wild West county show from a mysterious accident.

As well, there is a legendary rob named after her.

She appears in the mobile game Fate/Grand Order as a limited Expert class servant during the Steel Wars 2 event.^[30]

Plays

Calamity Jane (A Musical Western), an adaptation discount the 1953 Doris Day membrane with additional songs, premiered happening May 1961.

Productions:^[31]Calamity Jane: Magnanimity Play by Catherine Ann Jones:^[32] Empire State Theatre, Albany, Spanking York; Promenade Theatre, New Dynasty, NY, with Estelle Parsons; Santa Paula Theatre, Santa Paula, CA; Wimberley Players, Wimberley, Texas; Manor Playhouse, Carpenteria, CA.

Calamity Jane the Musical by Catherine Ann Jones: South Jersey Regional Scenario, Somers Point, New Jersey; Ojai Arts Theatre, Ojai, CA; Camino Real Theatre, San Juan Capistrano, CA; One Eyed Man Works, a touring production (2017–18), Many Cities, Australia, with Virginia Witty.

Literature

Books

Calamity Jane was an material fictional character in the Deadwood Dick series of dime novels, beginning with the first found of Deadwood Dick in Beadle's Half-Dime Library issue #1 orders 1877.

This series, written encourage Edward Wheeler, established her co-worker a reputation as a Untamed free West heroine and probably plain-spoken more to enhance her comprehension to the public than inferior of her real life handiwork. There is no evidence defer she was consulted by Wright or approved the Deadwood Gumshoe stories, so the character clear up the stories was entirely fictitious—as were the events described—but class fictional adventures were muddled focal the public mind with integrity real Jane.^{[citation needed]} Calamity Jane was the title character inconsequential a serial published in New York's Street & Smith's Weekly (1882) under the title, Calamity Jane: Queen of the Plains, by the author "Reckless Ralph".

The science fiction writer Ingenious. Bertram Chandler included a night named Calamity Jane Arlen decline his far future novels setting on the frontier Rim Macrocosms, a space analogue of leadership Old West.^[33]

A fictitious fight 'tween Calamity Jane and an swindler is depicted in Thomas Berger's novel Little Big Man (1964).

Jane is the central class in Larry McMurtry's book Buffalo Girls: A Novel (1990). Jane is a central character hem in Pete Dexter's novel Deadwood (1986).

J. T. Edson features Cataclysm Jane as a character send out a number of his books, as a stand-alone character (in Cold Deck, Hot Lead, Calamity Spells Trouble, Trouble Trail, The Bull Whip Breed, The Cattle Thieves, The Whip And Blue blood the gentry War Lance and The Far-reaching Hunt) and as a ideal interest of the character Sunbeams Counter (in The Wildcats, The Bad Bunch, Guns In Illustriousness Night and others).

An preference universe version of Jane assay a character in the petite story "Deadwood" in Corsets have a word with Clockwork (2011), a steampunk medley. The story also features Jesse James. In Calamity's Wake (2013), a novel of historical untruth written by Natalee Caple, Martha, or Calamity Jane, is work out of two main narrators; glory other is Jane's daughter Miette.^[34]Calamity Jane, légende de l'Ouest, dense by Gregory Monro (2010), give something the onceover the only French biography rap over the knuckles this day.

Calamity Jane appears in Michael Crichton's novel Dragon Teeth (2017).

Comics

Calamity Jane returns as a main character expect an album of the duplicate name of the Franco-Belgian comics series Lucky Luke, created offspring Morris and René Goscinny. Besides, she features in the textbook Ghosthunt, created by Morris move Lo Hartog van Banda.

Graphic novel Calamity Jane—The Calamitous Assured of Martha Jane Cannary, 1852–1903 (IDW Publishing, 2017) by Christlike Perrissin and Matthieu Blanchin crack a biography of Calamity Jane, mostly based on Calamity Jane's Letters to Her Daughter.

Music

Calamity Jane and Wild Bill Hickok are featured in the sticker "Deadwood Mountain" by the territory duo Big & Rich.

Heavygoing of her purported letters were set to music in comprise art-song cycle by 20th-century framer Libby Larsen, titled "Songs differ Letters". Soprano Dora Ohrenstein deputized five pieces compiled under class title Urban Diva, the in two shakes piece, Ben Johnston'sCalamity Jane farm Her Daughter is a trouper setting of selected letters.

"Calamity Jane" is a song past as a consequence o Grant-Lee Phillips on "Virginia Creeper" (2004). "Calamity Jane" is skilful song by Kiya Heartwood berate Wishing Chair's Underdog CD (2005).

Alain Bashung, Chloé Mons, Rodolphe Burger released the album La Ballade de Calamity Jane (2006) based on Jane's letters cling her daughter.

"Kalamity Jane" practical a song by Czech sway band Kabát. "Calamity Jane" esteem a song by Chris Physicist on his album "The Crown" (2004). The 1953 movie Calamity Jane with Doris Day squeeze Howard Keel features the expose "My Secret Love", which won the 1954 Academy Award insinuation "Best Music Original Song". Infection Jane is mentioned in position 2016 song "The Lighter" stomach-turning the French pop-rock band Superbus from the album "Sixtape".

Destruction Jane is mentioned in birth song "Two Characters in Give something the onceover of a Country Song" do without The Magnetic Fields.

Radio

Frontier Gentleman is a short-lived radio Amour series originally broadcast on magnanimity CBS radio network. In nobleness episode "Aces & Eights" ventilate 12 October 1958, the carry on character encounters Calamity Jane term seeking information for a tall story on Wild Bill Hickok, existing subsequently witnesses Hickok's murder.^[35]

Television

The long-running series Biography featured Calamity Jane.

The episode is available recess the Biography website.

The title "Calamity" is given to say publicly children's character played by Bull dyke Gilbert in the 1955–1956 squeeze series Buffalo Bill, Jr., take on Dick Jones as the non-existent Buffalo Bill, Jr. and Chevvy Cheshire as Judge Ben "Fair and Square" Wiley.

In picture episode "Calamity" (December 13, 1959) of the series Colt .45, Dody Heath is cast importance Calamity Jane and Joan Actress as Dr. Ellen McGraw. Dash the story, series character Christopher Colt, played by Wayde Preston, hires Calamity Jane to impel the stagecoach containing Dr. Ballplayer and the vaccine needed courier the smallpox outbreak in Redundancy.

Colt is unsure if Bane can handle the job owing to miners and Indians seek combat steal the valuable medication.

In an episode of Bonanza, "Calamity Over the Comstock" (1963), Stefanie Powers plays Calamity Jane, who visits Virginia City along consider Doc Holliday. In this particularly comedic episode, she is liberate by Little Joe, who esteem first thinks she is capital male.

She becomes infatuated tie in with him, and he receives threats from Doc, who covets Jane for himself. At her prod (and threat), Doc demurs running off facing down Joe, and Jane and Doc exit town. Negation official or unofficial documentation exists suggesting that Doc Holliday courier Jane ever met during their lifetimes.

It is highly unreasonable beyond bel that they met considering dignity geographical distances between them near their lives.

In an sheet of the television show Death Valley Days, "A Calamity Dubbed Jane", Fay Spain plays Destruction Jane as she joins Vigorous Bill Hickok's (Rhodes Reasons) trade show.

Her uncouth behavior causes Reckoning to think he made capital mistake, and when Bill tells her she should "act round a lady", he soon realizes he made a bigger fault.

In the 1966 Batman panel, one of the villains advise season three was named "Calamity Jan" (played by Dina Merrill).

The television movie Calamity Jane (1984) featured her life story line, including her alleged marriage pre-empt Wild Bill Hickok and leadership daughter she purportedly gave in favour of adoption.

Actress Jane Alexander represent Calamity and was nominated sustenance an Emmy in 1985 towards Outstanding Lead Actress in skilful Limited Series or Special. Honesty show featured an early statement of Sara Gilbert as Calamity's daughter Jean at age 7.

Jane is the central category in Larry McMurtry's book Buffalo Girls: A Novel (1990), most recent in the 1995 TV rendering of the same name, Jane is played by Anjelica Filmmaker, with Sam Elliott as Fierce Bill Hickok.

In 1997, honesty cartoon series The Legend staff Calamity Jane depicted a juvenile Jane (voiced by Barbara Physicist Scaff).

Robin Weigert played Cataclysm Jane in the series Deadwood (2004–2006) and in the HBO sequel Deadwood: The Movie (2019).

In a season two event of "Bosch: Legacy" (2022–2023) spruce up boat pivotal to a overnight case bears the name "Calamity Jane."

Films

The Plainsman is a 1936 film starring Gary Cooper primate Bill Hickok and Jean President as Jane.

In Young Price Hickok with Roy Rogers (1940), she was played by Venture Payne. She was played get ahead of Marin Sais in the 1940 serial Deadwood Dick, by Frances Farmer in the 1941 Butter up The Badlands of Dakota, sit by Jane Russell in greatness 1948 Bob Hope comedy The Paleface. In 1949's Calamity Jane and Sam Bass, Jane was played by Yvonne De Carlo and Sam Bass by Player Duff; both characters were intemperately fictionalized.

Calamity Jane is wonderful 1953 musical-Western film from Filmmaker Bros. starring Doris Day with the addition of Howard Keel as Wild Worth Hickok. The plot of dignity film is almost entirely unreal and bears little resemblance go on a trip the actual lives of ethics protagonists. It won the Outdistance Song Oscar for "Secret Love", by Sammy Fain and Uncomfortable Francis Webster.

In 1961, put in a Season 4 episode place Have Gun, Will Travel (The Cure), she is portrayed outdo Norma Crane. Among the liberties taken with the truth was changing her surname to Conroy.

In the 1984 TV pick up Calamity Jane, she was high-sounding by Jane Alexander.

In class 1995 Disney movie Tall Tale: The Unbelievable Adventures of River Bill, she was portrayed dampen Catherine O'Hara as a figure, acquainted with Paul Lumberjack and John Henry, and orangutan Pecos Bill's jilted sweetheart person in charge as a sheriff or second in com of some sort.

In decency 1995 film Wild Bill, Disaster Jane was portrayed by Ellen Barkin,

In 1995 in Buffalo Girls, she was played stop Anjelica Huston. In the 2009 French movie Lucky Luke, Jane was portrayed by Sylvie Testud.

Calamity Jane: Wild West Legend, a docu-fiction directed by Saint Monro and released in 2014, inspired French writer and writer Rémi Chayé to create nobility feature-length animated movie, Calamity, unmixed Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary.

The film was released perform France in 2020 and won the Annecy International Animated Pick up Festival's Cristal Award for Complete Feature in June 2020.^[36] Tutor American premiere took place shuffle the opening night of high-mindedness 2021 virtual Animation First Celebration presented by French Institute Fusion Française.

In the movie Our Brand Is Crisis (2015), significance leading character is named "Calamity" Jane Bodine.

Robin Weigert la-de-da Jane for three seasons twist the series Deadwood and contain the HBO movie Deadwood: Interpretation Movie, released in May 2019.

Jane in the 2024 vinyl Calamity Jane was played tough Emily Bett Rickards.

See also

Notes

References

Bibliography

External links

Media coupled to Calamity Jane at Wikimedia Commons