Sharpshooter & raconteur Calamity Jane was #BornOnThisDay, May 1, 1852. Remembered for her compassion for others, & for her daredevil ways. Suffering from alcoholism, she passed in 1901 (age 51) from inflammation of the bowels & pneumonia #RIP #GoneTooSoon #alcoholawareness #BOTD

Calamity Jane



Calamity Jane, c. 1880

Born: Martha Jane Cannary; May 1, 1852; Princeton, Missouri, U.S.
Died: August 1, 1903 (aged 51); Terry, South Dakota, U.S.
Occupation(s): Explorer, Army scout, pioneer, storyteller, sharpshooter, performer, dance-hall girl, alleged prostitute.

Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Late in her life, she appeared in Buffalo Bill's Wild West show and at the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. She is said to have exhibited compassion to others, especially to the sick and needy. This facet of her character contrasted with her daredevil ways and helped to make her a noted frontier figure. She was also known for her habit of wearing men's attire.

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Death

Jane returned to the Black Hills in the spring (April/May) of 1903, where brothel owner Madame Dora DuFran was still running her business. For the next few months, Jane earned her keep by cooking and doing the laundry for Dora's girls in Belle Fourche. In late July, Jane traveled by ore train to Terry, South Dakota, a small mining village near Deadwood. It was reported that she had been drinking heavily while on board the train and had fallen ill. The conductor, S. G. Tillett, carried her off the train, a bartender secured a room for her at the Calloway Hotel, and a physician was summoned. Jane's condition deteriorated quickly, and she died at the hotel on Saturday, August 1, 1903, from inflammation of the bowels and pneumonia.

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