Montana has a rich history of legendary figures.  Some more infamous than famous, but one of the most interesting people who called Montana home, was Stagecoach Mary

Stagecoach Mary was born Mary Fields around 1832. Mary was born into slavery, and like many slaves, her exact birthdate isn't known.  What is known, however, is that she would become a Montana Legend.

Mary stood 6 feet tall and weighed in at 200 pounds.  She was good with a gun and according to historians, she could take on two men in a fist fight and come out on top. Mary was not only a Western Legend, but she was also a pioneer.

So how did a woman born a slave end up in Montana?

It's believed that after the Civil War, Mary ended up in Ohio living in all place, a convent. While no one is exactly sure how she ended up at the convent, we do know that she worked as a groundskeeper there and would sometimes swear...a lot, which resulted in some of the nuns putting in formal complaints about her actions and her bad temper.

It appears that Mary made at least one friend while at the convent in Ohio, the Mother Superior Amadeus Dunne took a liking to Mary.  However, it wouldn't be long before Dunne would be called to continue the work here in Montana.  She would go on to establish Ursuline Convent, near Cascade in 1884.

Mary would follow once she heard that Dunne had fallen ill the next year and would help her regain her health, here in Montana.

After some time, word got back to the Bishop about Mary's behavior and all of the swearing, drinking, and fighting.  Mary was banned from the convent after she pulled a gun on the janitor.

Working odd jobs for the next few years, Mary's big break came in 1895 when she was awarded a Postal Service contract.  She would deliver the mail in her Stagecoach while carrying a rifle and a pistol.  For almost a decade Mary delivered the mail without fail.

Credit: montanawomenshistory.org
Credit: montanawomenshistory.org
loading...

She retired a local legend and would often receive free meals and drinks as people would gather around to hear her stories, and what stories she had.  Not only was Mary the first African American female mail carrier, she was also only the second female mail carrier in United States history.

Mary died in December of 1914 in Great Falls and had one of the largest funerals in the area. She is buried in Hillside Cemetery.

Credit: History.com

LOOK: 50 essential civil rights speeches

Many of the speakers had a lifetime commitment to human rights, but one tried to silence an activist lobbying for voting rights, before later signing off on major civil rights legislation. Several fought for freedom for more than one oppressed group.

Keep reading to discover 50 essential civil rights speeches.

LOOK: 50 Black actors who made entertainment history

LOOK: Here are the biggest HBCUs in America

More than 100 historically Black colleges and universities are designated by the U.S. Department of Education, meeting the definition of a school "established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans."

StudySoup compiled the 20 largest historically Black colleges and universities in the nation, based on 2021 data from the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics. Each HBCU on this list is a four-year institution, and the schools are ranked by the total student enrollment.

More From KISS FM