Mary Fields (Stagecoach Mary) was the FIRST Black American & 2nd woman to deliver the mail in the U.S. At 60, she applied for a mail carrier position in Montana's Cascade region. She aced the job by skillfully hitching her horses faster than anyone else. Despite bandits, wolves, & grueling weather, Mary never missed driving the route with horses & Moses, her mule. She would often trek by foot over 10 miles with sacks over her shoulder.
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Born in 1832, Mary endured a life of slavery until the Civil War. Though her exact birthplace is uncertain, she was believed to be born in Hickman County, Tennessee. After gaining her freedom in 1863, Mary migrated north and worked as a servant and laundress for traveling families. She eventually settled in Toledo, Ohio, where she found employment at the Ursuline Covenant of the Sacred Heart.
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In 1894, Mary faced several complaints including cursing and smoking. The situation culminated in an incident where a white man physically assaulted her, refusing to "take orders from a [N-word] woman." When the man reached for his gun, Mary, like a gunslinger, swiftly drew her own pistol from under her coat, and fired back in self-defense. As a result, she was relieved of her duties at the Mission.
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Dr. D. Elisabeth Glassco
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