National Women’s History Month is brought to life at Feasterville Library

Historical Interpreter Dr. Daisy Nelson Century portrayed Mary Fields, also called Stagecoach Mary, at the Township Library of Lower Southampton on the evening of March 9 in honor of National Women’s History Month. 

Those in the audience of “People Call Me Stagecoach Mary” were invited  to grab their cowboy hats, which several did, as Dr. Century took them back in time to the Wild West to learn about Mary Fields, born into slavery in Tennessee in 1832.

Fields was a 6’2” 200 pound African American woman. Her large stature and masculine attire gave her the appearance of a man. She was mean to those who crossed her and kind to those who didn’t. It wasn't unusual for her to get into fistfights and shootouts with people who got on her bad side.

After the American Civil War ended in 1865, she was emancipated at which time she traveled around working at a variety of jobs ranging from farming, driving wagons, working on a ranch and even as a chambermaid on board the Robert E. Lee, a Mississippi River steamboat. 

She eventually went to Montana to see her sick friend, Mother Amadeus. While in Montana, she worked as a stable hand and foreman at a mill. While there, she became the only woman allowed to go into a local saloon where she drank, smoked a cigar, and played cards with the men, as she was considered one of the guys.

Her strong will gave her the confidence to apply for a Star Route Carrier job, a career choice never considered by any other woman. Once she proved she could drive a stagecoach navigated by six horses as well as a man, she became the first African American female Star Route mail courier for the US Postal Service in 1895. 

She was sixty years old when she secured this job which required that she often deliver mail in freezing temperatures and blinding blizzards. While driving her route, she carried multiple firearms, including her .38 Smith & Wesson under her apron to protect herself and the mail from wolves and bandits.

Despite the poor weather conditions, danger and rocky terrain of Montana, nothing stopped Stagecoach Mary from delivering the mail from Cascade, Montana to Saint Peter's Mission. She drove the route for two four-year contracts, from 1895 to 1899 and from 1899 to 1903.

Following Dr. Century’s presentation, she welcomed questions from audience members.

Dr. Century, who has her Ed.D., taught for over 20 years in the Philadelphia School System as an award-winning science teacher. In addition to portraying Stagecoach Mary, she is also a historical interpreter of seven other women from various time periods across different continents. For more information on Dr. Century, visit www.daisycentury.com.