Rosy Glow – Mary Fields

By

Andrew DeMarco

Every February during Black History Month, I usually write about some lesser-known African Americans whose lives are both interesting and groundbreaking. In the past, I have written about Nathan Greene, Dovey Roundtree and this year I would like to tell you a little about Mary Fields, known to many as Stagecoach Mary.

Mary Fields was born into slavery in Hickman County Tennessee. The exact year is uncertain, but it is estimated to be the early 1830’s.  Unlike most of the African Americans of that time, Mary was taught to read and write and was friendly with one of her owners daughters Dolly. Upon emancipation in 1865, Mary stayed in the employ of the Dunne family and Dolly had moved on and became an Ursuline nun in Ohio. When Mary was about 30 years old, she received a letter from Dolly to join her in Ohio. A short time after Mary’s arrival, Dolly who was now Sister Amadeus, was reassigned to Montana where she was to open a school for Native American Girls. For some reason Mary chose not to join her there. Only when Mary received a letter saying that Dolly was gravely ill did she then head out to Cascade, Montana. After Sister Amadeus’ recovery, Mary stayed on at the Mission school in Cascade and became the forewoman and defender of the school. Later on, Mary was discharged from the school by the archbishop after getting into a gunfight with one of the employees who did not like taking orders from a black woman. But Mary was far from done and this is when she became a groundbreaker.

In 1895 when Mary was in her sixties and with money she had earned over the years, she secured a Star Route Contract with what was then called the U.S Post Office Department, now known as the U. S. Postal Service. A Star Route was like a franchise and the holder would be responsible for the delivery of the mail in a certain area, many of which were dangerous. Montana isn’t known for consistently clear skies and Mary drove her stagecoach through blizzards, snowdrifts, baking heat, across swollen rivers as well as fending off wolf packs and other wildlife. Attempting to rob Mary wasn’t advisable since after her gunfight she was never without her trusty .38 and a shotgun was always nearby and some say a jug of her favorite whiskey and yet the mail always got delivered.

While not a direct employee of the Postal Service, this job made her the first African American woman to deliver the mail. When she finally slowed down in her 70s, the Mission School of St. Peter helped her establish a laundry service.

The town so loved and respected Mary that on her birthday they even closed the schools to celebrate the occasion. She was well over 80 years old when the townspeople laid her to rest at the foot of the mountain trail that led to Saint Peter’s Mission.

So, here we have another African American pioneer woman who didn’t let the initial hand which she was dealt get in the way and became a legend as well as a beloved human being. So let’s all toast Stagecoach Mary with a sip from her jug which should give us all that feeling that Cousin Bob would call that…..Rosy Glow.

P. S. I would like to thank Cousin Joe Pascento, a member of the U.S.P.S for telling me about Stagecoach Mary.