Calamity Jane Biography

Calamity Jane, the famous frontierswoman who claimed to have worked with the famous gunfighter and stagecoach driver, Wild Bill Hickok, was born as Martha Jane Canary. She was a very brave and courageous woman who had been fighting hardships from a young age to become the legendary gunslinger that she was. She was born in Missouri in the mid 19th century and very few hard facts about her life are known. Orphaned at a young age, the responsibility of caring for her five younger siblings fell on her tender shoulders at the age of 12. She took up whatever odd jobs she could pick up in order to support her large family — she had worked as a nurse, dishwasher, cook, wagon driver and even a prostitute. Finally she found employment as a scout at Fort Russell. In spite of being a pretty young woman with dark eyes, she was no delicate beauty. She led a rough life, dressed and behaved like men. Martha Jane acquired the nickname Calamity Jane as she used to warn men that they were courting calamity if they ever offended her. She was also known to be a kind and generous character which added to her appeal. She was a heavy drinker and ultimately succumbed to alcohol related illness.