Category: Western History
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Breaking Trail: Vera McGinnis
Vera McGinnis was born in Missouri on November 2, 1892, to Sarah and Robert McGinnis. Tragically, her father passed away a year later and her mother married his brother, Harold. Vera began rodeoing in 1913 after a stint in Hollywood as a movie extra. Her most notable appearances were Nobody…
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Breaking Trail: Pawnee Bill
Gordon William Lillie was born on February 14, 1860 in Bloomington, Illinois to Newton and Susan Conant Lillie. The family of six eventually moved to Wellington, Kansas. Gordon started doing some work in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). After working as a cowboy and trapper he began teaching at the Pawnee…
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Breaking Trail: May Lillie
Mary Emma Manning was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Dr. William R. and Mary Elizabeth Peak Eager Manning. She was named after her mother so she was given the nickname, “May.” In 1883, May was watching Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West show in Philadelphia while attending school at Smith College.…
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Mulvey Spring – An Historic Chisholm Trail Watering Hole: Yukon, OK
Hey, Friend! Welcome back to another post. Today, I want to show you the historic marker for Mulvey Springs in Yukon, Oklahoma. This was an historic watering hole along the Chisholm Trail. Let’s get started! Mulvey Pond was an important stop along the Chisholm Trail for many cattle herds and…
The Active Historian 