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Question: Dose Anyone Know about Calamity Jane!?
im doing project on Calamity Jane!. if you know anything i could use in it please post it!.

please help
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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I found this biography:

NAME: Martha Jane "Calamity Jane" Cannary Burke

DATE OF BIRTH: May 1, 1852

PLACE OF BIRTH: Princeton, Missouri

FAMILY BACKGROUND: Martha (or Marthy) Jane Cannary was the oldest of six children, having two brothers and three sisters, born to Robert and Charlotte Cannary!. Both of her parents were born in Ohio!. In 1865, the family emigrated over five months with a wagon train from Missouri to Virginia City, Montana!. Her mother died along the way in Black Foot, Montana, in 1866!. Shortly after arriving in Virginia City, the family left in the spring of 1866 for Utah, arriving at Salt Lake City in the summer!. They remained there a year, until her father died in 1867!. As the oldest child, Martha Jane took over as head of the family and took them to Fort Bridger, Wyoming Territory, arriving in May 1868!. From there, they traveled to Piedmont, Wyoming, on the Union Pacific Railroad!.

EDUCATION: In the frontier country she grew up in, Martha Jane likely received little or no formal education!.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Martha Jane set herself apart from other women in that she could work and socialize with hard and tough frontiersmen: from digging for gold, drinking in bars, cussing and dressing like a man, she was mostly accepted by them!.

As a young child, she loved adventure and the outdoors and became an expert rider at a young age!. On her family's emigration trip, while 13 years old, Martha Jane apparently could already "cuss as fiercely as any man" and had "learned to like the taste of whiskey," writes biographer Doris Faber!. As Martha Jane wrote in her brief autobiography in 1896:

"While on the way, the greater portion of my time was spent in hunting along with the men and hunters of the party; in fact, I was at all times with the men when there was excitement and adventures to be had!. By the time we reached Virginia City, I was considered a remarkable good shot and a fearless rider for a girl of my age!. I remember many occurrences on the journey from Missouri to Montana!. Many times in crossing the mountains, the conditions of the trail were so bad that we frequently had to lower the wagons over ledges by hand with ropes, for they were so rough and rugged that horses were of no use!.

"We also had many exciting times fording streams, for many of the streams in our way were noted for quicksands and boggy places, where, unless we were very careful, we would have lost horses and all!. Then we had many dangers to encounter in the way of streams swelling on account of heavy rains!. On occasions of that kind, the men would usually select the best places to cross the streams; myself, on more than one occasion, have mounted my pony and swam across the stream several times merely to amuse myself, and have had many narrow escapes from having both myself and pony washed away to certain death, but, as the pioneers of those days had plenty of courage, we overcame all obstacles and reached Virginia City in safety!."

Martha Jane's mother helped supplement the family income by taking in washing from nearby mining camps!. She died from an ailment called "washtub pneumonia!." After both parents had passed away, she went to Wyoming Territory: first to Fort Bridger, arriving May 1, 1868; then to Piedmont by the Union Pacific Railroad (which was still being built)!. According to some observers at that time, Martha Jane attracted some attention -- described by one as "extremely attractive" and another as a "pretty, dark-eyed girl!."

Next she went to Fort Russell in 1870 where, she says, she joined General George Custer as a scout and went to Arizona "for the Indian Campaign!." (With the West still vastly wild territory, white settlers and Native Americans were often having conflicts, so U!.S!. soldiers were sent to subdue the tribes, using scouts who knew the terrain!.) However, no evidence exists that Custer was ever at Fort Russell; another source states it is more likely that she served with General George Crook, who was stationed at Fort Fetterman, Wyoming!. It was here she began dressing like a man, writing:

"Up to this time, I had always worn the costume of my sex!. When I joined Custer, I donned the uniform of a soldier!. It was a bit awkward at first, but I soon got to be perfectly at home in men's clothes!."

Stories have arisen that Martha Jane was attempting to disguise her gender and was found out on occasion!. With the work she did with the army, the uniform would have been necessary not only to best perform her duties, but also to be accepted!. One rumor does state that, while driving in a wagon train, "her sex was discovered," writes biographer Roberta Sollid, "when the wagon-master noted she did not cuss her mules with the enthusiasm to be expected from a graduate of Patrick and Saulsbury's Black Hills Stage line, as she had represented herself to be!."

!.!.!.!.!.continued on the website below - it's a great story - and much of it written by herself!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

there's alot on Jane!. Here's her wiki: http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/Calamity_Ja!.!.!.

do a google search!. lots come up!.Www@QuestionHome@Com