Mary Fields "Stagecoach Mary" (1832? - 1914)
Mary was the first African-American woman employed as a mail carrier in the United States, driving her mail route by stagecoach from Cascade, Montana to St. Peter's Mission, Montana. When hired, she became the second American woman in all to work for the United States Postal Service.
She was freed when American slavery was outlawed in 1865. For some time she worked repairing the buildings of a school for Native American girls in Montana called Saint Peter's Mission, eventually advancing to forewoman.
In 1895, although approximately 60 years old, Fields was hired as a mail carrier since she was the fastest job applicant to hitch a team of six horses. She drove the route with horses and a mule named Moses and never missed a day, earning the nickname "Stagecoach" for her reliability.
Mary was the first African-American woman employed as a mail carrier in the United States, driving her mail route by stagecoach from Cascade, Montana to St. Peter's Mission, Montana. When hired, she became the second American woman in all to work for the United States Postal Service.
She was freed when American slavery was outlawed in 1865. For some time she worked repairing the buildings of a school for Native American girls in Montana called Saint Peter's Mission, eventually advancing to forewoman.
In 1895, although approximately 60 years old, Fields was hired as a mail carrier since she was the fastest job applicant to hitch a team of six horses. She drove the route with horses and a mule named Moses and never missed a day, earning the nickname "Stagecoach" for her reliability.
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