Survival
By James Meyer
When we are young we dream of weddings and happy lives
I found none when I came to America just a miserable pack of lies
A man I found to be handsome was nothing more than two faced and held my body for ransom
For four years I endured his pain
For how can he see his betrothed's love and virtue taken by greed and vain
I finally get rid of him, not that I am free, but how is a girl like me supposed to live free?
I did the only thing I knew how to do
But this time I sold my own virtue
Many riches were seen by me
But not even the wealth could truly set me free
When I heard of gold strike in Idaho
My heart told me I should follow
Along the way we got trapped in some snow
A mother and child I needed to stow
We waited out the rest of the storm
And strolled into town asking for room and board.
The people they cheered “ It’s Maggie who saved them”
It was then I got the nickname Molly B’ Damn because I wouldn't leave them
Maggie (Mollie B’Damn) Hall was an Irish citizen born to a Protestant father and Catholic mother in 1853. She came to America in the 1870’s while she was still in her 20’s. Maggie, having trouble as an Irish woman, finally found work as a barmaid in New York. Many young men saw the young Irish beauty and tried to win over her affections. Maggie would have none of it for she was a Catholic girl and it was against her Catholic faith. Maggie did find one suitor though. According to University of Idaho records and historical fiction author, Kari Bovée, “Maggie found work as a barmaid and married a man named Burdan.“ This man Burden was known around town because he was from a wealthy family, and known to many women. Burdan quickly seduced Maggie and after three trips to her bar convinced her to marry him, but in secret. Burdan's family eventually found out and cut him off. Now Burden and Maggie were penniless and were getting evicted everywhere they went. Then Burdan, seeing the way his friends and other men looked at her, convinced Maggie to keep other men “company” for money. According to Kari Bovée, author and contributor to the women's empowerment movement, “Molly’s husband noticed the way his friends and other men looked at his beautiful wife. Perhaps she could earn them a living. Burdan suggested that Molly start 'entertaining' his friends for money.” Mollie refused at first but then she eventually gave in and four years of this action followed. After four years Maggie finally left her husband and moved out west in states and territories such as California, Oregon, Nevada and the Dakota Territory working as a highly sought after prostitute. Maggie gained riches along the way and was often seen sporting expensive fur coats and clothing, a taste that would prove life-saving later. Eventually Maggie got tired of working life and at the age of thirty according to Bovée, “Maggie grew restless again. She’d heard of a prosperous gold strike in the Coeur d’ Alenes in Idaho." In 1884, Maggie saved enough money to head out for Minnesota with a group bound for Murray, Idaho. Along the way however the group of travelers got caught in a snowstorm and Maggie, seeing a mother and young child fall behind the pack, elected to stay behind in the storm with the mother and child. "Maggie left the group to save a young mother and her child, who were not dressed for winter weather...and the three huddled together in a makeshift shelter with Molly's furs and horse to keep them warm.“ The next day after the storm lifted, Maggie rode into town with the mother and boy and was praised as a hero. It was then Maggie got the nickname Mollie B’ Damn and opened up her own business. Maggie was alway helping any miners who got sick and would often travel to the mine to give them water. Even when an outbreak of smallpox erupted her place of business doubled as a makeshift hospital where she took care of the sick. Maggie eventually succumbed to tuberculosis in 1888, but she went down in Idaho history as “ a woman of influence.”