Born a slave in Tennessee on May 15, 1832, Mary Fields grew up an orphan, never married and had any children. But she was admired and respected for holding her own and living her own way in a world where the odds were stacked against her. While African Americans and women of any race enjoyed little freedom anywhere in the world, Mary Fields enjoyed more freedom than most white men.
At the end of the Civil War, the 6-foot tall and 200 pounds Fields headed to Montana in search of opportunity and was hired to do heavy work for the nuns at a Catholic convent in Cascade. Fields carried a pair of six-shooters and a 10 gauge and loved the children of Cascade County. The tough, short-tempered woman had a standing bet that she could knock a man out with one punch, and she never lost a dime to anyone foolish enough to take her up on that bet. She was also the only woman of reputable character in Cascade allowed to drink in the local bar as ordered by the mayor. But this tough woman also had a caring side to her.
