LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF CALAMITY JANE
BY HERSELF



My maiden name was Marthy Cannary. I was born in
Princeton, Missourri, May 1st, 1852. Father and mother were
natives of Ohio. I had two brothers and three sisters, I being the
oldest of the children. As a child I always had a fondness for
adventure and out-door exercise and especial fondness for
horses which I began to ride at an early age and continued to do
so until I became an expert rider being able to ride the most
vicious and stubborn of horses, in fact the greater portion of my
life in early times was spent in this manner.

In 1865 we emigrated from our homes in Missourri by the
overland route to Virginia City, Montana, taking five months to
make the journey. 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 Missourri 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