I enjoyed some of the nicest fashions from New York City, Chicago and Paris due to the railroad. New boardwalks were always being built so we wouldn’t get our dresses full of mud. There was a wonderful dress makers shop in town called Lilly’s who supplied us girls and woman with the most current fashions and they would bring in the finest fabrics and some ready made dresses from the east and Europe. This was a day when we would dress to the hilt. Our hats were so luxurious as were our handbags and shoes. We knew how to dress. The boardwalks of town would be full of styled women walking up and down with their parasols waving in the air. We would look over eachothers dresses as the men would tip their hats to us. I enjoyed this life in Ogden while it prospered at this time. This would be the beginning of my yearning to be in business for myself. At this time it was not too usual for woman to have a desire to be in business. Most woman were married young and had numerous children. Life was more challenging in these days without running water and electricity. But we managed. Life was simple in many ways then. Although I had many gentleman callers and several offers for marriage I waited much later in life to finally take that step. I had my first taste of the exciting life of entertainment while performing at the Opera House on 4th Street, later called 24th Street, shown in the picture I’ve included in my writing here. I saw every performance that traveled through Ogden and at the Orpheum Theatre which was the newest and most splendidly opulent theater. I enjoyed the Lyseum on 5th Street as well, which was later called 25th Street. Society was very active in Ogden at this time. I was always amused how the original settlers from the Mormon pioneers still called this town Brownsville for many years after it was renamed Ogden. There were always balls and social gatherings at peoples homes. We would dress up all the way and have the time of our life as we rode our carriages to the homes and were greeted by doormen who would take our carriages and horses to attend to them. I did get a taste for the nicer things in life this way. I started in business while performing in theatre and later became a very prosperous Madame in town and in Salt Lake City with several other interests as well. I was sought out and admired by many, yet had to be careful on how I functioned in society. Not everyone was favorable of my profession. Yet it was a much needed service at this time due to the trains coming through by the hundreds a day. The Saints were especially unfavorable to this profession yet was accepted as long as we didn’t flaunt our lifestyle. They referred to us as Gentiles. I was accepted as a part of the community even though my business was not of many family’s liking. That is why we kept it well hidden and underground even though it was completley legal. It helped that I owned a few of the largest and nicest hotels, brothels and bordelos. I end up with several buildings and owned the nicest fashion, homes and carriage and horses as most men. Life was good. I left my legacy behind by building some new buildings, some of which still stand today. I contributed much, as I had so much wealth to give, especially to children’s charities. I was not welcome in all the circles but was often asked to help in entertaining dignitaries by city officials and businessmen. I was quite well-known at the time and was powerful and wealthy as many of the men in this day and there were many wealthy men at this time living here and who would visit. I knew how to handle business yet knew also how to use my female charm and exquisite style. They all wanted to know me. It was my time. Many called me the ‘Queen Bee’. There were other very prosperous Madames in this period but I was considered the most professional and I believed in treating everyone equal. I was treated equal as well. There was so much joy in this rough world and much ambition to move forward in time with all the new inventions coming through. These times and moments still linger in the streets of Ogden. You can hear them in the streets echoing from a time long ago mixing with the present sounds and people. The walls and bricks of these once new buildings speak out to you if you listen. The past still lives on through them. My memories and life sure do. There were so many great and wonderful people who made this town what it is today. And I was one of them. I am not written about too often in the history books like many of the male contempories who were all my friends. But I did contribute my share and many of my good deeds went unnoticed by some yet many did know of my contributions to society. I kept most of them private and secret, like when I would contribute under others people’s names to buy books for the local schools or help with the new hospital. I am still a big believer for children, especially girls, to get their education to be able to contribute to society not only as a mother or wife but as an indivdual person; and to have health care for all, especially for all my girls who were my family. This was all prior to even having the right to vote as a woman. I was ahead of my time. Yet many thought of me as completely modern at the time. I was truly a pioneer woman in many ways in a pioneer town and a pioneer time.

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