It was once believed there was a warring nation of women so dedicated in dominating opponents, they would willingly shear off a breast in order to improve their skill of archery unencumbered. According to the ancient Greek, Aeschylus, these warmongering “men haters” were known as the Amazons. The Amazon’s ancient queen, Penthesilea, was killed by famed Achilles. After doing so, he mourned her tragic fate because she was very beautiful and young.
With this famed myth, newspapers coined this term to an incident that transpired in Ozark County, Missouri, in 1908.
Family Feuds
Family Feuds are things that inhabit legends and lore from the good old days. Yet, family feuds usually reminiscent of the bitter taste of sour persimmons in midsummer. Therefore, the good old days wane few and far between in these cases.
This is another surprising saga because it involves two sister-in-laws. In addition to looking over the past, many facts are skewed and snap conclusions are made. This is where a distorted view of history can take shape. Oh, what if the media runs the story in all its’ glory and real story is not so grandiose? It may or may not find its’ way to public consumption because public consumption equals money.
Just the Facts Ma’am
In doing this story, I wanted to find some facts to back up the story. As all may know, not all is as it seems. First, let’s take a look at the story first published. There are holes in it that do not make sense. Since this blog is so long, it will not be posted as a whole, but it will be released in two parts. For some reason or another, I have never heard of this story growing up in this same area in which this story supposedly transpired. Therefore, as extraordinary as the story seems, I wanted evidence.
Ponderings
Hey, I’ve been holding on to this story for six weeks. I’ll admit, I don’t know the whole story, but there was enough here that made me keep searching. I realize I’m also probably dragging up someone’s cherished grandmother’s name, or you too know the story. If that happens to be you, Dear Reader, please feel free to email me at: vincent.a@baxtercountylibrary.org. I love giving credit to whom credit is due. I am a turtle on a pole. I didn’t get here or anywhere by myself.
In teaching genealogy, I try to show my students there is more one can do with a U. S. Census record than just looking up names and dates. This is how I quelled my suspensions about the story, but that is in Part 2 of this blog. So, without further ado, let’s peer through the headlines and see the story where some unfounded facts are nothing but fuel to the fire.
AMAZONS FIGHT BLOODY DUEL.LONELY SPOT IN THE.MOUNTAINS
SCENE OF STRUGGLE.
CHILD THE ONLY WITNESS.
Sister-in-law Take Up Husband's
Quarrel and With Knives They
Want at Each Other With
Gainesville, Mo., November 25.—The wives of two well-to-do farmers fought a desperate duel with bowie knives in a lonely spot on the mountain side, six miles south of here Sunday afternoon, and both were wounded.
The two women, Mrs. Frank Graham and Mrs. James Crabtree are sisters-in-law. Their husbands have been working a large farm on shares. Until recently there had been no trouble between them.
The duel was the outgrowth of a disagreement between the husbands over a settlement with a merchant who bought their cotton and had advanced them funds during the summer. But no clash occurred between the men, and the families returned to their homes, apparently;' at peace with each other. When quarrels arose later-the women took part in them, and as a result they decided to settle it by a duel. By agreement, accordingly, they went to a clearing in the woods, on the mountain side nearly a mile from their homes accompanied by the ten-year-old daughter of Mrs. Graham.
At first the two combatants hurled stones at each other. Then both drew knives from the bosoms of their dresses and a hand-to-hand battle ensued, Mrs. Crabtree received several slashes across the face, hands, and breast, but none of the wounds is of a serious nature. In return she succeeded in wounding Mrs. Graham in the right.arm, the cut extending from the shoulder to the wrist.
Mrs. Graham fainted from loss of blood, and her daughter, thinking that she was dead, ran home screaming. Mr. Graham hurried to the home and revived his wife and carried her home and sent a son to Gainesville for a doctor.
In the meantime the sheriff of Ozark county learned of the affair, and with his deputy went to the farm and arrested the two women. Both were brought to Gainesville and placed in Jail, but both were soon bailed. The charge against the women is assault with deadly weapons with intent to kill, which is a felony in this state.
The place where the duel was fought is in one of the wildest sections of Ozark county. Apparently the women selected the place with a view of preventing any interference.
END
FARMERS' WIVES FIGHT
DUEL WITH BOWIE KNIVES
Two Missouri Women Take Up
Husbands' Quarrel and Battle in Woods
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL
GAINESVILLE, Mo., Nov. 22. — The wives of two well to do farmers fought a desperate duel with bowie knives in a lonely spot on the mountain side six miles south of here yesterday afternoon and both were wounded.
The two women, Mrs. Frank Graham and Mrs. James Crabtree, are sisters in law. Their husbands have been working a large farm on shares.
The duel was the outgrowth of a disagreement between the husbands over a settlement with a merchant who bought their cotton and had advanced them funds during the summer. When quarrels arose later the women took part. By agreement they went to a clearing in the woods on the mountain side, nearly a mile from their homes, accompanied by the 10 year old daughter of Mrs. Graham.
At first the two combatants hurled stones at each other. Then both drew knives from the bosoms of their dresses and a hand to hand battle ensued. Mrs. Crabtree received several slashes across the face, hands and breast, but none of the wounds is of a serious nature. In return she succeeded in wounding Mrs. Graham in the right arm, the cut extending from the shoulder to the wrist. Both were brought to Gainesville and placed in jail.
END
Sister-In-Law Choose Lonely Spot
And Fight Desperate Duel
Gainesville, Mo., December 2 — The wives of two well to do farmers fought a desperate duel with bowie knives in a lonely spot on the mountain side six miles south of here yesterday afternoon and both were wounded.
The two women, Mrs. Frank Graham and Mrs. James Crabtree, are sisters in law. Their husbands have been working a large farm on shares. Until recently there had been no trouble between them.
The duel was the outgrowth of a disagreement between the husbands over a settlement with a merchant who bought their cotton and had advanced them funds during the summer. When quarrels arose later the women took part in them, and as a result they decided to settle it by a duel.
WENT TO CLEARING
By agreement, accordingly, they went to a clearing in the woods on the mountain side, nearly a mile from their homes, accompanied by the ten year old daughter of Mrs. Graham.
At first the two combatants hurled stones at each other. Then both drew knives from the bosoms of their dresses and a hand to hand battle ensued. Mrs. Crabtree received several slashes across the face, hands and breast, but none of the wounds is of a serious nature.
In return she succeeded in wounding Mrs. Graham in the right arm, the cut extending from the shoulder to the wrist.
Mrs. Graham fainted for the loss of blood, and her daughter, thinking that she was dead, ran home screaming. Mr. Graham hurried to the scene and revived his wife and carried her home and sent a man to Gainesville for a doctor.
SHERIFF NOTIFIED
In the meantime the Sheriff of Ozark county learned of the affair, and with his deputy went to the farm and arrested the two women. Both were brought to Gainesville and placed in jail, but both were soon bailed.
The charge against the women is of assault with deadly weapons with intent to kill, which is a felony in this state.
The place where the duel was fought is in one of the wildest sections of Ozark County. Apparently the women selected the place with the view of preventing any interference.
END
Other Exaggerations
Amazon Women Spotted in Ozark County - Part 2 Coming Next Week.
Works Cited
“A Woman Duelist.” Lowell Sun 61.72 (23 Nov. 1908): 16. Access Newspaper Archive. Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR. 1 Nov. 2009. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/.
“A Woman Duelist.” Quincy Daily Journal 26.64 (24 Nov. 1908): 2. Access Newspaper Archive. Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR. 1 Nov. 2009. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/.
“Amazons Fight a Bloody Duel.” Logansport Reporter 40.48 (25 Nov. 1908): 3. Access Newspaper Archive. Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR. 1 Nov. 2009. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/.
“Farmers’ Wives Fight Duel With Bowie Knives.” San Francisco Call 104.176 (23 Nov. 1908): 4. Access Newspaper Archive. Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR. 1 Nov. 2009. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/.
Hamilton, Edith. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes. New York City: Little, Brown and Company, 1940.
“Sister-In-Laws Choose Lonely Spot and Fight Desperate Duel.” Evening News 50.12 (2 Dec. 1908): . Access Newspaper Archive. Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR. 1 Nov. 2009. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/.
“Two Women Fight Duel With Bowies Till One Faints.” Evening News 24.125 (23 Nov. 1908): 1. Access Newspaper Archive. Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR. 1 Nov. 2009. http://access.newspaperarchive.com/.
“Two Ladies Fight to Death.” Laredo Times 28.24 (29 Nov. 1908): 11. Access Newspaper Archive. Baxter County Library, Mountain Home, AR. 1 Nov. 2009 http://access.newspaperarchive.com/.
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