Not Quite What You Expect

Jo Monaghan….Cowboy Joe. Was a little
person thought to be a tenderfoot, when
first arriving in Ruby City, Idaho. Riding
a well-groomed mare. This boy, wearing
baggy clothes, not much more than 5 foot.
Earn the name of Little Joe, due his stature.

Little Joe, came during the gold rush. Digging
until his hand bled working his claim. But only
earn a small wage. So he took odd jobs, working
in a mill, breaking horse. A job that he earn a
reputation of being the best. But he was always
a loner. Sleeping out under the stars in a bed roll,
rather than in the bunkhouse. Was even in the
movies and Wild West shows, because of the
shooting and horsemanship ability. Then gave
it all up to run his own ranch near Rockville.

So what is so unusual about all of this, about
a little cowboy called Little Joe? Well, it seems
when Joe died and they went to dress him for
the funeral, they found out it wasn’t a Joe,
but a JO Managhan. A woman, who came
from the East.

Next is Angel of the Coeur d’ Alenes.
Louise Siuwheem. I would suppose that
the locals know who she is. She was a
young Indian woman from the Coeur
d’ Alenes. A strong woman, who was
so strong that she scared the Spokane
tribe away when they came to attack the
Coeur d’ Alenes, by holding a large cross up
in the air above her head. Who also
discouraged the Nez Perce Indian tribe
from coming across the lake to fight with
the Coeur d’ Alenes by telling them that
the Coeur d’ Alenes were Christians and
not warriors, but if they come across the
lake, the Coeur d’ Alenes will kill them, but
if they stay on their own side, they will
live.

Well, that is the way the legend
reads anyway. But the true fact is,
she was the granddaughter of Chief
Circling Raven who predicted the
Long black robes angels would come
and teach his tribe about the Great
Spirit. Which is when the Priest came
to the area shortly after and taught
the Indians about God and built two
Missions.

What you might not know is that Siuwheen
and later baptized to the name of Louise,
was the force behind the building of the
Mission we call Cataldo Mission.

These interesting facts come from a
book I was lucky enough to borrow
from a friend. The name of the book is.
More Than Petticoats
Remarkable Idaho Women
By L.E. Bragg

Very interesting book. I have met,
Sacajawea, Eliza Hart Spalding,
Jane Timothy Silcott, Polly Bemis,
Kitty C. Wilkins and May Arkwright
Hutton. And the two ladies above.
And I am only half way thru.
What I told you about the women
is only 10% of the story, so guess
you will have to find the book to
get what Paul Harvey says....the
rest of the stories.

Which reminds me of Laurel
Thatcher Ulrich saying..
"Well behaved women rarely make
History."