She Had to Lead the Family
But it wasn’t long before Robert passed away, too, leaving behind five children. Martha, who was the oldest of them all, felt weighted down by the responsibility.
But she put her feelings aside and jumped into action to help take care of her younger siblings.
Living Off of Gold
Everyone had to scramble for ways to survive in Cannary’s days. That meant that a lot of the women wound up in brothels. But there was something that existed that could save Jane’s family from a life in poverty and despair: gold.
And there was plenty of it in Montana. The family loaded up and headed west.
Family Troubles
Life in those times was no easy feat. Disease ran rampant and without modern medical care, there was very little anyone could do about it. Charlotte, Jane’s mother, developed pneumonia that killed her not long after their arrival in Montana.
Her husband, Jane’s father, Robert, knew he had to think of something fast or his family was in trouble.
Heading South
What was the 14-year-old to do to care for a family of five? She knew that Montana obviously wasn’t the answer, considering the fact it had killed her parents.
So, she packed her brothers and sisters up and headed south towards Wyoming. It was there when she would start to really grow into her own.
The Provider
Luckily, Jane was able to support herself and her family through a series of odd jobs. She would do anything she had to do to care for her brothers and sisters.
Typically, it meant things like cleaning glasses at the cantina or driving oxen, but it’s also been speculated that she occasionally worked in a brothel as a teen, as well.