Augusta Pierce Tabor (March 29, 1833 – January 30, 1895) was the wife of a merchant and miner, Horace Tabor, the first white woman to live in the Idaho Springs mining camp, and a Denver philanthropist. She was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1991 for her contributions to social service and philanthropy. [1]
Augusta Pierce was born in Augusta, Maine on March 29, 1833. [2] [3] Her father, William B. Pierce, [4] owned a quarry [2] [3] and was a contractor. Tabor, one of ten children and the third of seven girls, suffered poor health during her childhood. [2] She had a lovely figure, thick dark hair and was determined and charming. [5] Tabor was a debutante, grew up in a pampered lifestyle, and believed in women's rights. [6] She was the cousin of Franklin Pierce, president of the United States. [7]
William B. Pierce hired Horace Tabor to supervisor stone-cutters who worked on the construction of a mental institution (called an insane asylum at the time) in Augusta, Maine. Augusta Pierce met Horace and they fell in love. [8] [9] Augusta and Horace made a plan to move west to Kansas Territory to help populate the territory with anti-slavery supporters. First, though, Horace traveled to Kansas and worked to save money to get married. [10] He arrived with other members of the New England Emigrant Aid Company in 1855. [11] [12] Horace worked at Fort Riley as a stonemason, [12] and he fought with others to defend the town of Lawrence against pro-slavery men during the Sacking of Lawrence. [13]
A member of the Free Soil Party, [14] Tabor was elected to the Topeka Legislature. [12] [14]
Augusta was married to Horace Tabor on January 31, 1857, becoming Augusta Tabor. [15] [16] After their marriage at her family's home in Maine, the couple farmed for two years along Deep Creek in Zeandale, Kansas (known today as Tabor Valley). [12] [15] [16] They had a son named Nathaniel Maxcy, [12] who was also known as Maxey. [17]
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Augusta and Horace Tabor lived in the Idaho Springs mining camp before moving to Leadville. The Tabors established a store and Augusta made money as a washerwoman and as a landlady to boarders. Horace mined for gold in the mountains of Colorado and in 1878, after 20 years, he struck a silver vein that made US$10,000 (equivalent to $315,724 in 2023) per day. [1]
The Tabors established a mansion in Denver after Horace was elected lieutenant governor later in 1878. The 20-room mansion, built at Eighteenth and Broadway for $40,000 (equivalent to $1,262,897 in 2023), was operated as a boarding house after Horace left her for Elizabeth "Baby Doe" McCourt. Augusta was landlady for up to 14 people at a time and was engaged in community activities, such as contributing to civic projects and charities and hosting fund-raising events. Tabor was particularly involved in the Pioneer Ladies Aid Society. [1]
With then-husband Horace, Augusta was a co-developer of the Tabor Grand Opera House (1881), Denver's first opera-quality theatrical performance space. Augusta Tabor is a major character in the opera The Ballad of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore and John Latouche; the role was created by Martha Lipton at the opera's 1956 premiere. [18] A noted interpreter of the part was Frances Bible, who recorded it in 1961. [19]
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link) For more information about the documentary, see
IMDB.A statement recorded at Denver, Oct. 22, 1884, concerning arrival in Colorado, 1859; experiences in mining regions; work with her husband in the Post and Express Office; carrying gold to Denver.
Media related to Augusta Tabor at Wikimedia Commons