Cooking in the West

Out here in the western agricultural world, there has never really been a need for the women's movement. Women have pitched in to make farms and ranches work since before barbed wire, and they didn't have to burn undergarments to gain respect. Respect came with hard work, blood, sweat, and tears. In fact, as it turns out history has proven that sometimes the best man for the job was a woman such as the legend of Charley Parkhurst.

The Western stagecoach companies were big business in the latter half of the 19th century. In addition to passengers and freight, stages hauled gold and silver bullion as well as mining company payrolls. Stage robbery was a constant danger, and bandits employed many strategies to ambush a stagecoach. Rugged teamsters held rein over six wild-eyed horses as they tore along the rutted trails. The stagecoaches were driven by skilled and fearless men who pushed themselves and their spirited horses to the limit.

One of the most famous drivers was Charley Parkhurst, who had come west from New England in 1852 seeking his fortune in the Gold Rush. He spent 15 years running stages, sometimes partnering with Hank Monk, the celebrated driver from Carson City. Over the years, Pankhurst’s reputation as an expert whip grew.

From 20 feet away he could slice open the end of an envelope or cut a cigar out of a man’s mouth. Parkhurst smoked cigars, chewed wads of tobacco, drank with the best of them, and exuded supreme confidence behind the reins. His judgment was sound, and pleasant manners won him many friends.

One afternoon, as Charley drove down from Carson Pass, the lead horses veered off the road and a wrenching jolt threw him from the rig. He hung on to the reins as the horses dragged him along on his stomach. Amazingly, Parkhurst managed to steer the frightened horses back onto the road and saved all his grateful passengers.

During the 1850's, bands of surly highwaymen stalked the roads. These outlaws would level their shotguns at stage drivers and shout, “Throw down the gold box!” Charley Parkhurst had no patience for the crooks despite their demands and threatening gestures. The most notorious road agent was nicknamed Sugarfoot. When he and his gang accosted Charley’s stage, it was the last robbery the thief ever attempted.

Charley cracked his whip defiantly and when his horses bolted, he turned around and fired his revolver at the crooks. Sugarfoot was later found dead with a fatal bullet wound in his stomach.

In appreciation of his bravery, Wells Fargo presented Parkhurst with a large watch and chain made of solid gold. In 1865, Parkhurst grew tired of the demanding job of driving, so he opened his own stage station. He later sold the business and retired to a ranch near Soquel, California. The years slipped by, and Charley died on Dec. 29,1879, at the age of 67.

A few days later, the Sacramento Daily Bee published his obituary. It read; “On Sunday last, there died a person known as Charley Parkhurst, aged 67, who was well-known to old residents as a stage driver. He was in early days accounted as one of the most expert manipulators of the reins who ever sat on the box of a coach. It was discovered when friendly hands were preparing him for his final rest, that Charley Parkhurst was unmistakably a well-developed woman!”

Once it was discovered that Charley was a woman, there were plenty of people to say they had always thought he wasn’t like other men. Even though he wore leather gloves during summer and winter, many noticed that his hands were small and smooth. He slept in the stables with his beloved horses and was never known to have had a girlfriend.

Charley never volunteered clues to her past. Loose fitting clothing hid her femininity, and after a horse kicked her, an eye patch over one eye helped conceal her face. She weighed 175 pounds, could handle herself in a fistfight, and drank whiskey like one of the boys.

It turns out that Charley’s real name was Charlotte Parkhurst. Abandoned as a child, she was raised in a New Hampshire orphanage, unloved and surrounded by poverty. Charlotte ran away when she was 15 years old and soon discovered that life in the working world was easier for men, so she decided to masquerade as one for the rest of her life.

The rest is history... almost. On November 3, 1868, Charlotte Parkhurst cast her vote in the national election. She became the first woman to vote in the United States, 52 years before Congress passed the 19th amendment giving American women the right to vote. So it seems the women's movement in the wild west had a true trailblazer named Charlotte Parkhurst!

We women of the west might not be as legendary as Charlotte, but we are busy girls, so we need a lot of quick, easy, and tasty recipes. Here are a few of my favorites that fit that criteria!

Frito Chili Casserole:

1 pkg. Frito corn chips

2 cans chili

1 med. onion, chopped

1 lb. hamburger

2 C. grated cheese

Fry hamburger with onions and season to taste. In a casserole dish, layer half of Fritos, beef, chili, and cheese. Repeat with the other half. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbling.

Orange Jell-o Cake:

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

3 oz. pkg. orange Jell-o mix, dry

4 eggs

3/4 C. oil

3/4 C. water

Mix all together and bake in a 9 X 13 pan at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Prick holes in hot cake and pour orange glaze on top. (To make the glaze, use 3 C. powdered sugar combined with enough orange juice to make a pourable glaze.)

Cranberry Jell-o Salad:

1 can whole cranberry sauce

1 can crushed pineapple

large pkg. raspberry Jell-o

chopped nuts

Dissolve Jell-o in 1 C. boiling water. Add remaining ingredients (pineapple juice and all). Stir well and refrigerate until firm.