Elizabeth Thompson (born Mary Elizabeth Haley; 18 October 1855 – 13 April 1953) was a prostitute and dance hall girl who worked in Dodge City, Kansas and other frontier cattle towns during the 1870s. She later became famous as Squirrel Tooth Alice, madam of a brothel in Sweetwater, Texas.[1][2][3][4]
Born Mary Elizabeth Haley in Belton, Texas, Haley had a difficult childhood. The family lost its fortune during the Civil War, and in 1864 Comanche Native Americans raided the Haley farm in Texas and took young Haley captive. She remained a captive until 1867 when her parents paid a ransom for her release. From this point forward, Haley was a marked woman. Even though she was only thirteen, many people assumed that she had sexually submitted to the Indians during her captivity. Haley found herself shunned and ostracized from society. She soon took up with an older man who did not care about her past, but James Haley found the idea of an older man taking advantage of his daughter so objectionable that he shot and killed the suitor. Haley's reputation was soiled even further.[1][2]
Life as a prostitute in the Old West
At the age of fourteen, Haley ran away from home in search of a fresh start. She wound up in Abilene, Kansas, but a young woman alone had few options. So she became a dance hall girl and prostitute. In Abilene, she hooked up with a gambler and part-time cowboy named William "Texas Billy” Thompson, brother of the notorious Ben Thompson.[2] In 1870, the couple left Kansas for Texas and for the next couple of years Billy punched cows along the Chisholm Trail while Haley continued working as a dance hall girl in various towns across the southern prairie.[1][2][5]
In 1872, at the age of seventeen, Haley was plying her trade in the cattle town of Ellsworth, Kansas, while Billy worked the gambling halls.[2] By the spring of 1873, however, the couple was back out on the prairie with a spring cattle drive. Haley bore her first child on the open prairie and, to make the child legitimate, she and Billy got married that year.[1][5]
In the summer of 1873, Billy Thompson, in a state of drunkenness, shot and killed Ellsworth town sheriff Chauncey Whitney. He was arrested but got the cattle company he worked for to bail him out. Because he was fearful of being shot himself by vengeful family members, Billy and Thompson ran. The couple wound up in Dodge City, where Billy gambled and Thompson worked as a dancer and prostitute. It was here that the Thompsons made the acquaintance of Wyatt Earp and his paramour, Mattie Blaylock.[1][2][6]
After Dodge City, the Thompsons drifted to Colorado, but by 1876, they had moved to Sweetwater, Texas, which became their permanent home. In Sweetwater, the couple purchased a ranch outside of town and a dance hall in town. Thompson ran the dance hall which was a front for a brothel.[2] She was not embarrassed by her profession, and it was as a madam in Sweetwater that she became known for keeping her pet prairie dogs. These, along with a gap in her teeth, gave her the sobriquet, "Squirrel Tooth Alice."[1][2][6]
Later life
In 1897, after twenty-four years of marriage and nine children, Billy Thompson died of consumption. Libby Thompson continued running her Sweetwater brothel until she retired in 1921 at the age of 66. Although most of her sons had turned to crime and her daughters followed her into prostitution, she spent her elderly years living in Palmdale, California, among her various children's homes. On April 13, 1953, Libby Thompson died at the Sunbeam Rest Home in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 97.[1][2]
References
^ abcdefgEnss, Chris (16 March 2016). "Wicked Woman Wednesday: Libby Thompson". Cowgirl Magazine. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ abcdefghiWeiser, Kathy (March 2008). "Elizabeth Haley Thompson - Texas Madam Better Known as Squirrel Tooth Alice". www.legendsofamerica.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^Enss, Chris (2015). Wicked Women: Notorious, Mischievous, and Wayward Ladies from the Old West. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN9781493013920.
^Parker, Richard (2014). Lone Star Nation: How Texas Will Transform America. Pegasus Books. ISBN9781605987149.
^ abCorrea, Tom (1 July 2017). "Billy Thompson & Squirrel Tooth Alice -- Part 1". www.americancowboychronicles.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
^ abCorrea, Tom (2 July 2017). "Billy Thompson & Squirrel Tooth Alice -- Part 2". www.americancowboychronicles.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
Further reading
Butler, Anne M. Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Misery: Prostitutes in the American West, 1865-90. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1987. ISBN0-252-01466-9
Enss, Chris. Pistol Packin' Madams: True Stories of Notorious Women of the Old West. Guilford, CT: Twodot Books, 2006. ISBN0-7627-3775-1
Gesell, Laurence E. Saddle the Wild Wind: The Saga of Squirrel Tooth Alice and Texas Billy Thompson. Coast Aire Pubns, 2001. ISBN1-890938-03-3
Seagraves, Anne. Soiled Doves: Prostitution in the Early West. Wesanne Publications, 1994. ISBN0-9619088-4-X
April 02, 2023
libby, thompson, elizabeth, thompson, born, mary, elizabeth, haley, october, 1855, april, 1953, prostitute, dance, hall, girl, worked, dodge, city, kansas, other, frontier, cattle, towns, during, 1870s, later, became, famous, squirrel, tooth, alice, madam, bro. Elizabeth Thompson born Mary Elizabeth Haley 18 October 1855 13 April 1953 was a prostitute and dance hall girl who worked in Dodge City Kansas and other frontier cattle towns during the 1870s She later became famous as Squirrel Tooth Alice madam of a brothel in Sweetwater Texas 1 2 3 4 Contents 1 Early life 2 Life as a prostitute in the Old West 3 Later life 4 References 5 Further readingEarly life EditBorn Mary Elizabeth Haley in Belton Texas Haley had a difficult childhood The family lost its fortune during the Civil War and in 1864 Comanche Native Americans raided the Haley farm in Texas and took young Haley captive She remained a captive until 1867 when her parents paid a ransom for her release From this point forward Haley was a marked woman Even though she was only thirteen many people assumed that she had sexually submitted to the Indians during her captivity Haley found herself shunned and ostracized from society She soon took up with an older man who did not care about her past but James Haley found the idea of an older man taking advantage of his daughter so objectionable that he shot and killed the suitor Haley s reputation was soiled even further 1 2 Life as a prostitute in the Old West EditAt the age of fourteen Haley ran away from home in search of a fresh start She wound up in Abilene Kansas but a young woman alone had few options So she became a dance hall girl and prostitute In Abilene she hooked up with a gambler and part time cowboy named William Texas Billy Thompson brother of the notorious Ben Thompson 2 In 1870 the couple left Kansas for Texas and for the next couple of years Billy punched cows along the Chisholm Trail while Haley continued working as a dance hall girl in various towns across the southern prairie 1 2 5 In 1872 at the age of seventeen Haley was plying her trade in the cattle town of Ellsworth Kansas while Billy worked the gambling halls 2 By the spring of 1873 however the couple was back out on the prairie with a spring cattle drive Haley bore her first child on the open prairie and to make the child legitimate she and Billy got married that year 1 5 In the summer of 1873 Billy Thompson in a state of drunkenness shot and killed Ellsworth town sheriff Chauncey Whitney He was arrested but got the cattle company he worked for to bail him out Because he was fearful of being shot himself by vengeful family members Billy and Thompson ran The couple wound up in Dodge City where Billy gambled and Thompson worked as a dancer and prostitute It was here that the Thompsons made the acquaintance of Wyatt Earp and his paramour Mattie Blaylock 1 2 6 After Dodge City the Thompsons drifted to Colorado but by 1876 they had moved to Sweetwater Texas which became their permanent home In Sweetwater the couple purchased a ranch outside of town and a dance hall in town Thompson ran the dance hall which was a front for a brothel 2 She was not embarrassed by her profession and it was as a madam in Sweetwater that she became known for keeping her pet prairie dogs These along with a gap in her teeth gave her the sobriquet Squirrel Tooth Alice 1 2 6 Later life EditIn 1897 after twenty four years of marriage and nine children Billy Thompson died of consumption Libby Thompson continued running her Sweetwater brothel until she retired in 1921 at the age of 66 Although most of her sons had turned to crime and her daughters followed her into prostitution she spent her elderly years living in Palmdale California among her various children s homes On April 13 1953 Libby Thompson died at the Sunbeam Rest Home in Los Angeles California at the age of 97 1 2 References Edit a b c d e f g Enss Chris 16 March 2016 Wicked Woman Wednesday Libby Thompson Cowgirl Magazine Retrieved 5 August 2018 a b c d e f g h i Weiser Kathy March 2008 Elizabeth Haley Thompson Texas Madam Better Known as Squirrel Tooth Alice www legendsofamerica com Retrieved 5 August 2018 Enss Chris 2015 Wicked Women Notorious Mischievous and Wayward Ladies from the Old West Rowman amp Littlefield ISBN 9781493013920 Parker Richard 2014 Lone Star Nation How Texas Will Transform America Pegasus Books ISBN 9781605987149 a b Correa Tom 1 July 2017 Billy Thompson amp Squirrel Tooth Alice Part 1 www americancowboychronicles com Retrieved 5 August 2018 a b Correa Tom 2 July 2017 Billy Thompson amp Squirrel Tooth Alice Part 2 www americancowboychronicles com Retrieved 5 August 2018 Further reading EditButler Anne M Daughters of Joy Sisters of Misery Prostitutes in the American West 1865 90 Urbana University of Illinois Press 1987 ISBN 0 252 01466 9 Enss Chris Pistol Packin Madams True Stories of Notorious Women of the Old West Guilford CT Twodot Books 2006 ISBN 0 7627 3775 1 Gesell Laurence E Saddle the Wild Wind The Saga of Squirrel Tooth Alice and Texas Billy Thompson Coast Aire Pubns 2001 ISBN 1 890938 03 3 Seagraves Anne Soiled Doves Prostitution in the Early West Wesanne Publications 1994 ISBN 0 9619088 4 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Libby Thompson amp oldid 1114494819, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
