Who Was Big Nose Kate?

Big Nose Kate is considered one of the most well-known women of the American Old West. Known for her intelligence, temper, and independence, she was a force to be reckoned with, even in the old wild west. Long before the gunfight at the OK Corral, Kate was carving out her own trail alongside outlaws, gamblers, and gunfighters. Kate has since been remembered as a woman living on her own terms alongside some of the most legendary men of the wild west.

READ: How Ed Shefflin Discovered Silver And Founded Tombstone

Get our free mobile app

Early Life

Mary Katherine Haroney was born to a prominent family on November 7th. Her year of birth is up for debate, some sources claim she was born in 1849, others claim she was born in 1850. She was born in Hungary, and her father supposedly served as the personal surgeon of Mexico’s Emperor, Maximillian. In the 1860's Kate and her family left for America and settled in Davenport, Iowa.

When Kate was just 14 years old, both of her parents passed away, and her and her siblings were placed in foster homes. She didn't stay in her new home for long and at the age 16 she left on a ship to St. Louis. While in St. Louis she enrolled in a convent school, and it is unclear whether she graduated or dropped out. Later she married a man named Silas Melvin, and had a child with him, but sadly both him and the child passed away in the same year.

RELATED: Exploring The Haunted History Of Bisbee's Copper Queen Hotel

Run in with the law

Kate worked as a "sporting girl" for most of her adult life. It was during this time Kate began to have run ins with Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp. In 1875 she was known by the name "Kate Elder". She lived in Dodge City, Kansas and worked for James Earp's wife, Wyatts sister-in-law. During this time, it was suspected she might have had contact with Holliday, but their first reported interaction was in 1877.

Throughout her life Kate had many run ins with the law. She was frequently fined for prostitution and was a part of more than one violent altercation. During here time with Doc Holliday, she got in numerous fights, and was known for her drunk, disorderly behavior.

The Story as to how Big Nose Kate got her nickname is unclear. Some sources say it was because her nose was actually large, while others say it is because she couldn't keep her nose out of other people's business.

READ: Cochise County's Wild West Stories

Doc Holliday

For a little while, Kate was working in Fort Griffin, Texas, and in 1877 her and Doc Holliday met. Holliday had been dealing cards to a man named Ed Bailey. Bailey did not trust Doc, or wanted to upset him, and was picking up discarded cards and looking at them. Holliday had enough after a while, grabbed the pot, and attempted to walk out. Bailey pulled a gun on him, and Doc Holliday reportedly stabbed the man in self-defense. 

Doc was arrested and imprisoned in a hotel room, as at this time there were no prisons in Fort Griffin. Supposedly a mob of Baileys friends had formed with the intentions of getting revenge on Holiday, for murder. This led Kate to try and break him out of his confinement before the mob overtook the law men. She set fire to an old shed as a distraction, then arrived at the hotel with a gun and demanded Doc be let out of jail. The two then fled on stolen horses.

Legacy

Kate and Doc had an on and off relationship for years and often got into fights and physical altercations. After the gunfight at the OK corral, they, for the most part, went their separate ways. Kate changed her name and most people had no idea about her past. She also outlived most of the other major legends of Tombstone, surviving until 1940. Her recollections, recorded towards the end of her life, helped historians' piece together Doc Holidays life. Her story remains an important part of how we remember the American West today.

CONTINUE READING: Remembering The Lives Buried At Boothill Cemetery In Arizona