Laramie- Namesake of Jacques La Ramee by Zina Abbott

 

Jacques La Ramée was a French-Canadian trapper born on June 7, 1784 in

Yamaska, British Canada. His appearance is believed to be similar to the above woodcut by artist Arther Heming. His surname has been given several spellings, including La Ramee, Laramée, LaRamée, La Ramie, La Rami, La Remy, and Laramie.

As an adult, La Ramée made his way into Wyoming and explored the Laramie River in Colorado and Wyoming.

La Ramée was known to have started out fur trading with the North West Company, a fur-trading company out of Canada. He was also known as a peaceful man who got along well with the Native American Indian tribes, who sold their pelts to him.

In 1815 or 1816, La Ramée organized a group of independent, free trappers. They settled in the area where Fort Laramie would later be located. At that time, it was known as La Ramie’s Point. This was the confluence of the North Platte River and what is now the Laramie River.

In 1821, against his fellow trappers’ warnings about hostile Native American tribes, La Ramée decided to pursue trapping along the river that now bears his name. When he did not show up for the rendezvous the following year, a search party went looking for him.

But what really happened to the trapper? Many stories surround La Ramée's death and some say that he was found stuffed under a beaver dam. Others heard that he slipped on some ice and died on the Laramie River, along with other assumptions.

An alleged 'eye-witness' account from a guy named Pierre Lesperance was that Arapaho or Ute Indians attacked him and killed him, although the Arapahos denied it. One story claims this took place near the headwaters of a river in Colorado near Cameron Pass. Here, his remains were found several years later by the expedition sent to locate him.

No one really knows what happened to Jacques La Ramée except that he was never seen again.

1872 map with Laramie place names highlighted by author

Later, the name Laramie—an Americanized spelling of La Ramée—would be given to the Laramie Mountains, Fort Laramie, Laramie Plains, Laramie City, and Laramie Peak, Wyoming. For information about the places that have Laramie in their name, please CLICK HERE.

~oOo~

 

My first “The Bride Who” book was published in January 2025. The Bride Who Invades Saloons is now on a Kindle Countdown sale for $.99 through this coming Saturday. To find the book description and purchase options for this book, please CLICK HERE

 

After returning the proofreading corrections, my editor made the following observation: “Cecil needs his own romance.” My 2026 book, The Bride Who Step Dances includes Cecil’s romance. It will be available later in January. To be notified when it had been published, if you do not already subscribe, please sign up for my newsletter by CLICKING HERE

 

Sources:

https://wyomingsteakhouse.com/jacques-la-ramie/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_La_Ramee

https://kgab.com/what-really-happened-to-jacques-la-ramee-the-man-laramie-was-named-after

A HOMETOWN BOY IN DEADWOOD by Marisa Masterson

 Research drives what I write. Setting a book in Old Deadwood means I had to research. Of course!

What I learned surprised me! John Manning, the sheriff who set out to clean up Deadwood, came from my area of Wisconsin. He grew up in my grandmother's hometown, Highland. Why, that made him something like a neighbor.

Manning is a character in my next novel, releasing this Thursday. Character is a good way to describe him. He co-owned the Senate Saloon where Jack McCall shot Wild Bill Hickok. 

But don't lump him in with other saloon owners like Al Swearengen. He was a man who wanted stability brought to Deadwood. His efforts made him an excellent lawman to include in my story. Just the man I needed to help with the secret Ross Kirwan, my hero, is living.

From The Bride Who Mines Gold:

Men in chains! Althea saw them as the stagecoach rolled to a stop. The sight did not fit
with her idea of a mining town.

Those men all held shovels. Some moved mud, filling in ruts. Others laid loose stone on top of the filled holes. They tapped down the rocks.

“Manning, what do you have those men doing?”

At Luke’s call, a short man with hair slicked back around a balding head turned. He grinned above his shaggy goatee. “Must be spring. Voorhees and his stage are back.”

“Yeah, and I’m wondering if you have a set of manacles or maybe another set of those chains.”

Manning glanced to his right. He tipped his head toward the men as his gaze met that of another man with a star on his vest. He also held a shotgun. Althea guessed he was Manning’s deputy.

After the deputy nodded, Sheriff Manning stepped toward the coach. “Had trouble?”

“Yep, and I have one of the gang members with me.”

Butch had approached. At Luke’s words, he backed up a step and then two. When he turned to run, Joey stuck out a booted boot. The escaping man landed face first in the mud. Both Bill and Joey put a foot on the man’s back to keep him there.

“Your driver? How do you know he’s in Heally’s gang?”

At the mention of the name, Butch twitched and pushed upward. Bill threw himself onto the man’s back. He grabbed an arm and twisted it behind Butch’s back.

“How about those handcuffs, Sheriff?”

At Bill’s gruff question, one that was more command than query, Manning stepped forward to hand the manacles to Joey. “You boys are already dirty. My Frankie doesn’t like me bringing home muddy clothing.”

Althea spoke before she thought. “Is Frankie your son?”

Manning’s laugh made even the chain gang stop. A shout had them once more using their shovels. The people crowding near resumed walking up and down the street.

She was relieved not to have the attention focused on them. The sheriff’s lips twitched with humor as he explained, “Frankie’s my wife.”

 

The Gem Theater, Circa 1878

Later in the book, Manning comes up against Al Swearengen. The famous brothel owner ran The Gem, a wild and wildly popular, uh, place in Deadwood. 

It's said that in its heyday, Swearengen earned ten thousand dollars each night from The Gem. Even Calamity Jane danced as part of the entertainment in that place. 

Again, from The Bride Who Mines Gold:

The door burst open, bouncing off the wall. “Sheriff!” a man shouted.

“Lou, what do you mean coming in here like that?”

“You’d best come. Mrs. Doc and Al Swearengen are goin’ at it. She’s aiming that little gun of hers at him.”

Manning paused and looked toward Ross. “You don’t suppose Al—”

Ross knocked over the chair as he broke into a run.

In the street, he immediately sized up the situation. Three women wedged themselves into the mouth of a blind alley. Not only did Mrs. Doc have her pocket gun but also Mrs. Manning was there, pointing a large navy revolver at a well-dressed man with golden hair. Blondie stood behind both women.

They formed a human fence. The sheriff’s wife curled her lips back as if she were a dog who bared its fangs. Mrs. Doc glared at the bunch.

“I don’t doctor anyone I shoot, boys. Remember that.”

If the situation had not been tense, Ross might have laughed at Dr. Elsie’s promise. Dr. Elsie Marsh, or Mrs. Doc, was a whirlwind of determination. Being healthy, he only knew her by rumor. What men said about her told him she would not back down from a challenge or a cause.

The woman’s belly slightly protruded, forming another barrier between the blond man and Althea. At her side, the sheriff’s wife had a baby swaddled to her chest.

“This is a good woman. You leave her alone.”

Hoots of laughter erupted at how Frankie Manning described Althea. “Good, huh? Why’s she dressed like a man?”

Ross recognized Ernie Schmidt’s voice. He had been at the mine with Heally and Arnie. Here he was, causing more trouble.

Another man yelled. “Why’s she livin’ with a man? Let Swearengen have her.”

It is wild doings in Deadwood. One would think life up on the mountain, in the woods, would be quieter. One would be wrong. 

But you will have to read my book to find out more...

Available March 6 on Amazon. Free in KU.

About the Book:

More than gold lies hidden in Deadwood. A woman discovers danger and romance in The Black Hills.

Althea Mills receives a terse note informing her of her father’s death. His partner adds no words of sympathy or mentions Mr. Mills’ share of their claim. She knows the men have been successful. Her father had been sending money each month to support her and her mother, so there must be gold in Deadwood.

Desperate not to lose the money needed to support Ma, she decides on a plan. Althea will head west to mine her share of the claim. Selling everything they own, she and her mother board a train for Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Winter keeps them in Cheyenne. While there, her mother marries. Althea must continue alone.

Once the mountain passes thaw, Althea takes the Cheyenne & Deadwood Stage to head for her mine. As she travels, her confidence grows. What could go wrong?

Close to Deadwood, bandits stop the stage and steal from the passengers. One man meets her gaze. Althea is sure she has never seen greener eyes, eyes she will remember.

Ross Kirwan has a problem. His employee’s daughter arrives, claiming her father was his partner. She expects to mine the gold on his claim. Her appearance forces him to do something he did not plan to do—he must truly mine his claim.

The situation grows worse when a man tries to sell Althea to a Deadwood brothel owner. Only quick action and Ross’ claim to be her fiancé stops it. A forced marriage follows, with the bride vowing to make it temporary. Is that what they want, an annulment?

Will his secret bring an end to their convenient marriage, or will she see him as the man she would have chosen?

Click to reserve your copy!

Fashions from the 1870s by Zina Abbott

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year and last, I authored, or will author, several books set in the 1870s. I decided it was time to make a point to learn more about the fashions of that era.

I knew bustles were a key fashion style of the day. What else?

The large hoop skirts of the 1850s and 1860s—kept full by the use of crinolines and hoops—were replaced by skirts where the fullness moved toward the back. The underskirt was draped with overskirts that were held in place by tapes and supported by bustles.

Also, when dressing up, ladies wore smaller bonnets than in earlier eras. Although they appeared to look more like hats, as long as they were tied under the chin with ribbons, they were still regarded as bonnets. Small hats—often with veils—were also balanced on top of the hair and held in place by hat pins—wicked little accessories that often doubled as self-defense weapons. The hats did not cast enough shade to prevent the ladies from getting their faces sunburned. These bonnets and hats were designed to accommodate hair styles where the hair was pulled back at the sides and worn in either a tight know or a cluster of ringlets. Bangs on the forehead also became popular.

The skirts and bodices were ornamented with a variety of pleats, flounces, rouching, and frills.

During the mid-1870s—the timeframe of my most recent book—the size of bustles toned down so they were not so full. Until the full, looks-like-a-bookshelf  bustles came back into style for a short time in the 1880s, bustles gradually were worn lower in back, giving the wearer a smoother profile.

 

Outwear to keep the women warm were mostly either capes or jackets with a vent in the back to allow for the bustles. For everyday wear, shawls were also used.

Sleeves were tightly fitted to the arms. Square necklines became popular. Day dresses had high necklines that were either closed, squared, or V-shaped.

Evening gowns tended to have lower necklines with very short and off-the-shoulder sleeves.  

 

The bustle style changed so the fullness of the bustle was lower on the body, which created an

New fabric dyes were invented, which prompted women to wear brighter clothing in bolder designs.

As for the men, Western men still wore rugged work clothes for physical labor. trousers, a shirt cut in a slimmer style than earlier years, and a vest was common. Men in the West also wore derbies. (This style of hat with its rounded crown and short brim was more commonly called a derby in the United States and a bowler in the Great Britain.)

It was easy to spot an out-of-town dandy from the East. For formal dress, the silk top hats were still very popular.

 

However, toward the end of the decade, men tended to wear the more stylish derby.  In this photo, notice the shoes, the high starched collar, and tie.

 

Also, in this photograph of Bat Masterson that dates from 1879, notice the derby. Also, note how the jacket flares open at the bottom. For decades, men often fastened the top button of their jackets leaving the remaining buttons undone. This was probably to make it easier to reach their pocket watches. Not only was it more convenient for checking the time, a fashion-conscious man would wish to show off his gold watch chain and fob.

 

Although fashions changed at a slower rate in the nineteenth century than today, such changes were notable. I enjoy this collage that shows how women’s dress styles transitioned from the 1860s through to the 1890s.

 

 

My most recent release is The Bride Who Invades Saloons. To find the book description and pre-order link, please CLICK HERE

 

 

 

 

My next book will be The Mine Owner’s Rescue, which is now on pre-order. To find the book description and pre-order link, please CLICK HERE