Maggie Hall

Maggie Hall (December 26, 1853 – January 17, 1888) was a prostitute and brothel madam in the early history of Murray, Idaho, originally from Dublin, Ireland.[1] In local lore she is known as a "Prostitute with a heart of gold"[2] and the "Patron Saint of Murray".[3]

Maggie Hall
Maggie Hall
Born(1853-12-26)December 26, 1853
Dublin, Ireland
DiedJanuary 17, 1888(1888-01-17) (aged 34)
Murray, Idaho
NationalityIrish
Other namesMolly Burdan, Molly B'Damn
OccupationProstitute, brothel madam

Biography

Hall was born in Dublin, Ireland, to an English Protestant father and an Irish Catholic mother, both of whom were well educated. They ensured their daughter was also well educated.[4] She could recite Shakespeare, Dante and John Milton.[5]

Hall felt confined in Ireland and, despite her parents begging her not to, she sailed for America to seek her fortune.[5] She arrived in New York City in 1873. Once there, she started working as a barmaid.[3][6] Soon, she met a wealthy young man named Burdan and agreed to marry. Hall wanted a Catholic marriage, but Burdan wanted to marry immediately. He woke a city official who promptly married them. Burdan thought Maggie too common a name for the wife of a man in his position, so she changed her name to Molly. The marriage was kept a secret from Burdan's father who would not approve and gave his son a generous monthly allowance.[5] The father eventually found out and cut Burdan off.

Prostitution

Without any income, and now in debt, Burdan tried to talk his wife into prostitution. She eventually, and reluctantly, agreed.[6] Feeling guilt for her actions, she went to Confession, but instead of receiving forgiveness, she was excommunicated her from Catholic Church.[5]

With her husband making more demands on her, and her love for him fading, in around 1877, Hall left her husband to work solely for her own rewards.[5] She travelled to Chicago,[5] Virginia City, Nevada, San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, increasing her charges as she went. At one stage she was reputed to be the mistress of a millionaire.[6] During this time she built up an expensive wardrobe.[7]

Murray

In 1884, after hearing about the gold strikes in the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, she headed to Idaho. Whilst heading there on a train, she met Calamity Jane, although their paths diverged at Thompson Falls, Montana.[6]

Hall brought a horse and joined a pack train heading to Murray, Idaho.[6] On the way, the train encountered a blizzard while in Thompson Pass.[5] She noticed a woman and child struggling in the snow, so took them and found shelter for the night whilst the train carried on its journey. When they arrived in Murray the day after the train, word of her actions had spread and she was admired by the townsfolk.[6]

In Murray, Hall met a man named Philip O'Rourke and the two became longtime friends. O'Rourke helped her to find a cabin in Paradise Row where she set up a brothel. Hall gained the nickname Molly B'Damn in Murray. In some accounts, this originated from O'Rourke misshearing her when she told him her name; Molly Burdan (her married name).[6] In other accounts, she gained the nickname from her colorful language.

On miner's payday, Hall would fill a bathtub with water in the alley behind the brothel and invite miners to throw gold dust in it. When enough had been thrown in, she would strip off and bathe in the tub. For extra gold dust, the miners could help wash her.[8]

Hall was known for her kindness and charity. She would home the homeless, feed the hungry and nurse the sick. Murray had only one doctor. When the town was affected by smallpox in 1886, Hall rallied the town into setting up makeshift hospitals and led the nursing of the sick.[8]

Death
Tombstone inscription

Sacred
To The Memory Of
Maggie Hall
Molly-B-Dam
Died At Murray
Jan. 17 1888
Age 35 Years
IHS[5]

Hall contracted tuberculosis in October 1887 and died on January 27, 1888, aged 34. O'Rourke was at her bedside. The community pulled all their curtains shut and the bars, gambling dens and surrounding mines shut down for her funeral.[5] The service was given by a Methodist minister as the Catholic priest refused. At her own request she was buried as Maggie Hall[9] in Murray Cemetery.[10] Her tombstone erroneously gives her age as 35.[5]

Legacy

Hall's legendary compassion led the citizens of Murray to name their annual city celebration the "Molly B'Damn Gold Rush Days" in her honor.[11][12] They have trouble casting the role of Molly B'Damn as there are no known photographs of her.[13] The Sprag Pole Museum located in Murray features a reconstruction of her bedroom as one of the exhibits.[14]

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References
  1. Dungan 2011, p. 39.
  2. Weston 2014, p. 21.
  3. Adams, Ken. "Angels or Whores". www.3rd1000.com. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  4. Seagraves 1994, p. 103.
  5. Rutter 2015.
  6. MacKell 2011, p. 185.
  7. Bovee, Kari. "Molly b'Damn". karibovee.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  8. MacKell 2011, p. 186.
  9. Dungan 2011, p. 46.
  10. MacKell 2011, pp. 186-188.
  11. Molly B' Damn Days. "Molly B' Damn Days 2018, a Festival in Murray, Idaho". Asheville, NC: FestivalNet.com. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
  12. "Database entry – Maggie Hall". journals.lib.uidaho.edu. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  13. Sanderson, Ward (21 March 1997). "Good Golly, Is It Molly? California Man Says Photo Is Of Legendary Madam Molly B'Dam". www.spokesman.com. The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 21 March 2019.
  14. "The Sprag Pole Museum in historic Murray, Idaho". Sprag Pole Museum. Archived from the original on 15 October 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2019.

Sources
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