Carrie Adell Strahorn: The Queen of the Pioneers

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October 17, 2019

Carrie Adell Strahorn: The Queen of the Pioneers

By Gavin Gassmann

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In our upcoming December Premier Auction there is a plethora of highly historic firearms crossing the podium that once belonged to famous generals, political figures, and powerful men of history. It is rare that we get the pleasure of auctioning a one-of-a-kind historic firearm owned by a woman, but we have one gun this auction presented to a significant female on the frontier. That woman is Carrie Adell Strahorn, the “Queen of the Pioneers.”

The Early Years

Carries Adell Green Strahorn, referred to by most as Adell, was born in Marengo, Illinois on January 1, 1854 and was second of three daughters to her parents. Adell’s family was active in the development of the West and advancements around the frontier. Midwestern pioneers Dr. John W. and Louise Babcock Green were her paternal grandparents and founded Greenfield, Ohio where her father was raised. Her maternal family were descendants of Aaron Burr, the third Vice President of the United States, and resided in New York. All of her ancestors were known for there love of travel and adventure.

Adell's father was a prestigious doctor and considered one of the most talent medical professionals in the Mississippi Valley. He was called to serve during the Civil War as a field surgeon and was present in many important battles. Her mother joined him in some of his travels as a war doctor.

Education and enrichment of the individual were highly coveted values throughout Adell's childhood. She was blessed to live in an area that provided public education for children which was not always the case in the 1800s. All three of the Green daughters learned at a young age that taking on challenges is a part of bettering oneself and those around you, there is no advancement in the world without adversity.

Adell wrote in the preface of her book, “Fifteen Thousand Miles By Stage,” that in her formative years she swore to never be a pioneer. She found no pleasure in being dragged around uncharted territory and having her life put on the line daily. As she grew older, Adell developed a love of knowledge and music which lead her to pursue higher education to advance her passions. She journeyed to Ann Arbor and attended the University of Michigan where she pursued a degree in music. With her education came the chance to study her skills abroad in Europe which lead her to become a cultured young lady. She was a classically trained vocalist and achieved a feat most woman were unable to reach in those days by graduating from a university. Her grace, intelligence, and enlightened spirit caught the eye of one Sioux War reporter, Robert Strahorn.

Robert Strahorn

Robert was not the refined young gentleman that Adell’s family and friends imaged she would commit her life to. He was not formally educated having dropped out of school at age ten. Despite this, he went on to pursue a gritty career in journalism and writing on the frontier in his early adulthood. Adell didn’t care that he was not sophisticated, she found him to be an intriguing man with ambition that fit her own. In 1877, the couple wed in her hometown and began the journey of a lifetime.

On The Frontier

Shortly after the joyous union of the Strahorns, another type of union was in hot pursuit of Robert’s writing and adventuring talents. The Union Pacific Railroad had taken interest in Robert after he published a book on the resources offered by the Dakota and Wyoming Territories. The company wanted him to write more guidebooks about the area and any other frontier they decided to explore. Robert wanted the job and Adell encouraged him to take it, but only under the condition that she was able to join him on his travels. Robert told the railroad company the ultimatum and they reluctantly agreed to let him bring Adell. The couple journeyed and made their first trip together to Cheyenne, Wyoming, a trip that would eventually take them beyond the Rocky Mountains.

To get pioneers to settle, Robert wrote many books containing his endlessly conducted research on the terrain, weather, business success trajectories, and forecasts for prosperity in the undiscovered areas. Meanwhile, Adell kept herself busy by journaling about her experiences and becoming heavily involved in social causes. Adell was a strong women’s suffrage advocate and strove to advance women's rights and their place in society. Her push to join her husband instead of staying at home was just the first of many independent decisions Adell would choose during her life.

Robert and Adell

Adell was not always by the side of her husband. While the majority of her travels included business related trips where she and Robert would sleep on stiff straw mattress with a dozen people to a room, there were times when she traveled alone. In those days, embarking on a trip unaccompanied as a lady not only was frowned upon, it was dangerous. Just months after they settled in Wyoming, the couple traveled back to Illinois to spend the holidays with her family. Robert had to leave a few days before her to get to Denver to start work on another project. Adell was going to join him shortly after the holidays but on her train ride to the Denver, she had many detours; snow, derailed carts and bandits were all in the mix. Despite the less than perfect first journey to join her husband, she decided to continue on with the adventurous endeavor. After all, this was all a part of the unpredictability that was expected while traveling on the frontier.

Adell encountered numerous trials beyond the simple inconveniences that plagued a pioneer’s life. Being a woman, she was pushed away from certain opportunities and rights that her fellow male travelers could enjoy. One of her most famous feats was her besting of the superintendent at Yellowstone National Park in 1880. She was told only men could travel around the area because a light snowfall caused dangerous conditions for women. She would not accept the blatantly sexist rule and argued until she was able to join her husband and the other men on the tour. Because of her bullheadedness, she became the first woman to tour Yellowstone and wrote extensively of the experience in one of her books.

As Robert continued to be moved around territories and states, Adell followed along loyally. Robert took on another job as manager of the Idaho-Oregon Land Improvement Company and the couple eventually invested in real estate and utility opportunities in the towns he oversaw.

As a reader dives deep into her memoirs of the West, it becomes more evident that she developed a bit of delight for the adventures that were ahead of her. Her detailed descriptions of the mountains she traveled through and beauty of the unknown truly paints a romanticized picture of her travels. In stark contrast, her description of attacks while traveling are frightening and put real grit to what life was like for early settlers.

Robert left his job at the Union Pacific in 1888, but he continued to invest and build out west with Adell. Hotels, apartments, and new industrial buildings were all investments he took on. The couple had to manage these various buildings which led to more travel. Sometimes, the two would split-up and go on solo journeys. This may be why Robert bought his wife a very interesting Christmas gift in 1888.

Carrie Adell Strahorn’s Colt Lightning “Baby” Carbine

Lot 49: Exceptional, Rare and Historic Deluxe Colt Lightning Slide Action Baby Carbine Factory Inscribed to Pioneer Carrie A. Strahorn from Her Husband Robert E. Stahorn, "Last of the Great Scouts." Avaliable This December

It was highly unusual for a lady to own a rifle in the 19^th century, but Adell was a very different kind of woman. This December, Rock Island Auction Company is delighted to offer the inscribed Colt Lightning “Baby” slide action carbine Robert gave Adell as a Christmas gift in 1888. Although it is not openly discussed, one can assume that a woman on the frontier had to know how to shoot a gun in order to keep herself and family safe, as well as keep food on the table. Perhaps Robert thought it was time she started traveling with a gun of her own.

The "Baby" Colt Lightning carbine has been preserved in spectacular condition retaining 95% of its beautiful blue finish. The rifle was specially ordered with rich details like a fancy walnut grips and checking on the forearm panels. It all comes together finely with an elegant “piano” finish.

The frame bears an inscription that reads, "Carrie A. Strahorn / 1888 / Christmas / from / R.E.S." This is a sweetheart’s touch on a very memorable gift. The barrel also has marking and is stamped, "COLT'S PT. F.A. MFG.Co. HARTFORD CT. U.S.A./ELLIOT'S PATENTS MAY 29. 1883. SEPT. 18. 1883."

The barrel is 20 inches and equipped with a block carbine front sight and folding leaf rear sight. The hammer is superbly casehardened and stands out on this gorgeous gun. The stock is inlaid with silver round plate near the end of the checkered wrist. This particular "Baby" Colt Lightning is chambered in .32 CLMR (Colt Lightning Magazine Rifle), a caliber typically reserved for the Medium frame Lightnings. Most Baby Lightnings will use .22 short and .22 long rimfire cartridges. Accompanied by its countless deluxe features, this Colt “Baby” Lightning is extremely rare, and with the addition of the provenance of ownership, this is gun that is sure to catch the eyes of buyers this December.

The Legacy

The couple traveled for thirty years together and separately across the frontier. They are accredited for founding the Idaho towns of Caldwell, Weiser, Payette, Shoshone and Hailey, and also several towns in Washington and Oregon. Since the pair never had any children, they lovingly referred to their towns as such. Adell called Hailey one of the most organized of all mining towns and had a special interest in the settlement. Her husband named one of mountain ranges in the town, “Della” in her honor. In the town of Caldwell, the couple showed their commitment to educating the minds of the country by helping found the College of Idaho. From their early establishing of mining towns to their later efforts in building industrial and educational ventures out west, the Strahorns molded their cities to prepare the country for the future.

The couple settled in Spokane, Washington in the 1890s and started focusing on bettering the state. Adell had always been a socialite and tried to be active in improving the communities she lived in. Her home was known in every city she lived as a place anyone was welcome. She would always have food and beverages prepared for guests in anticipation that a day would not go by that someone wouldn’t come to visit her.

She published her first book of the two volume series “Fifteen Thousand Miles By Stage,” in 1911. The book goes in-depth into her travels and explains the hardship she and those around her suffered as they traveled further west. It is one of the most personal and in-depth accounts you could wish to read about what frontier life really looked like.

The couple retired to San Francisco, yet again moving further west than they ever imagined. By this time, Robert and Adell had made huge strides in establishing the frontier with over a dozen cities founded, hundreds of homes and buildings built, and inspired people to make their fortunes in the new states. When the couple set out on their journey in 1877, is highly unlikely that they expected it to last as long as did or for it to yield such fruitful results. Adell passed away at the age of 71 in 1925 leaving behind a legacy of adventures, accomplishments, and achievements.

It is such an honor to be able to offer her personally inscribed Colt “Baby” Lightning carbine at auction this December. A woman of such importance to our nation’s expansion should never be forgotten to history and memorabilia like this carbine is a way to remember her contribution to the country for years to come. This is just one of the many historic treasures it is our privilege to present in the upcoming 2019 December Premier Auction. Once our catalog is live, be sure to browse through the many amazing offering to see what this year-end auction holds.