At a glance, Mary Amadeus Dunne and Mary Fields could not have been more different; Dunne was a judge’s daughter and completed her education at a convent; Fields was born a slave and had to fight her way to independence. That these two 19th-century women should forge a deep friendship is unusual to say the least – but even more exceptional was their mutual dedication to blazing new trails, ever undergirded by a shared heart of compassion.
Dunne made history by founding numerous Ursuline missions in the American frontiers; “Stagecoach Mary” Fields by becoming the first African-American woman to be a mail carrier. In today’s post, we invite you to learn about their enduring friendship, individual accomplishments, and where you can find Mary Amadeus Dunne portrayed in the Basilica.
Who was Stagecoach Mary?
As was the case with many people born into slavery, the details of Mary Field’s early life are not known with certainty, but it’s believed her life began around 1832 near Tennessee. Following the Civil War, she sought new opportunities after being freed, with a stint as a washerwoman and servant, among other things. Eventually, she found her way to the Ursuline Convent of the Sacred Heart in Toledo, Ohio, where she began working as a groundskeeper.
Mary made a reputation for herself as a tough woman; she knew her own mind and could handle herself in a fight; she smoked and drank and stopped at nothing to defend her fresh-cut grass. But despite the shock she caused with her indifference to convention, she discovered a kindred spirit in Mother Mary Amadeus Dunne.
Who was Mother Mary Amadeus Dunne?
Mother Mary Amadeus Dunne had already been on a journey of her own. The daughter of Irish immigrants, she was born as Sara Theresa Dunne in Akron, Ohio, on July 2, 1846. A decade later, her father left for California and sent Sara Theresa and her sister to live and study at the Ursuline Cleveland Convent.
Following the completion of her studies, Dunne joined the Toledo novitiate in the summer of 1864 and took on the responsibilities of superior within a decade. It was a role she thrived in, distinguishing herself with her dedication and competence, and winning unanimous re-election when her term ended. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia:
“Her term of office was a period of flourishing growth for the Ursulines; in 1876 she built a new novitiate; in 1878 she restored the enclosure prescribed in 1607 for the Ursulines of Paris; and in 1879 she re-established the convent at Youngstown.”
It was during her time in Toledo that Dunne met Mary Fields. Despite their radical differences in background and temperament, the two forged a lasting bond. But soon, God called Dunne to another place in the U.S.: amongst the Western indigenous tribes. Along with five of her Ursuline sisters, she went to Miles City, Montana, in winter of 1884. Not only did she establish a boarding school for indigenous Americans in the region, but she also served at a mission on the Tongue River Reservation.
Fields Cares for Dunne in Montana
In 1885, however, Dunne fell ill, prompting Fields to come to care for her in Montana. As she helped Dunne recover, Fields found new employment at the convent there. In addition to her grounds work, she oversaw construction projects, drove a supply wagon, and looked after 400 chickens. Fields’ independent streak, however, remained strong as ever. Though she fulfilled her responsibilities, she followed her own notions about her personal habits – smoking, drinking, and shooting guns. Her obstinance came to a head when an argument with another worker from the convent culminated in the pair pulling guns on each other.
New Frontiers for Dunne and Fields
Unfortunately, Fields wasn’t permitted to remain at the convent after this incident. Though, according to some sources, Mary Dunne and the other nuns wished her to stay, the bishop decided against it. The two women remained friends, and each went on to blaze their own trails.
For Dunne, this meant facing the trials of the Tongue River Reservation, including resistance from the Cheyenne people – threats significant enough that the priests serving alongside her left the region. But Dunne and the Ursuline Sisters endured, fostering trust with the indigenous people. The Catholic Encyclopedia credits Dunne’s “personal magnetism and winning firmness” for ultimately earning the respect and loyalty of the Cheyenne chiefs.
From that point on, Dunne’s ministry only continued to grow; over the next two decades, she established 12 missions. Her groundbreaking work eventually garnered the notice of Leo XIII, who in 1900 invited her to Rome to attend the “first chapter general of the Ursulines” there. She went on to be elected Provincial Superior for the northern United States and served as delegate four more times.
What Happened to Stagecoach Mary?
As for Mary Fields – the end of her life at the convent was just the beginning of a new chapter. She pursued a variety of jobs and independent business ventures until she won a contract to be a star route mail carrier in 1895. Despite being nearly 60 years old at this time, she still managed to out-perform her male competitors by being the quickest applicant in attaching the horses to the coach. For this role, she used a stagecoach given by Mary Dunne, working to deliver mail – and defend it from any ruffians along the way. Not only was she the first African-American woman to carry mail – she was the second woman in the United States to do so. According to the History Channel website:
“‘Stagecoach Mary’ or ‘Black Mary,’ as she was nicknamed, carried a rifle and a revolver. She met trains with mail, then drove her stagecoach over rocky, rough roads and through snow and inclement weather. And though she intimidated would-be thieves with her height and her tough demeanor, she became beloved by locals, who praised her generosity and her kindness to children.”
After eight years, Stagecoach Mary retired, living until the age of about 82.
What Happened to Mother Mary Amadeus?
Mother Mary Amadeus’ final frontier was in Alaska, where she assisted her Ursuline sisters with the state’s first mission, established in the Yukon Delta in 1907, and then later founded missions in St. Michael and Valdez. Near the end of her life, a number of calamities contributed to her decline; in 1918, she suffered an injury during a cross-state trip and also narrowly escaped a fire at the St. Michael convent. The next year, she died at an Ursuline house in Seattle on November 10.
Today, both of these women are remembered for their daring, perseverance, and hearts of compassion. You can find Mother Mary Amadeus Dunne portrayed in the Basilica in a clerestory window.
Sources:
“Meet Stagecoach Mary, A Truly American Character,” Mark Powell, Inside Sources.
“Meet Stagecoach Mary, the Daring Black Pioneer Who Protected Wild West Stagecoaches,” Erin Blakemore, the History Channel website.
“Mother Mary Amadeus Dunne,” The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 17. Accessed online.
“Pioneering Black Women: Stagecoach Mary,” Arcadia Publishing.
Historic images accessed at Wikimedia Commons.