I love colorful women who push boundaries and Goldie Griffith was just such a woman. Born in Illinois in 1893, she perhaps had a head start in the boundary pushing game, her father being a medicine showman and her mother an entertainer.
After leaving home, Goldie joined Blanche Whitney’s Athletic Show,
comprised of women wrestlers, boxers and gymnast. Goldie performed as a boxer and a wrestler. Her next stint in the entertainment involved Buffalo Bill Cody, whose Wild West Show she joined as a lady bronc rider. Goldie didn’t know how to ride a horse when she was hired, but she quickly learned.
In 1913, Goldie married Joseph Harry Sterling in a surprise ceremony during a Wild West Show performance in Madison Square Gardens. Buffalo Bill gave the bride away in front of an audience of 8,000 people. She wore a bright red western outfit that is now on display at the History Colorado Center in Denver.
Unfortunately the marriage did not work out. Goldie and Harry had one child before she discovered that her husband was accused of murder in Texas and also had another wife. Goldie did not take the new well. She opened fire on him, in public, with her shotgun. She didn’t hit him but was arrested. Goldie tried marriage again, but this union ended more quietly with a simple divorce.
Goldie’s other accomplishments included being the first female applicant to the San Francisco Police Department; stunt riding in early western films, training dogs for World War II, ranching and owning successful restaurants. Goldie Griffith died in 1976 after a very full life doing pretty much whatever struck her fancy. What a gal!
What a fascinating woman! Enjoyed reading about her.
She’s interesting for sure. I’m surprised there’s not more information on her available.
They should make a movie about her life if one hasn’t already been done.
I agree! I’d watch.
Wow! What a life story. I had never heard of her. It seems she lived a full life.
It amazes me that she was still around when I was a kid. I would have loved to have known about her then.
Thank you for sharing this story. It sounds like she had an exciting life.
You’re welcome, Bonnie.
Never heard of her, but fascinating information.
It’s surprising that there’s not more information about her out there.
Never heard of her but she sounds like quite a character. I think I would have shot at him too! Lol
He kind of deserved it.
I have never heard of her before and I was delighted to read about her. thanks!!
You’re very welcome, Debra!
Wow, Goldie lived enough life for all of us! I was never quite that daring or adventurous.
Few of us are. She’s really something.
Goldie was definitely interesting and one of a kind. She led life her way and sounds like she enjoyed every minute of it, even shooting at her no account first husband. She packed more into her 83 years than most would care to think about. As you said, “What a gal!”
She did pack in a lot of living!
This is so very interesting, Thank you for sharing this. Have a great day and a great rest of the week.
Thank you, Alicia. Have a great week yourself!
I LOVE THIS!!! Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome, Elissa!
Thanks for sharing about another very interesting woman. I had never heard of Goldie Griffith. She lived an amazing life.
She really did, Alice. Especially considering the time during which she lived.
Wow! Interesting, and the first husband deserved to be shot at!! I’d even go so far as to say it’s a shame she missed! lol!!
Lol, Trudy!
Think of all the things she saw! I had an aunt that did sooo much with her life considering how she began. It is amazing how much they accomplished without an education or family backing to speak of. Talk about female strength!
Right you are, Susan. It took a special breed of woman to break barriers. Hurray for them.
Wow. As they say “What a woman!” She certainly covered a lot of “territory” in her life. It is nice to see that during her early years, she didn’t let being a woman hold her back or limit her possibilities. After that start, she certainly never slowed down. I can understand her reaction to the news about her first husband, but he wasn’t worth the punishment she could have gotten – especially if her aim with the shotgun had been more on target. Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Patricia. She truly didn’t let being a woman hold her back.