Silver Queen: The Fabulous Story of Baby Doe Tabor

by Caroline Bancroft

"Silver The Fabulous Story of Baby Doe Tabor" by Caroline Bancroft is a captivating tale of love, loss, and resilience set against the backdrop of the Colorado mountains. The book delves into the life of Baby Doe Tabor, a once glamorous figure who fell from riches to rags, only to find herself frozen in time on the floor of her cabin. Caroline Bancroft's meticulous research and personal encounters with Baby Doe provide a unique perspective on the enigmatic figure. From Baby Doe's early days in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to her marriage to Harvey Doe and their journey to Central City, Colorado, the narrative unfolds with a mix of admiration and curiosity, shedding light on societal norms and the harsh realities of life in mining communities.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History

180 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1955

About the author

A third-generation Coloradan, Caroline Bancroft was born into Colorado’s “upper-crust” society. Describing Denver’s history as “alive and kicking,” she was also describing herself. Known for her high-handedness and eccentricities, Bancroft spent time in the Ziegfield Follies and was once a cruise ship teacher before she wrote for the then-scandalous Denver Post. Her determination and interest in Colorado history led her to research and publish nine booklets on the topic. Armed with a master’s degree in history from the University of Denver, she focused primarily on Central City, Leadville, and the Tabor family. In her later years, Bancroft traveled to escape health problems. She was struck with cancer four times and tuberculosis three times and suffered blindness for one full year.

Bancroft is most famous for her original work on Colorado history, on which the opera The Ballad of Baby Doe and the musical The Unsinkable Molly Brown were based. Her works include Silver Queen: The Fabulous Story of Baby Doe Tabor (1950); Famous Aspen: Its Fabulous Past—Its Lively Present (1954); The Brown Place in Denver (1955); The Unsinkable Mrs. Brown: S.S. Titantic Heroine (1956); Gulch of Gold: A History of Central City (1958); Colorful Colorado (1959); Tabor’s Matchless Mines and Lusty Leadville (1960); Unique Ghost Towns and Mountain Spots (1961); Colorado’s Lost Gold Mine (with Mary B. Wills, 1965); The Unsinkable Molly Brown Cookbook (1966); Two Burros of Fairplay: Morsels of History for Young and Old (1968); and Trail Ridge Country: Estes Park and Grand Lake (1969). She also wrote a play for the television biographical series of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, produced by the American Broadcasting Company network in 1956–1957. She wrote articles for the New York Evening Post, New York Herald Tribune, New York Times, Town and Country, Woman’s Home Companion, Western Folklore Quarterly, Colorado Westerner’s Brand Book , and other magazines and newspapers.

From Colorado Women's Hall of Fame:
http://www.cogreatwomen.org/bancroft.htm

Reviews

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caroline Bancroft, the author, wrote this little book as though Baby Doe Tabor was telling her story in the first person, based on her papers that Sue Bonnie, her late-in-life friend, had acquired. Baby Doe was born Elizabeth McCourt, in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to an Irish Catholic family. She married her first husband, Harvey Doe and moved to Colorado with him. Their marriage fell apart and she eventually met Horace Tabor, an early prospector who had struck it rich with his Leadville, CO silver mines. Unfortunately he was already married to Augusta who did not like the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Baby Doe ended up as Tabor's mistress, and after their divorces, they were married in Washington, DC, where he was serving as one of Colorado's Senators. They went on to have two daughters (and a stillborn son). Unfortunately President Grover Cleveland signed the repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, which ended the demand for silver and the Tabor's lost all their wealth. He ended up as the postmaster of Denver, dying there in April 1899. The last years of Baby Doe were lived out in poverty. Her daughters left her. But she held on to the Matchless mine, dying in a cabin there in 1935. Douglas Moore's opera, "The Ballad of Baby Doe", is based on her and Horace's life.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought Denver was pretty much the worst place to live unless you hate eating food. But then I went to a little used bookstore and found this book. It's more of a booklet, really. I think it's only about 50 pages long? That is a complete guess. Anyways, very engrossing story and I enjoyed the writing. I'm going to read some more of Caroline Bancroft's books about Denver history.

[Stacey Ziegler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read...my mom read it and loved it, so I gave it a go. Crazy to think this really happened ... The rags to riches to rags...left me feeling sorry for Baby Doe...what a life...

[Edd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A first person, one sided account of Baby Doe Tabor's life.
An somewhat interesting, quick read but leaves you wondering if the events happened exactly as described.

[Janin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Great slice of American history and Baby Doe was a larger than life character.

[Greyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of an extended pamphlet, really (there's no spine, just staples holding the compact 80 pages together). It's a "first person" account of Ms. Baby Doe Tabor's life story from her upbringing in Oshkosh, WI to her time in Colorado as socialite, near-leading lady, and final decades on the eastern outskirts of Leadville as a destitute recluse.

I picked this up in an LFL awhile ago, and read it while camping in Colorado. Apropos setting! When visiting Leadville earlier in the week I got a whole spiel on the Tabor legacy from one of the opera house "period actors" who was staffing a gift shop. Fun stuff.

[Candida · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colorado history

This book was written in a unique style. It doesn't read like a history book it seems as if Baby Doe Tabor is telling you her life story. This is a sad story for sure and it's not the first account of nuevo riche extravagance that led to complete poverty but it's probably one of the most striking accounts.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best written book, the topic is of interest because it has roots in Oshkosh WI and it one other fantastic rise to the top and the fall to the bottom. It is worth read and the characters are interesting.

[L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short read. Fascinating Denver history. Drawn from for the Ballad of Baby Doe libretto.

[Susan Molloy · Rating 3 out of 5]

🖊 My review: As much as I was interested in reading about Baby Doe Tabor, and especially this early publication about her life, I am disappointed since I did not care for the “get-in-the-head-of-the-subject” style and format that Caroline Bancroft used. Sure, this reads more like true words that Baby Doe spoke, but do we really know that she said what is stated in this book? I certainly do not. Moreover, the way that Bancroft wrote Baby Doe's words, they came across very conceited – Baby Doe appears full of herself in this book and very unlikeable.

I did enjoy the old black and white photographs, though. “Despite the dazzling chapters and the story’s consistent flamboyance, hers is a tragic tale. Although she epitomized a roistering era and a swashbuckling way of life made possible by the mining frontier of Colorado, the granite gloom of those powerful mountains has forever lowered the curtain on her dramatic period and on the valiant, if mistaken, spirit of Baby Doe Tabor.”

🔥 Dénouement: Dramatic.
🔻 Genre: Biography.
✔️Published in 1950.
💠 Setting: Oshkosh, Wisconsin and Denver and Leadville, Colorado.
👁 Point of view: First and third persons.
🖋 The writing style: A bit flamboyant at times.
🗝 What I learned: What people looked like, via the photographs.
💫 What I like best: The photographs.
📌 Would I read this again? No.
🤔 My rating 🌟🌟
◼️ Fun fact: Baby Doe Tabor’s first daughter wore a $15,000 christening gown.
🟢 Media form: Project Gutenberg found HERE.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say that I enjoyed this one by Bancroft much better than "the Six Racy Madams of Colorado." It flowed much better and was more interesting I thought. However, while I liked reading the first person perspective (as if Baby Doe is telling the story) I wonder how the author could get away with putting this out as non-fiction since she states at the end that there are some fictional passages in it. Wouldn't that make it, well, fiction? She does say that she was criticized for this when it came out and it makes me wonder how much is made up? I might have to get another biography of her to see if I can figure it out--of course any biographer has their biases, so it would be hard to find one that is truly neutral.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just finished Bancroft's Gulch of Gold about Central City, which has one section about the Doe family, so I decided this was a good time to read Silver Queen. I think it would have been better if it hadn't been written in the first person (which sounds pretty hokey in places), but I think CB was writing for the general public and probably thought this approach would be more engaging.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A straightforward, honest portrayal of a fascinating woman during the most fascinating years of Colorado history. Although I cannot say I "liked" Baby Doe, I did feel like I was right there with her as the times, places and events were described. A valuable read for this Colorado history buff.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the condensed story of Baby Doe Tabor as told by a friend. Bancroft also did research into her life and wrote this book as if Baby Doe were telling it.

She had a very interesting life but also a hard life. Going from riches to rags and dealing with what life gave her.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, fast read

[Laura]

Free download available at Project Gutenberg.