Hide Article Text (OCR)
FOR SIXTY YEARS—MISS HATH ERINE VOSBAUGH, WHO WORKEDIN HANNIBAL As Bank Clerk as Charles Vosbaugh Several Years.Died at Trinidad, Col. Aged 13—Was Res taurant, Eepeepers Cook And Sheep Boddler—Took a “Wife'? at St. Joseph—Born in France and Ingly Educated. TRINIDAD, Gal., Nov. 12.—Miss Katherine Vosbdugh, who for sixty years posed as a man, died at San Raphael ‘hospital “here yesterday morning. She had been an inmate of the hospital two years. She was 83 years of age and had worked as bank clerk, bookkeeper, restaurant keeper, cook and sheepherder. She was once employed in Joplin, Mo., later going to St. Joseph, where she lived thirty years, and where, un der the name of Charles Vosbaugh, she married women to protect her. This “wife” died a few years ago, but through her marriage Miss Vos baugh posed as a man. When Miss Vosbaugh went to the hospital she was believed to be suf fering from pneumonia. An exam ination was made by the hospital physician, Dr. J. T. Forham, and her sex was disclosed. She was forced to don woman's clothing, but this garb made her 80 unhappy that the sisters allowed her to wear man’s apparel. These she wore until con fined to a cot in the hospital. The story of Miss Vosbaugh is an unusual one. She was left an or phan in Marseilles, France, where she was born and where a brilliant father had given her a splendid working education. She thhad kept her father’s accounts and looked aft er his estates in France, Scotland and England since she was a little girl. She spoke English, French, German, Spanish and Hungarian fluently, besides several dialects, in cluding Scotch. Found Life's Straggle Hard. When her father died she tried to continue his work, but people did not have the confidence in her abil ity that they would have in a man and she said it was on that account she donned male attire. She was but a slip of a girl then, and the disguise was easy. She came to America within a short time after her father’s death, and, after spend ing several years in different cities, finally settled in Hannibal, Mo. Here she was given a position as clerk in the Old Eastern bank, and worked for several years. Later she went to Joplin, and then St. Jos eph. It was there he married a Missouri woman. A child was born to her ‘wife,’ but died when an in fant. He later developed that the supposed union was formed to pro tect the woman. Shortly after the death of the baby Katherine?¥osbaugh and this woman came too Trinidad when it was but a hamlet on the map. The two opened a restaurant on Com mercial street, the place now known as the Boston restaurant, and for several years conducted this place, Equal to French Chef. Both were splendid cooks and Katherine Vosbaugh, who could rival the most famoire' french chefs, drew a large patronage’ to the restaurant She gained the name of “Frenchy” while conducting this restaurant. The name stuck ‘to’ the old-timers in Trinidad, who do not remember what became of the woman,who was sup posed to be ‘Frenchy’s” wife. She drifted away from Trinidad and Katherine Vosbaugh never’ men tioned her name to any one; nor did she ever tell, even after the se cret of her life became known, whether or not this woman is dead. When the supposed wife drifted away Miss Vosbaugh secured a place cooking on the Brown ranch, near Trinidad. The art of French cook ing gradually turned into the prep aration of plain “chuck” for sheep herders. Became a Herder. During the last year Miss Vos baugh ‘herded sheep on the hillsides at different intervals, enduring the greatest exposure that any man was subjected to, apparently without bad effects. That a woman could stand the hardships that she endured seems miraculous and impossible. The men with whom she worked, who were toughened by exposure, have, since the disclosure of Katherine Vos baugh’s sex, frequently wondered at her ability to stand it. The body was taken in charge by the Trinidad Undertaking company and will be buried by the county, probably Wednesday. She had no money, but the county and several private individuals will contribute towards giving her a decent burial. Got change for a sult of gauze underwear?
Newspaper Details
Quincy Journal
Quincy, Illinois, US
Tue, Nov 12, 1907
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
GB 31 Jul 2026
Other Publications Near Quincy, Illinois
Quincy Daily Herald
Quincy Journal
Quincy Daily Whig
Quincy Whig
Quincy Whig Journal
