In Cherry County, Nebraska, during the 1880s, Sadie Austin was well-educated and noted for her refinement, including her accomplishments as a pianist. But the poor lass was immersed in a culture of guns, they were everywhere, over the mantle, by the door, even in the outhouse. Slowly she was assimilated, sewed herself a split skirt, and became known for how well she sat a horse, her shooting ability, and sadly, the best known cowgirl in the county.
How do we know of the sad demise of this unfortunate lass?
Solomon D. Butcher, who moved to Nebraska in 1880, with his father, brother and brother-in-law, in two covered wagons, to homestead.
From his biography..
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"I soon came to the conclusion that any man that would leave the luxuries of a boarding house, where they had hash every day, and a salary of $125 a month to lay Nebraska sod for 75 cents a day... was a fool."
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He moved to Minneapolis, went to medical school, married a nurse, moved back to Nebraska as a teacher, started a post Office and photography studio, elected Justice of the Peace with the Populist Party, and failed at pretty much everything. Except at capturing the toddler years of Nebraska and the life of the prairie homesteaders.
When his house burned down he lost everything but several thousand glass negatives which were stored in a granary. Having lost everything and being flat broke, he sold the glass plates to the
Nebraska Historical Society, for $600. He got $100 up front but had to wait for the state legislature to appropriate the rest.
