Libby Thompson
Encyclopedia
Mary Elizabeth "Libby" Thompson (1855-1953) was a prostitute and dance hall girl who worked in Dodge City, Kansas
and other frontier cattle towns during the 1870s. She later became famous as Squirrel Tooth Alice, madam of a brothel
in Sweetwater, Texas
.
Indians raided the Haley farm in Texas and took young Libby captive. Libby remained a captive until 1867 when her parents paid a ransom for her release. From this point forward, Libby was a marked woman. Even though she was only thirteen, many people assumed that she had sexually submitted to the Indians during her captivity. Libby found herself shunned and ostracized from society. Libby soon took up with an older man who didn’t care about her past, but James Haley found the idea of an older man taking advantage of his daughter so objectionable that he shot and killed the suitor. Libby’s reputation was soiled even further.
, but a young woman alone had few options so Libby became a dance hall girl and prostitute. In Abilene she hooked up with a gambler and part-time cowboy named Billy Thompson, brother of the notorious Ben Thompson
. In 1870, the couple left Kansas for Texas and for the next couple of years Billy punched cows along the Chisholm Trail
while Libby continued working as a dance hall girl in various towns across the southern prairie.
In 1872, at the age of seventeen, Libby was plying her trade in the cattle town of Ellsworth, Kansas
, while Billy worked the gambling halls. By the spring of 1873, however, the couple was back out on the prairie with a spring cattle drive. Libby bore her first child on the open prairie and, to make the child legitimate, she and Billy got married that year.
In the summer of 1873, Billy Thompson, in a state of drunkenness, shot and killed Ellsworth town sheriff Chauncey Whitney. He was arrested but got the cattle company he worked for to bail him out. Because he was fearful of being shot himself by vengeful family members, Billy and Libby ran. The couple wound up in Dodge City, where Billy gambled and Libby worked as a dancer and prostitute. It was here that the Thompsons made the acquaintance of Wyatt Earp
and his paramour, Mattie Blaylock
.
After Dodge City, the Thompsons drifted to Colorado
but by 1876 they had moved to Sweetwater, Texas, which became their permanent home. In Sweetwater the couple purchased a ranch outside of town and a dance hall in town. Libby ran the dance hall which was a front for a brothel. Libby was not embarrassed by her profession, and it was as a madam in Sweetwater that she became known for keeping her pet prairie dog
s. These, along with a gap in her teeth, gave her the sobriquet, "Squirrel Tooth Alice."
In 1897, after twenty-four years of marriage and nine children, Billy Thompson died of consumption. Libby Thompson continued running her Sweetwater brothel until she retired in 1921 at the age of sixty-six. Although most of her sons had turned to crime and her daughters followed her into prostitution, Libby spent her elderly years living in Palmdale, California
among her various children’s homes. On April 13, 1953, Libby Thompson died at the Sunbeam Rest Home in Los Angeles, California
, at the age of ninety-eight.
Dodge City, Kansas
Dodge City is a city in, and the county seat of, Ford County, Kansas, United States. Named after nearby Fort Dodge, the city is famous in American culture for its history as a wild frontier town of the Old West. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,340.-History:The first settlement of...
and other frontier cattle towns during the 1870s. She later became famous as Squirrel Tooth Alice, madam of a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
in Sweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater, Texas
Sweetwater is the county seat of Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,415 at the 2000 census.-History:Sweetwater received a U.S. post office in 1879. The Texas and Pacific Railway started service in 1881, with the first train arriving on March 12 of that year, beginning...
.
Early life
Born Mary Elizabeth Haley, Libby had a difficult childhood. The family lost its fortune during the Civil War, and in 1864 ComancheComanche
The Comanche are a Native American ethnic group whose historic range consisted of present-day eastern New Mexico, southern Colorado, northeastern Arizona, southern Kansas, all of Oklahoma, and most of northwest Texas. Historically, the Comanches were hunter-gatherers, with a typical Plains Indian...
Indians raided the Haley farm in Texas and took young Libby captive. Libby remained a captive until 1867 when her parents paid a ransom for her release. From this point forward, Libby was a marked woman. Even though she was only thirteen, many people assumed that she had sexually submitted to the Indians during her captivity. Libby found herself shunned and ostracized from society. Libby soon took up with an older man who didn’t care about her past, but James Haley found the idea of an older man taking advantage of his daughter so objectionable that he shot and killed the suitor. Libby’s reputation was soiled even further.
Life as a prostitute in the Old West
At the age of fourteen, Libby ran away from home in search of a fresh start. She wound up in Abilene, KansasAbilene, Kansas
Abilene is a city in and the county seat of Dickinson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,844.-History:...
, but a young woman alone had few options so Libby became a dance hall girl and prostitute. In Abilene she hooked up with a gambler and part-time cowboy named Billy Thompson, brother of the notorious Ben Thompson
Ben Thompson
Ben Thompson was a gunman, gambler, and sometime lawman of the Old West. He was a contemporary of Wyatt Earp, Buffalo Bill Cody, Doc Holliday, John Wesley Hardin and James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickock, some of whom considered him a trusted friend, others an enemy.Ben Thompson had a colorful career,...
. In 1870, the couple left Kansas for Texas and for the next couple of years Billy punched cows along the Chisholm Trail
Chisholm Trail
The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the late 19th century to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. The portion of the trail marked by Jesse Chisholm went from his southern trading post near the Red River, to his northern trading post near Kansas City, Kansas...
while Libby continued working as a dance hall girl in various towns across the southern prairie.
In 1872, at the age of seventeen, Libby was plying her trade in the cattle town of Ellsworth, Kansas
Ellsworth, Kansas
Ellsworth is a city in and the county seat of Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,120.-19th century:...
, while Billy worked the gambling halls. By the spring of 1873, however, the couple was back out on the prairie with a spring cattle drive. Libby bore her first child on the open prairie and, to make the child legitimate, she and Billy got married that year.
In the summer of 1873, Billy Thompson, in a state of drunkenness, shot and killed Ellsworth town sheriff Chauncey Whitney. He was arrested but got the cattle company he worked for to bail him out. Because he was fearful of being shot himself by vengeful family members, Billy and Libby ran. The couple wound up in Dodge City, where Billy gambled and Libby worked as a dancer and prostitute. It was here that the Thompsons made the acquaintance of Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Earp
Wyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
and his paramour, Mattie Blaylock
Mattie Blaylock
Celia Ann "Mattie" Blaylock was a prostitute who became the romantic companion and common-law wife of Old West lawman and gambler Wyatt Earp for about 8 years...
.
After Dodge City, the Thompsons drifted to Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
but by 1876 they had moved to Sweetwater, Texas, which became their permanent home. In Sweetwater the couple purchased a ranch outside of town and a dance hall in town. Libby ran the dance hall which was a front for a brothel. Libby was not embarrassed by her profession, and it was as a madam in Sweetwater that she became known for keeping her pet prairie dog
Prairie dog
Prairie dogs are burrowing rodents native to the grasslands of North America. There are five different species of prairie dogs: black-tailed, white-tailed, Gunnison's, Utah and Mexican prairie dogs. They are a type of ground squirrel, found in the United States, Canada and Mexico...
s. These, along with a gap in her teeth, gave her the sobriquet, "Squirrel Tooth Alice."
In 1897, after twenty-four years of marriage and nine children, Billy Thompson died of consumption. Libby Thompson continued running her Sweetwater brothel until she retired in 1921 at the age of sixty-six. Although most of her sons had turned to crime and her daughters followed her into prostitution, Libby spent her elderly years living in Palmdale, California
Palmdale, California
Palmdale is a city located in the center of northern Los Angeles County, California, United States.Palmdale was the first community within the Antelope Valley to incorporate as a city on August 24, 1962; 47 years later, voters approved creating a charter city in November, 2009. Palmdale is...
among her various children’s homes. On April 13, 1953, Libby Thompson died at the Sunbeam Rest Home in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, at the age of ninety-eight.
Scholarly resources
- Butler, Anne M. Daughters of Joy, Sisters of Misery: Prostitutes in the American West, 1865-90. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1987. ISBN 0-252-01466-9
- Enss, Chris. Pistol Packin' Madams: True Stories of Notorious Women of the Old West. Guilford, CT: Twodot Books, 2006. ISBN 0-7627-3775-1
- Gesell, Laurence E. Saddle the Wild Wind: The Saga of Squirrel Tooth Alice and Texas Billy Thompson. Coast Aire Pubns, 2001. ISBN 1-8909-3803-3
- Seagraves, Anne. Soiled Doves: Prostitution in the Early West. Wesanne Publications, 1994. ISBN 0-9619088-4-X