In the 1800s, it was rather common for women to dress up and live as men. Firstly because the pay was better than jobs offered to women. Secondly, it gave women more freedom to do what they wanted. In some cases, these women disguised at men took on a wife, essentially becoming what was called a female husband in those times. In the case of the female cowboy (a woman being a cowboy was huge news in the 1800s), she kept a heterosexual relationship with a men and turned to a life of crime.
This article was found in The Helena Independent and is dated January 31, 1891:
A FEMALE COWBOY.
Husband and Wife Parted by a Girl of Masculine Propensities.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Jan. 30.—A suit for divorce has been entered in the district court which calls to mind the escapades of a rather notorious Minneapolis woman.
The complainant is Mary E. Cole. She states that she was wedded to Geo. F. Cole at Anoka, Minn., in 1882. They have one child, named Geraldine, who is now two years of age.
The wife is twenty-three years of age, and her erring husband has seen thirty years of ups and downs in this cruel world, but this is but a prelude.
Some months ago, it will be remembered, one Nellie King, a young lady of uncertain social standing and masculine propensities, took it into her head to do the cowboy act. She was noticed first driving about the city, with a broad-rimmed hat set jauntily on her curls, in a training sulky, and often her fair form was the center of many glances as she rode about the streets on the backs of fiery Kentucky steeds.
It was during these days that she met and loved George, the defendant, notwithstanding the fact that he was the property of another woman. Soon she appeared to tire of the conventional mode of equestrian exercises, and after dark tried it a la clothes-pin. She appeared to like this so well that she donned male attire and went to Stillwater, and George went with her.
Here they were arrested for disorderly conduct and suffered the inconvenience of a fine. From there they went to Dakota and started in the bad cowboy business, with such success that they earned a widespread reputation as horse thieves and were pursued.
The lady was captured, although the man escaped. During all this time, it appears, the couple were continuing the round of pleasure as man and wife. If the complainant is to be believed, George did not form himself into a rescuing party for the purpose of tearing his inamorata [female lover] from the cruel arms of her captors, but hied himself at once to the British possessions, where he now is safe from pursuit.
His wife objects to being longer united in matrimony to a gentleman of his dime novel proclivities, and some tender-hearted judge will be asked to sever the hateful bonds immediately, if not quicker.
Meanwhile the fair Miss King continues to be an object of great solicitude to the guardians of Flour City virtue. [Source]
