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Augusta Pierce Tabor (March 29, 1833 – January 30, 1895) was the wife of a merchant and miner, Horace Tabor, the first white woman to live in the Idaho Springs mining camp, and a Denver philanthropist. She was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 1991 for her contributions to social service and philanthropy.[1]
Augusta Pierce was born in Augusta, Maine on March 29, 1833.[2][3] Her father, William B. Pierce,[4] owned a quarry[2][3] and was a contractor. Tabor, one of ten children and the third of seven girls, suffered poor health during her childhood.[2] She is described as being tall, lithe and beautiful with thick dark hair and was determined and charming.[5] Tabor was a debutante, grew up in a pampered lifestyle, and believed in women's rights.[6] She was the cousin of Franklin Pierce, president of the United States.[7]
William B. Pierce hired Horace Tabor to supervise stone-cutters who worked on the construction of a mental institution (called an insane asylum at the time) in Augusta, Maine. Augusta Pierce met Horace and they fell in love.[8][9] Augusta and Horace made a plan to move west to Kansas Territory to help populate the territory with anti-slavery supporters. First, though, Horace traveled to Kansas and worked to save money to get married.[10] He arrived with other members of the New England Emigrant Aid Company in 1855.[11][12] Horace worked at Fort Riley as a stonemason,[12] and he fought with others to defend the town of Lawrence against pro-slavery men during the Sacking of Lawrence.[13]
A member of the Free Soil Party,[14] Tabor was elected to the Topeka Legislature.[12][14]
Augusta was married to Horace Tabor on January 31, 1857, becoming Augusta Tabor.[15][16] After their marriage at her family's home in Maine, the couple farmed for two years along Deep Creek in Zeandale, Kansas (known today as Tabor Valley).[12][15][16] They had a son named Nathaniel Maxcy,[12] who was also known as Maxey.[17]
Augusta and Horace Tabor lived in the Idaho Springs mining camp before moving to Leadville. The Tabors established a store and Augusta made money as a washerwoman and as a landlady to boarders. Horace mined for gold in the mountains of Colorado and in 1878, after 20 years, he struck a silver vein that made US$10,000 (equivalent to $315,724 in 2023) per day.[1]
The Tabors established a mansion in Denver after Horace was elected lieutenant governor later in 1878. The 20-room mansion, built at Eighteenth and Broadway for $40,000 (equivalent to $1,262,897 in 2023), was operated as a boarding house after Horace left her for Elizabeth "Baby Doe" McCourt. Augusta was landlady for up to 14 people at a time and was engaged in community activities, such as contributing to civic projects and charities and hosting fund-raising events. Tabor was particularly involved in the Pioneer Ladies Aid Society.[1]
With then-husband Horace, Augusta was a co-developer of the Tabor Grand Opera House (1881), Denver's first opera-quality theatrical performance space. Augusta Tabor is a major character in the opera The Ballad of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore and John Latouche; the role was created by Martha Lipton at the opera's 1956 premiere.[18] A noted interpreter of the part was Frances Bible, who recorded it in 1961.[19]
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