29c Nellie Cashman stamp

Those who moved with the westward expansion faced many challenges as they settled and created homes. In 1994 the U.S. Postal Service created the Legends of the West Issue, honoring those who made the West their home.

Nellie Cashman (ca. 1850-1925) - “The Angel of Tombstone” - embodied the adventurous spirit of the West. She emigrated to the U.S. from Ireland in the 1860s and moved West. She earned an honest reputation managing her boarding house in Nevada. When a scurvy epidemic broke out in British Columbia, she organized men to carry supplies through the deep snow to the sick, and nursed them back to health. Afterwards, Nellie moved to Tombstone, Arizona, where she opened the first female-owned business. She was a prominent citizen, promoting social welfare and the arts. When Nellie died, newspapers across the country recognized her good works.

Scott Catalogue USA: 2869k
mint

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Museum ID: 1995.2075.101