Catherine Mary Erhardt; Laramie’s first dairywoman
New towns need milk, and Laramie City in 1868 was no exception. With no established farms in the vicinity, one enterprising individual arrived at the new town site with dairy cows. A newspaper article written by W. E. Chapman claimed that Catherine Mary Erhardt (1827-1921) had a “monopoly in the milk business” in Laramie. He goes on to say that “Indeed, she was about the only person who served milk for the first five or six years of the city’s existence.”
MILK MARY
Erhardt was experienced with dairy cows and had the wisdom to plan ahead. She started out for Denver from Nebraska in 1866 at age 41, accompanied by her two children. Her journey to Laramie two years later was courageous, one child got measles along the way, so in Cheyenne she entrusted freighters to deliver her precious cows to Laramie. She arrived here in the summer of 1868 with her two children and reunited with her six cows.
Erhardt located her cattle near the Laramie River, where the bridge crosses currently on Snowy Range Road. There was no available lodging, so she purchased a tent for $100. With the advice of a Dr. J. N. Cunningham and his wife, she pitched her tent smack in the middle of 3rd St. near Garfield (since according to the doctor, the streets were not yet well defined).
She was able to make a meager living selling left over milk (after the calves were fed) by the ladle, earning herself the nickname “Milk Mary.” According to William S. Ingham, Librarian at the Laramie Carnegie Library who published “One of Laramie’s Pioneers,” in the March 2, 1913 Boomerang, she also did laundry, and other “daily work,” in order save up enough money to purchase a house (or the lot depending on the source) on the corner of 3rd St. and Garfield St. about a year later.
GERMAN IMMIGRANT
Catherine was born in Bavaria, Germany on April 9, 1827. She grew up in a small village and was raised by her stepmother after her mother’s passing when she was eight years old. She received instruction through the Roman Catholic Church and attended annual dances at the nearest large town. She married at the age of 26 around 1853, but the identity of her husband was not provided in early records. A son, Octavian was born in 1857 and a daughter, Theodora “Dora” was born in June of 1859. Catherine’s husband probably was Geo. Hofer, whose name turns up in later.
Catherine’s family of four immigrated to the United States in 1860. Their arrival is likely documented as one listed on “Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957,” found on the website Ancestry.com. That record shows them arriving in New York via the ship Vanderbilt on June 4, 1860. This document is slightly problematic since it lists Octavian as Octavia, female. However, it does show Theodora (a unique name), Catherine, as well as birthdates, which are consistent with other sources.
HEADS WEST
Catherine, along with her husband and two children took a train from New York to St. Joseph, Missouri. From there they boarded a riverboat, which took dropped them off six miles from their homestead in Richardson County, Nebraska. Here the story is a bit murky, as discrepancies exist regarding her life between 1860 and 1868.
Catherine stated that family suffered from “domestic unhappiness and sorrow” which led to her husband’s desertion approximately four or five years later.
Unable to tend the homestead, Catherine gathered her children and cattle and journeyed in 1866 with a freighting outfit by oxcart through Nebraska to Denver. It is likely they took the Denver Trail from Omaha and followed the Platte River most of the way.
This trip would have been dangerous in 1866, as it was during the early stages of the Indian Wars. One source says it took five weeks. There were conflicts between many of the Plains Indian tribes and the United States Government between 1860 and 1890. Encroachment of frontiersman and women through and onto Indigenous lands that were supposed to be protected from incoming settlement sparked the unrest.
LARAMIE ARRIVAL
Catherine and Theodora (and Octavian?) remained in Denver for two years operating a dairy. Catherine decided to join a wagon train north with all her possessions which included six dairy cows.
While in Cheyenne, Dora contracted measles, so the cattle were sent ahead with the freighters until Dora’s recovery. In June of 1868, mother and daughter boarded a passenger train to Laramie City.
By 1880, Catherine and Dora, who married Jack Martin on December 31, 1876, and their daughter, Elizabeth Latisha (born March 23, 1878) were living on a small ranch north of town. Catherine’s herd either increased beyond what was permitted in the City Ordinance or a stricter enforcement of the law forced her to move outside of town.
She leased school land from Albany County, near where Cathedral Home is located. It is unknown if Octavian came at the same time as Dora and Catherine.
OCTAVIAN IS GONE
It is unclear what happened to Octavian between 1866 and 1868 since he is absent from most recollections during this time. He only appears in the 1880 Federal Census as living with Catherine and is entirely absent from all accessed accounts after this time.
An unnamed source in Dicksie Knight May’s research titled “Mrs. Katherine Erhardt—Recollections of various old-timers of Laramie concerning ‘Aunt Mary’ Erhardt,” says, “Dora Erhardt . . . spent years trying to get trace of her brother whom her father . . . was supposed to have kidnapped.” So, it appears Dora and Catherine lost touch with him.
CATHERINE’S DAIRY
Catherine’s herd grew large enough in the early 1880s that she was able to hire Charles Coleman as a helper. Her cattle brand was “AA” and she delivered milk, cream, and butter to Laramie via pony cart.
During this time Catherine increased her herd to include cattle for market. She eventually accumulated about 300 head.
November of 1886 marked a drop in cattle prices with the market flooded. Reduced value, the drought of 1886 and the blizzards of 1886 and 1887 saw an approximate 15% drop in Wyoming cattle population, depending on location. Sheep slowly replaced cattle as many ranchers invested in the smaller animals.
This was probably about the time when Catherine reduced her herd to 40 head and engaged in raising poultry, including chickens, ducks, and turkeys. She sold her poultry year-round and made a decent income during the winter holidays with her turkey sales.
Around 1888, Dora and Catherine’s granddaughter Elizabeth left for Montana to work at the Crow Agency. They remained there over 10 years. During their residency, in 1896, Dora filed for divorce from Jack Martin on the grounds of “non-support” and “neglect.” She also requested that she retain her maiden name, “Hofer.” (Interestingly, Dora shows up in the Laramie newspapers, before her marriage to Jack Martin, with the surname “Hofer.”) Catherine may have taken her maiden name, Erhardt, after her husband’s desertion, explaining why Dora went by a different surname.
ACCLAIMED COOK
There are many Laramie newspaper articles praising Catherine as a host and cook. The Semi-Weekly Boomerang reported on April 13, 1914, that several of her friends from Laramie called at “Aunt Mary’s” home to congratulate her on her birthday. One of the guests said “I have been attending her birthday dinners for 20 years and this one tasted just as good as the first one . . .”
According to Susan Stack, a descendant of the Erhardt family, Catherine was strict and difficult to get along with, which could explain the absence of Dora and Elizabeth in much of Catherine’s later life. Dora’s remarriage in 1905 to Martin Patch took her to Sheridan, Wyoming, where she lived until sometime before her death on October 23, 1916.
Granddaughter Elizabeth Latisha Martin married Shelby Payne in Denver, Colorado. She eventually moved to Washington State where they raised two children.
In March of 1921 Catherine fell at her ranch and was injured. Mrs. John Wallis from the neighboring ranch stayed with her to aid in recovery. Catherine, however passed away on October 13, 1921, from pneumonia. Catherine’s granddaughter, Elizabeth, presided at her funeral.
UNCOVERING A LIFE
When reviewing Catherine’s life, it is easy to see much sadness and despair. Yet, testimonies from people who knew her reflect so much more. She cannot be simply defined by the negative experiences in her life.
For example, Dicksie Knight May’s collection of recollections about Catherine from unnamed sources says such things as “’Aunt Mary’ was a wonderful character, always ready to help anyone with advice or in any other way.”
“She saw no difference between rich and poor people;” said one person, and another said, “Aunt Mary was very fond of a glass of beer. She was the only respected woman in Laramie who made a habit of going into the saloons and drinking a glass of beer while visiting with the many men who were her friends of many years.” Another says: “Aunt Mary Erhardt was the best and happiest old soul that ever lived. She did more good than almost any one else here . . .”
Catherine did not allow the negative experiences to affect her, and she continued to meet the challenges that came her way head on.
On October 22, 1921, the day after her death, the Daily Boomerang lamented the loss of several Wyoming pioneers including Catherine Mary Erhardt. “Every Wyoming city and town has had its famous, rugged characters who braved the hazards of pioneer life in this country,” said the paper. “Aunt Mary” or “Milk Mary” was one of those the newspaper eulogized.
There is much information available about Catherine though contradictions have emerged. Catherine’s story (and that of her family) has conflicting details, but the general facts agree on the life of this now-forgotten pioneer who helped build a new community in Laramie.
By Konnie Cronk
Editor’s Note: Much of the information in this article is dependent upon research conducted by Dicksie Knight May, Albany County ranch historian. This article is in part a presentation given to the Albany County Cattlewomen in 2021. Konnie Cronk is the curator at the Laramie Plains Museum and enjoys researching Laramie pioneer (or any Laramie resident) histories using primarily the Wyoming Newspaper Project and Ancestry.com.
Source: Laramie Plains Museum, Susan Stack Collection, both photos by Webster Photography, Laramie.
Caption: Catherine Mary Erhardt, about 1890.
Caption: Mary Catherine Erhardt’s daughter Theodora and her granddaughter Elizabeth, 1893. Inscription was on the photo when it was donated to the LPM.