Big Minnie

Big Minnie was first noted in the Leadville records in 1880. Minnie McNamara, also known as Big Minnie, was another influential woman in Leadville. In many articles, she appeared to have fought men, stole money, and got into fights with other women. This shows the tenacity of Big Minnie’s personality, and how she was not afraid to step on anyone’s toes. However, it made her a target of violence herself. In one instance, Big Minnie was robbed while unconscious. Big Minnie had substantial economic influence for a woman of this time. She was known to make many enemies, however, her wealth was able to help her hire detectives and cover the risks of anything she was involved in.

To have this kind of wealth was uncommon for unmarried women, showing what power she had in Leadville. However, that power only extended so far. Already alienated from Leadville’s middle class, Big Minnie’s romantic partner, John Williams, was African American, which may have contributed to people’s disdain for her. To this day, no one is sure if Big Minnie was murdered and her case remains unsolved today, though John Williams is speculated to be the perpetrator. One night during a fire at her apartment, Big Minnie was said to have ripped a 200lbs steel pole from the building in her night clothes and used it to aid her escape, something very unbecoming for a woman of that time. Big Minnie can be remembered as a powerful example of one of many Irish women who refused to adopt middle-class gender norms and was a force to be reckoned with within the Leadville community.