Juanitas tenth book is now available as of February 1, 2003. See Juanita's Books link below to purchase your copy! Copyright 2003. Windmill City Publishing. $24.95 including sales tax if purchased by March 1, 2003*
Included in this book:

The Cairo - Union Gunboat Cairo
Ellen Kuykendall - Texas Telegrapher
C.S. Fly - He Recorded History with a Camera
Buffalo Bill Cody's Mining Extravaganza
When Buffalo Bill Played Santa
Nancy Parker - A Woman with Her Back to the Wall
The Women of Fort Parker
A Place Called Content
Lone Doctor on a Western Frontier
Larry Chittenden and the Cowboy's Christmas Ball at Old Anson City
Saga of a Railroad
She's Still Queen of the Road
Isaac Cline of Galveston Flood Fame
The Bankhead Highway Across the Nation
He Fought with Poncho Villa
A Historical Tour of Buffalo Gap Historic Village
Rabbit Drives
John Warren Higgins and His Airplanes
The Helium Operation at Amarillo, Texas
Clement Moore's Christmas Classic
How Spool Thread Came to America
Be Mine - A Story of Valentine
Selma L. Bishop Collection of Isaac Watts Hymn Books
The Selma L. Bishop Story
Sculpturing with Texas Limestone
In Memory of Washington
Furniture Belonging to Governor John Evans
Clement Clarke Moore: Was He Rich or Poor?
Clement C. Moore Gave Santa Claus a New Look
Make Way for the Mechanical Mailman
Retiring to a New Career on America's Last Frontier
Replicas of the Past
The Grand Old Lady - The Goddess of Liberty
Chapter 20 - Pioneer Woman Louisa Cody

Published in Old West - Winter 1987
Louisa Cody, often called Lulu by her husband, William F. (Buffalo Bill Cody), lived behind the scenes of the glamorous public life of the man she called Billie, during the 51 years of their married life.

Louisa Frederici and William F. Cody were married March 6, 1866 in Lulu's home in St. Louis. The ink was hardly dry on the marriage certificate when Bill whisked her off to Leavenworth, Kansas to try the hotel business. Six months later she found herself alone while her husband embarked.
on a scouting job which was the beginning of his public life.

Lulu stayed on in Leavenworth until after their first child, Arta, was born in December, 1866. Bill came home to see the new baby and soon was off again. Louisa and the new baby went home to St. Louis for a time. There she waited patiently for his letters, and longed for the time when he'd come home. When he was home he promised Lulu again and again that soon he'd settle down to a family life. During the next 17 years, three other children were born to Lulu and Cody. Kit Carson, an only son, died at age five years and five months. Ora Maude, died at age 11, and Irma, who lived to have two husbands, died in 1918 of flu. Arta also married twice but died in 1904, one month after her second marriage.

With Bill gone much of the time, Lulu devoted her time to her children as they grew up and to social and civic affairs. She was an energetic woman and possessed of tremendous talent in sewing and decorating the various homes Bill provided for her. She loved to entertain and she loved people, and spent much of her time in charity work.

Theatrical days followed scouting days for Lulu's husband when he opened his Wild West Show. He never found the time to settle down at home long. His show performed both in the United States and in Europe. Lulu saw him pouring money into his many projects as well as his Wild West Show. She recognized that Bill was generous to a fault. He treated his friends, gave glamorous parties and lent financial support to his sisters. He came home less and Lulu waited for news from him. At intervals she and the children traveled with him and the show. After a few years she came home to Nebraska and their house called, Welcome Wigwam, in North Platte. Financial problems plagued Bill's show but he continued to send money home.

Lulu became fearful for the future, and began investing money in real estate in her own name. Strife and animosity between them increased. Rumors circulated concerning Bill's continued drinking habits, and the women who were his friends. Lulu heard stories that a son had been born to a woman whom Bill allegedly supported. The chasm between them widened and Bill filed for divorce. Lulu still loved him and fought fiercely against the divorce through her attorney. The divorce was never granted.

Eight years passed while Bill was in show business before Lulu saw him again.
Once she sent him a message by a maid. "Tell Bill I still love him, and I wish he'd come home."

On July 28, 1910, Cody and Lulu were reconciled and remained so until Cody's death in 1917. Lulu died October 20, 1921.

For Louisa Cody, Buffalo Bill was the one man in her life. A friend said of her, "She was loyal to him and loved him more than most women nowadays love their man."
Color