Who Is Big Nose Kate?
Born as Mária Izabella Magdolna Horony on Nov. 9, 1849, the Wild West legend spent the first 10 years of her life in present-day Slovakia, then known as the Kingdom of Hungary.
Source: Barber and Howe/Wikimedia Commons
Big Nose Kate and her family, which included her seven siblings, left Europe in 1860 in pursuit of the American dream. The Horony family settled in Davenport, Iowa. Unfortunately, Kate’s parents died, and she and her siblings were sent to foster care. When her foster parent, Otto Schmidt, attempted to assault her, she reportedly hit him with an ax handle and fled (via All That’s Interesting).
Big Nose Kate Before the Wild West
Big Nose Kate changed her name to Kate Fisher and sneaked onto a steamship headed to St. Louis, Missouri. Kate would spend the next several years trying on new identities, which included becoming a nun at Ursuline Convent, a wife, and a mother.
Source: Public Domain/Missouri History Museum
After her husband Silas Melvin and son supposedly died of yellow fever, Kate turned to sex work and became a madame. She then ended up in Dodge City, Kansas, where she found work with lawman Wyatt Earp’s sister-in-law.
Why Was She Called Big Nose Kate?
Big Nose Kate earned her nickname due to her prominent nose. Pictures of Big Nose Kate showcase her nose, which was considered large by the standards of the time.
Source: Library of Congress/Picryl
While her nose became a distinct marker for her, Big Nose Kate was a razor-sharp woman who was well-read and could speak several languages, according to Erika Owen’s “Lawbreaking Ladies.”
Doc Holliday and Big Nose Kate
Around 1877, Doc Holliday met Big Nose Kate at John Shanssey’s Saloon in Fort Griffin, Texas.
Source: Kathy Alexander/Legends of America
Holliday was working as a dealer at the saloon. Kate was a dance hall girl, which was a chief attraction in many saloons and dance halls. They were both known for their strong personalities and quick tempers but found love and attraction for each other.
Why Did Doc Holliday Fall for Big Nose Kate?
Some reports suggest that Doc Holliday was drawn to Big Nose Kate’s voluptuous beauty, intellect, and independence. Kate liked Holliday for his reckless sophistication.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
After starting a fire and holding two guards at gunpoint to help Holliday escape from jail in Fort Griffin, which he was in for possibly stabbing someone in the stomach for cheating during a prohibited gambling game, Kate showed herself as a loyal companion to Holliday.
Big Nose Kate and Doc Holliday End Up in OK Corral
After escaping from Fort Griffin, the two made their way to Dodge City and promised to give up prostitution and gambling. Big Nose Kate introduced Doc Holliday to Earp and his brothers.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
In 1880, Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp made their way to the volatile Wild West town of Tombstone, Arizona. Kate lived nearby in the town of Globe, where she ran a hotel. While Big Nose Kate was never Doc Holliday’s wife, some sources referred to her as his common-law wife.
What Happened to Big Nose Kate After Doc Holliday?
After Doc Hollliday, the 36-year-old dentist and lawman, died of tuberculosis in 1887 in Colorado, Big Nose Kate could sense the end of the Wild West coming. She once again found herself changing with the times.
Source: Western Heritage Foundation Inc
Kate married a blacksmith named George Cummings in 1888, changing her name to Mary Katherine Horony Cummings. She later implied that Cummings was an alcoholic and ended their marriage. Kate then worked as a housekeeper for a miner, John J. Howard, who left her everything after his death.
Big Nose Kate’s Death
Big Nose Kate applied to Arizona Pioneers Home in Prescott, a caring facility. She massaged the truth in her admissions application, stating that she was born in Iowa (since the facility only accepted American citizens) and that she was married to Doc Holliday.
Source: Unknown author/Wikimedia Commons
In her final years, Big Nose Kate rarely discussed her Wild West adventures or life. Dr. Albert W. Bork, a local historian, worked on her autobiography. On Nov. 2, 1940, Big Nose Kate died of acute myocardial insufficiency. She died peacefully in her sleep.
How Old Was Big Nose Kate When She Died?
Big Nose Kate was 90 years old when she died in her sleep on Nov. 2, 1940. She was five days away from celebrating her 91st birthday.
Source: Boyer Collection, Sharlot Hall Museum Library/Archives, Arizona
Kate’s legacy is one of mystery and intrigue. Many unanswered questions about her life will most likely never be answered. This has only served to enhance her mystique as an important figure in the history of the Wild West.
Where Is Big Nose Kate Buried?
Big Nose Kate’s tombstone is located in Arizona Pioneers’ Home Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. Big Nose Kate’s grave is located in a quiet section of the cemetery near the graves of other well-known figures from the Wild West, such as Johnny Ringo and Mattie Blaylock.
Credit: Marine 69-71/Wikimedia Commons
Also known as Rowdy Kate according to her tombstone, Big Nose Kate lived a noteworthy life as a teenage runaway, a dance-hall girl, a sex worker, and the lover of Doc Holliday.
Was Big Nose Kate in “Tombstone”?
Big Nose Kate was a minor character in the 1990 film, “Tombstone.” Joanna Pacula was who portrayed Big Nose Kate in “Tombstone,” and was said to have given a generally accurate portrayal of the notable Wild West woman.
Source: Walt Disney Studios/YouTube
Because the film largely focuses on the relationship between Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) and Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), Big Nose Kate is not a prominent figure in the story but still plays an important role as a supportive friend to Holliday.