Review: The Silver Baron's Wife

The Silver Baron's Wife by Donna Baier Stein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the fictionalized story of Baby Doe Tabor, the wife of Horace Tabor who made his riches in the Colorado Matchless Mine and subsequently lost it all. Elizabeth "Baby Doe" hailed from Oshkosh, Wisconsin where she grew up and married her neighbor Harvey Doe. This book follows Baby Doe from her marriage with Harvey to her life with Horace Tabor in Colorado where she was eventually left alone by family and friends. As a devout Catholic and a divorcee, society and family turned their backs on the woman who really only wanted to work in the mines and be with her daughters.

This was a wonderfully written story that seems to stay pretty true to life. The author fictionalized the conversations and thoughts of this strong woman, who was considered a pioneer in the mining business. It is a sad story of how she was treated and I'd like to think she was the kind woman that the author portrayed her as. Her life seemed devoted to her husbands and children. It's sad how they ultimately treated her. When I first moved to Dallas and later Colorado, I had heard of Elizabeth Tabor through the restaurant chain Baby Doe's Matchless Mine. It was the place to go for Mother's Day (oddly enough) for brunch in the 1800s decorated eatery. Past that, I knew little about the lady behind the mine. I am glad to have this chance to learn more about her.

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