Lucille Mulhall (1885-1940)
Lucille Mulhall was an authentic cowgirl who found fame in both wild west shows and the rodeo circuit. She interests me for several reasons. For one, humorist Will Rogers began his career as a cowboy on her father Zack Mulhall’s Oklahoma ranch, later joining Mulhall’s wild west show, billed as the “Cherokee Kid.”
It was Will Rogers who claimed that the term “cowgirl” was first coined (circa 1900) to describe Lucille Mulhall and her ranch skills. Lucille is famous for many reasons, largely because she could rope and ride like none other. She could rope eight men riding abreast (1). She was the most famous cowgirl of her time, catching both Teddy Roosevelt’s eye (who invited her to the White House) and Geronimo’s (who gave her a beaded vest and a decorated bow).
But I started researching Lucille Mulhall largely because of a reference in many sources to her uncanny ability as a horse trainer. She could train horses to do things others couldn’t. Of her unique ability, Lucille Mulhall said,
My system of training consists of three things – patience, perseverence, and gentleness. Gentleness I consider one of the greatest factors in successful training….Governor, the horse I ride in our exhibitions,…has nearly forty tricks….He can shoot a gun; pull off a man’s coat and put it on again; can roll a barrel; can walk up stairs and down again – a difficult feat; is perfect in the march and the Spanish trot; extends the forelegs so that an easy mount may be made; kneels, lies down and sits up; indeed, he…does nearly everything but talk.
I’d love to have seen Governor’s tricks, especially the one when he pulls off a man’s coat. But what is unclear is whether or not Governor is pulling the coat off his own body or some man’s!
(1) Alter, Judy. Wild West Shows: Rough Riders and Sure Shots Watts: New York, 1997.
Lisa's History Room 
Hi Lisa,
I’m glad I found your site. I’m Lucille Mulhall’s granddaughter.
I rode in her 100th Centennial Parade in 1985 in Guthrie, OK.
I met Will Roger’s Jr, who nominated her to the “Cowgirl Hall of Fame”. The Beaded Vest given to her by Geronimo is in the
Will Roger.s Museum in Claremore, OK. and a lot of her memorabilia is in the “Cowgirl Hall of Fame”.
The picture you have here is not Lucille and Governor. More than likely it is of her sister Agnes. Governor did not have a white blaze.
Will Rogers was a full blooded Cherokee and got his start in the rodeo circuit with Col. Zack Mulhall. It was rumored that at some point he proposed to Lucille but Zack wouldn’t let her marry him.
I spent many hours going through the family scrap book at Martha Fisch’s home in Guthrie and she let me take whatever I wanted from it. I still have yet to go back and get the large painting of Lucille that she gave me.
Martha passed away a few years ago. She was Lucille’s neice. Her daughter lives in her home and takes care of everything.
I’ll write more when I get a chance.
Beverly Van Bergen Bishop
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Hey, Beverly, several sites identify this photo as that of Lucille and Governor. Thanks for visiting.
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Hi Lisa, it is not Governor…..he had a very small white star and one hind white sock.
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KImberly, could you tell me your source?
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Hi Beverly, I am working on a project on this topic and would love to ask you a few questions. You can email me directly at binkslang-at-gmail-dot-com.
Thanks,
Heather
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Hi Beverly! I have so many questions for you..I am writing a children’s book about Lucille and would love to chat with you. Please email me ASAP!
Kimberly
cowgirlofthewest72@yahoo.com
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Beverly,
I am Martha Fisch’s graddaughter. Her daughter no longer lives in her home. I am eager to speak with you. Can you please contact me at brittsuzy@cox.net. Thanks, Suzy Johnson
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Ms. Bishop is correct. That is not Lucille. I have seen this photo on another website listed as Lucille. It is incorrect.
I have visited museums with mislabeled photos. Just because it’s on the internet or even in a museum doesn’t make it so. Crazy, huh?
Miss Martha was a sweetheart. I’m sorry to hear of her passing. I have viewed the incredible scrapbook that you mention. What a treasure! I was friends with Kathryn Stansbury and have enjoyed her book on Lucille Mulhall.
I was at the 1985 Centennial but did not make your acquaintance.
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Hello,
I am working on a sculpture of Lucille Mulhall for the Northwest Library in Oklahoma City. Does anyone have photos available for me to use as a visual guide?
Thank you, Solomon Bassoff (www.faducci.com) email: info@faducci.com
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Mrs. Van Bergen Bishop…..it seems that many of us want to hear your story….can you please reply to this site!! Kimberly
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Hi Lisa, please refer to Kathryn Stansbury Book about Lucille, on pages 38, 80, and 82…Governor’s markings and conformation are very distinct…these photos come from the personal Mulhall scrapbook…..there are even photos of her using Governor to steer rope too. Though, I couldn’t believe she used her $10,000 trained trick horse to rope….but she did.
The more I look at that photo above, the more I am convinced that the cowgirl is actually Agnes, a younger Agnes. I have copies of photos from the scrap book that are not in Stansbury’s book. Photos of Agnes “Bossie” Mulhall are very hard to find.
Kimberly
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Thanks, Kimberly. There seems to be a great deal of confusion about the identities in this photo. I appreciate you bringing this problem into better focus.
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Wow, so much from so many. I haven’t been back to this site for way too long.
Kimberly, where do you live ? I’m in So. Cal.. I’m glad i’m not the only one that knows the picture is not Lucille. Thanks for backing me up on this.
Solomon, I wish I had seen your post a year ago. Hopefully, you were able to find some good Pictures of her. It would be incredible if I could find a way to come to OK for the unveiling of the statue. Thank goodness my wonderful cousin, Suzy, reads Lisa’s History Room often. and alerted me about you.
It’s late here and I have to go. Maybe we can all keep in touch in the future.
Thank you all, Bev
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Hi Beverly, I am in Central Oregon, please contact me at cowgirlofthewest72@yahoo.com…would love to hear from you direct.
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Hi Beverly…I so hope you can make it to the unveiling of the Lucille Mulhall sculpture at the Northwest Library in OK. city on Sept 17th. I did receive photos from Heather Lang and others. I had had a excellant collection of photos to work with. If you cannot make it to the unveiling, please contact me for photos of the sculpture and the event….info@faducci.com, Solomon Bassoff
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Hello all, this a great string and happy to find it. I am the great grandson of Charlie Mulhall ( Lucilles 1/2 brother) Mike Stolarz. Charlie’s daughter ( Martha Elizbeth Mulhall Stolarz Maguire ) was my grandmother. I have many of the original family documents and pictures spanning the years including shows, on the ranch, letters etc. Happy to help with folks looking around or doing work in this area. 540-784-0432
mike.stolarz@hdtglobal.com
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Hi Beverly,I just wanted to know if you know any other bits of info about Lucille.I am doing a historical figure biography,and I chose her to study on.
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Hi everyone. I wonder if someone would mind contacting me about anything the Mulhall family might have kept that has to do with Nellie Smith, a sharp shooter who performed with the Mulhalls at least at one point between 1904 and 1906. I’d greatly appreciate it. Thank you! Julia/ jb@fourbrix.com
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[…] versions of these “natural” techniques were used by honest-to-goodness Horsemen and Horsewomen for ages before the marketing geniuses turned them into mass-market, dumbed-down, grade-school […]
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