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Reclaiming Polly Bemis: China's Daughter, Idaho's Legendary Pioneer

Reclaiming Polly Bemis: China's Daughter, Idaho's Legendary Pioneer Reclaiming Polly Bemis China’s Daughter, Idaho’s Legendary Pioneer ruthanne lum mccunn When I set out to reclaim the life of Idaho’s legendary Polly Bemis in 1979, I had no training in research and very little experience. “Don’t worry,” a psychic told me, “She’s holding your hand.” Two years later, Thousand Pieces of Gold—my book about this Chinese American pioneer’s experiences as a slave and free woman in the American West — was completed and published. But I have yet to stop work on reclaiming the life of Polly Bemis, born Lalu Nathoy, and my intent in this article is to describe how I embarked on this project, present the findings that formed the basis for Thousand Pieces of Gold, examine subse- quent discoveries, and make a final assessment. beginnings I first came across Lalu /Polly in Sister Mary Alfreda Elsensohn’s book Idaho Chinese Lore. Even in that brief sketch, Lalu /Polly struck me as extraordin- ary, for she had not only overcome great hardships but also survived with her humanity intact, her spirit undiminished. Her life cried out to me to write a book-length biography, and I wrote to libraries and historical societies throughout the Pacific Northwest for anything http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies University of Nebraska Press

Reclaiming Polly Bemis: China's Daughter, Idaho's Legendary Pioneer

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Publisher
University of Nebraska Press
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 Frontiers Editorial Collective.
ISSN
1536-0334

Abstract

Reclaiming Polly Bemis China’s Daughter, Idaho’s Legendary Pioneer ruthanne lum mccunn When I set out to reclaim the life of Idaho’s legendary Polly Bemis in 1979, I had no training in research and very little experience. “Don’t worry,” a psychic told me, “She’s holding your hand.” Two years later, Thousand Pieces of Gold—my book about this Chinese American pioneer’s experiences as a slave and free woman in the American West — was completed and published. But I have yet to stop work on reclaiming the life of Polly Bemis, born Lalu Nathoy, and my intent in this article is to describe how I embarked on this project, present the findings that formed the basis for Thousand Pieces of Gold, examine subse- quent discoveries, and make a final assessment. beginnings I first came across Lalu /Polly in Sister Mary Alfreda Elsensohn’s book Idaho Chinese Lore. Even in that brief sketch, Lalu /Polly struck me as extraordin- ary, for she had not only overcome great hardships but also survived with her humanity intact, her spirit undiminished. Her life cried out to me to write a book-length biography, and I wrote to libraries and historical societies throughout the Pacific Northwest for anything

Journal

Frontiers: A Journal of Women Studies – University of Nebraska Press

Published: Jun 16, 2003

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