LADY MOON
aka Cussin’ Kate
Did you know that the real Lady Moon (Catherine Moon ne Lawder) lived and ran her own show in the area in the late 1800’s – early 1900’s? Lady Moon is the real namesake for trails, streets, a local ranch and now our floral design business!
Gratten Catherine Lawder was born on ship May 17, 1865 as her parents were emigrating to the US during the great potato famine. She moved to this area in 1883 and worked at Norman’s Elkhorn Lodge and the Log Cabin Stage Coach Stop & Resort as laundry woman, parlor maid, waitress (and perhaps other services to select guests).
She married Frank Gartman, a blacksmith, in 1887 but divorced him only a year later to marry an English Aristocrat’s 2nd son, Cecil Moon. Cecil’s parents were known not to be too happy with the match – Katie (as she was called) rode her horse astride and didn’t have the manners expected of a lady. In 1899 Cecil inherited the family fortune and titles, making Katie – Lady Moon.
Over the next 21 years, Cecil became a successful businessman and rancher, bringing in cattle from all over the world and putting to use the newly discovered science of genetics (thanks, Mendel!) Because Cecil like to drink and gamble, Katie kept the cash box. When Cecil bought property, he and Catherine would party (they both liked their whiskey). Cecil would get drunk, and sign over the deed of the property to Catherine – and in the end she owned everything. In fact, Lady Moon has the distinction of being the first woman west of Mississippi forced to pay alimony to her husband when they divorced.
In the end, Cecil built another fortune back in England and later New Zealand. Katie in the meanwhile continued to run the ranch, increasing her own fortune and making a name for herself as a moonshiner (distilling fine Irish whiskey) when Larimer County enacted prohibition. Katie was finally arrested at a party when she fell while dancing and spilled her wares which were hidden in her pantaloons! At trial, she was acquitted for lack of evidence because the arresting deputies were too intimidated to reach under her skirts to take a bottle from her panties!
Lady Moon was attached to her horses and even took her favorite horse, Moses, abroad by ship when she traveled. She was also the first person in the area to own a steam-powered automobile which she ordered from a catalog. While driving it home after picking it up at the Laramie trail station she declared that it spooked every animal for 10 miles. After that she parked it in the barn and never took it out again
Lady Moon also became known for her kindness and charitable giving. It’s said that when she died in 1926 many people were touched by the personal gifts she left to those who worked for her and were named in her will. Perhaps she changed her devious ways later in life as a redemption. Some say that Lady Moon still haunts the areas near Red Feather Lakes, but in the end I think it can be said she was innovative and lived her part in the history of this area to the fullest.
I found Lady Moon’s story to be representative of a certain type of brave, independent and generous spirit that feels at home for me (and we’re right down the road from parks and trails that bear her name, along with all of her old haunts) – hence why we’re named “LadyMoon”.
You can read more about the original Lady Moon HERE