Carrie Amelia Moore Nation (1846-1911), had a Moore punny name than any of us can ever dream of having. But there was nothing funny (haha at least not in the traditional sense – she may have been “funny peculiar”) about the self-proclaimed “anti-souse queen.”
Don’t know what that means? Well, to sum it up succinctly, she hated alcohol, and people who drank it. After her first husband died of alcoholism in 1869, Nation began a journey which would lead to her becoming the most famous member of the pre-Prohibition temperance movement.
Nation with hatchet, Bible, and fashionable spectacles. What a spectacular photograph!
Believing she had been given a divine ordination to destroy bars and their contents, Nation embarked on a multi-state mission to raid pubs, destroy their fixtures, and demolish their libations, while simultaneously singing hymns and saying prayers. Originally using rocks in these efforts, Nation switched to using hatchets, which would become her trademark, after her second husband jokingly recommended them, claiming they would cause more damage. Nation replied, “that is the most sensible thing you have said since I married you.” Not surprisingly, the couple later divorced. It was for these “hatchetations” that Nation would become most famous. She was arrested over 30 times for her antics, but was able to pay all of her fines through speaking fees and by selling souvenir hatchets.
Fashioning herself as “a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn’t like,” Nation reportedly applauded the assassination of president William McKinley (who she believed was a secret drinker), believing that his death was a “tippler’s just desserts.”
Oh c’mon. William McKinley was an asshole! I’m right with her.
Haha
What a character!
Bella and DiDi
She was something else, wasn’t she! I’m sure she could have used some of your doggie advice, especially since she considered herself “a bulldog running along at the feet of Jesus, barking at what He doesn’t like.”
🙂
Looking at her, you certainly wouldn’t want to mess with her – one tough granny
Marti
No you wouldn’t. She’s rather intimidating. She also stood around 6 feet tall and weighed nearly 200 pounds!
Hi Marti – Just wanted to let you know you’ve received a very special one-of-a-kind honor in our post today (June 20th). It’s our 100th post and we’ve decided to give back to the people who helped us get this far.
Shucks, I’m honoured with the generous write up of me 🙂
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Reblogged this on The Blog of Funny Names and commented:
I planned my regular Tuesday post on Pre-temperance forebearer, Carrie A. Nation, who later changed her name to Carry A. Nation after her divorce from her second husband. But Rob beat my to it by several years. So Tuesday’s post will even be a surprise for me. Enjoy!
Take it away Rob.
Woo go Carrie Nation! She was quite something.
I like the picture you found with her, the ax and the bible. Sorry I missed this gem the first time around. 🙂