From America’s First Freedom:

In the twilight of the nineteenth century, the U.S. frontier was a tenuous place to be; especially for women, as they were often left alone for long stretches of time to fend for the family. The nearest help for them might be miles away down dark and dusty roads.

But with all the struggles and insecurity for many of the women who came before me, it was also a time of tremendous social rebellion, autonomy, and discovery. It was a time when many women not only picked up firearms as a means of self-protection, but also when they laid the foundation for the rights we have today.