On This Day: Woman hung in Wyoming

Ella Watson had come West to Wyoming and received a homestead license in Wyoming. Her homestead was near that of James Averell, a saloonkeeper. The two had received a license to marry. However, there is no record of them actually ever getting married.

Their homesteads were along the Sweetwater River. Although they had claimed the land legally, rancher Albert Bothwell had been using that land to graze his herds.

Bothwell accused Watson and Averell of rustling! He and his men captured the couple and On This Day in 1889 hung them. Watson, according to History.com, is the only woman ever executed in Wyoming.

Source:

Homesteaders murdered by Wyoming ranchers History.com On This Day in History, 1889.

Photo:

Wikipedia, public domain.

On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.

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