The first woman of the Klondike struck gold in the Klondike, but still lived the saddest life on record.
Born Shaaw Tiaa, native Tagish, she married a Tlingit man and bore him a daughter. A flu epidemic killed them both. When Shaaw Tiaa’s sister passed away she married the widower, a white man named George Carmack, and became Kate Carmack.
God Had Seeded the North Country with Gold
In 1896 Kate and George, travelling with Kate’s brother, Skookum Jim, through the most remote part of Northern Canada, stopped to fish in Rabbit Creek. They found gold in the creek bed—lots of gold.
George filed a claim. Skookum Jim filed an adjacent claim. And they set in getting filthy rich. News of their good fortune sparked the Great Klondike Gold Rush.
For two years George worked their mine, piling up enormous wealth. Strangely Kate lived pretty much as she always had—keeping house, taking care of their infant daughter. She even sewed and sold moccasins and took in laundry.
Finally, in 1898, George and Kate ventured out to Seattle to spend their riches; planned to buy a yacht and sail off to Paris. The Tagish girl, though, had trouble adapting to Seattle. And George adapted all too well; found himself a replacement wife.
When he left her, Kate filed for divorce, but George claimed they’d never been legally married. Kate couldn’t prove otherwise. George stayed in Seattle with the money. Kate and their daughter, Graphie, returned to Carcross where Kate eked out a living as best she could.
When Graphie turned 16, she travelled to Seattle to visit her father. The visit turned into a new life. Graphie married and settled in Seattle. Her devastated mother never saw her again.
Kate never got any part of George’s riches. She lived on a small government pension until an influenza epidemic swept through Carcross in 1920 and ended what must be one of the saddest life stories on record.
Shaaw Tiaa/Kate Carmack rests today in the Carcross Cemetery.
Much of the information for this story comes from the National Park Service website NPS Website Story
Sounds like George was a greedy selfish man
Surprising that Skookum Jim (her brother) appears not to have supported her given that his wealth was equivalent to that of Carmacks
That is surprising. And I’m afraid I don’t know why.
Very sad
What a sad story, don’t sound like George was a very nice man once he let the gold go to his head.
Thank you for sharing the story.
I don’t know that he was much of a man before he got the gold.
shawties more hot for ogign that far like damn mothafrikers