Lulu Bell Parr

    Lulu Bell Parr was born Nov 14, 1876 in Fort Wayne, IN.  She was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Parr according to the obituaries of both Lulu and her brother.  Not much is known of her early life.  In her obituary and in several newspaper articles, it suggests that her parents died while she was a young girl.  In the 1880 Census for Toledo, Lucas County, OH,  there was as follows: James H. Parr, 27, OH; Lizzie A., 22, OH; Willie, 7, PA; and Lula, 3, IN.  A Springfield, IL article says that when her parents died, she went to live with her uncle William and Jennie Sheehan.  Jennie Parr Sheehan died in Fort Wayne, IN, on June 8, 1885.  The next time Lulu appears is in the 1895-1896 Steubenville (OH) City Directory as Miss Lulu B. Parr at 617 Adams St.  She was married to George Barrett of Jefferson County, OH, March 31, 1896, in Steubenville, OH.  In the 1899-1900 Steubenville City Directory it listed her brother William A and wife Dora Parr as living with George W. and Lulu B. Barrett at 617 Adams St.  In the 1902-1903 Directory, Lulu was living alone and she was divorced from George on May 5, 1902 on charges of extreme cruelty.                                                                                      

    In 1903, she went west and joined the Pawnee Bill Wild West Show.  Lulu did some trick riding and shooting but was best known for riding the bucking horses.  She was once crowned the "Champion Lady Bucking Horse Rider of the World."  She stayed with the Pawnee Bill Show until 1908 when she got a chance to go to Europe with the Colonel Cummins Wild West Brighten Tour.  She often talked about when she got to perform before King Edward in Liverpool, England.   Then next season she hooked up with the Buffalo Bill's Wild West-Pawnee Bill's Far East Show or often known as the Two Bill Show.  In 1911, Buffalo Bill was so impressed with her that he presented her an ivory handled Colt single action revolver.  On it was engraved "Buffalo Bill Cody to Lulu Parr-1911."  She stayed with them off and on until 1913.   During this time she also was performing with the 101 Ranch Wild West.  After the 1913 season, she joined up with a wild west show led by Edward Arlington, a partner of the 101 Ranch Wild West Show, that was going to South America to perform.  In Buenos Aires, former Argentine President Jose Figueroa Alcorta showered Lulu with gifts for her outstanding performance.   Lulu was on top billing at this time.  She was the headliner with Pawnee Bill's Wild West in 1916.  But the times were changing and the Wild West Shows weren't making any money any more and they were breaking up.  Instead of retiring, she stayed touring with smaller less known shows.   Whether for the love of the show or maybe this was her only income, she stayed with it.  She appeared with  Cy Compton, Vern's Tex Mex, Cook Brothers, and with various circuses like Sell's Floto, Robbins Brothers, Hagenbeck-Wallace, and Barnum & Bailey.  In 1929, at the age of 53, she was still performing with the King Brother's Rodeo which barely made enough money to pay for the moving expense between cities.  When she finally retired, she was penniless.

    In 1937, Lulu moved into the home of her brother, William, in Dayton, OH.  The home was made of tar paper and had no electricity or water.  Here she remained her remaining years.  She was well known in the neighborhood because she would dress up in her costumes and sit under a tree with her collectibles and meet the school kids when they got off the bus.  She told them of her extensive travels and about performing for the king of England.  Her brother William died December 10, 1949 and Lulu then took care of William's wife, Emma, who was partially paralyzed.  One day while Lulu was going to the local filling station to get water, she had fallen.   Later on that night, she had a stroke and fell off of the couch.  Her sister in law couldn't help her and could only keep her company until help did arrive.  Lulu died the next day, April 17, 1955, in the hospital.  It was said that in one room, there were so many souvenirs, you couldn't hardly walk into the room.  There was boxes of newspaper clippings, pictures, and other items about her travels.  She had many sombreros and other cowboy items including two ivory handled Colt revolvers including the one from Buffalo Bill.  Emma found a home with a neighbor for the remainder of her life.  She died April 24, 1960.   All three were buried in unmarked graves in Medway, OH.  The Medway Area Historical Society raised money to erect monuments for both Lulu Bell Parr and one for William and Emma Parr.