Starr, Belle (1848-1889), has been considered one of the few female outlaws in the United States. According to legends, she became a robber and horse and cattle thief in the Southwest and was known as the Bandit Queen. She married and lived with outlaws. However, most stories about her probably are not true.
Starr was born on Feb. 5, 1848, near Carthage, Missouri. Her given and family name was Myra Maybelle Shirley, but she was called Belle. When she was 16 years old, her family moved to Texas. In 1866, Belle married Jim Reed, an outlaw. They had two children, Rosie Lee and Edwin. In the early 1870’s, Reed went into hiding because of a reward for his capture. Belle and the children left Reed. In 1874, Reed was killed in a gunfight. Several years later, Belle moved to the Indian Territory (now eastern Oklahoma). She met Sam Starr, a Cherokee Indian, and married him in 1880. They lived in a cabin that became a famous hideout for Jesse James and other bandits. Belle and Sam Starr were convicted of horse stealing in 1883. Belle served nine months in prison. In 1886, Starr was shot to death in a fight. Belle then lived with Bill July, a part-Cherokee Indian who was a horse thief. A gunman killed Belle in an ambush while July was in court. She died on Feb. 3, 1889.
