Klasner, Lily, 1862-1946
Dates
- Existence: 1862 - 1946
Biographical History
Lillian "Lily" Klasner (1862-1946) was a writer, teacher, rancher, and telegrapher who resided in New Mexico.
Lillian "Lily" Klasner was born in Mason County, Texas in 1862 during the American Civil War. At age five Lillian's family moved from Texas to Rio Hondo in New Mexico. While in her early teens Lillian she began collecting letters and documents to inform an autobiographical account of her pioneer experiences. She attended the New Mexico Highlands University at Las Vegas and became a teacher, telegrapher, and rancher. Lillian married Joe Klasner, but later divorced him. She died in Rosewell, New Mexico, on May 31, 1946. Lillian's history, written from her diary, collected letters, photographs, and other documeents, was found twenty years after she passed away. It was published postumously as "My Girldhood Among Outlaws," in 1972, and edited by Eve Ball.