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Braus, Ma

Widow in Wagon Wheel, Wyoming Territory in 1876. (November 10, 1804 – July 23, 1879)[2]

A strong-willed woman, intolerant of gambling and drinking, but well-liked and respected by everyone in the valley. Joe Riggs cheated her husband out of all their money, leaving Ma with only the house she lived in and an old building in town.

In 1876, Bret Maverick came to Wagon Wheel with Samantha Crawford to open an honest gambling house to put Riggs out of business. Big Mike McComb suggested Bret might be able to rent Ma's vacant building in town to run his new casino. Ma was unintersted, believing that all gamblers were crooked and played of the devil's game. But Bret convinced her to give him the chance to show Riggs up for what he was and take away the power he had over the townfolk of Wagon Wheel. Ma used her influence to get Riggs to allow Bret to play in Riggs' brace joint, the Golden Bucket. Bret proved to everyone in the saloon that Riggs was running a crooked casino and the customers smashed the place to bits. With Riggs out of business and disgraced, Ma bought the saloon from Riggs and hired Big Mike to run it honestly for her.[1]

See: According to Hoyle