Carry Nation often described herself as "A bulldog at the feet of Jesus, who barks at what he don't like" She claimed divine ordination to promote temperance by destroying bars and taverns. Carry hated alcohol, she cursed drinkers and sang hymns at them. She eventually adopted the name Carry A. Nation saying it stood for, "Carry A Nation for Prohibition."
Carry grew up in a family which farmed and sold slaves, they often moved to keep the secret of their mother Mary's mental instability. Mary was known for her crazed delusions and her constant belief that she was Queen Victoria.Mary was eventually put into an insane asylum by her son through legal action.
Carry worked as a nurse during the Civil War. She later married a physician whom she'd met while working in field hospitals.The marriage was against Catty's parents however, the wedding continued. Carry's husband developed a severe alcoholic addiction. The couple quickly divorced before their first child was worn. Carry later attended college and obtained a teaching certificate.
After teaching for four years, Carry married her second husband David A. Nation. 19 years older than Carry, David was a minister, attorney, and newspaper journalist. After their unsuccessful farming venture, Carry opened a hotel in Richmond, Texas. Carry also began working with the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Occasionally while walking past bartenders, Nation would yell, "Good morning destroyer of Mens' Souls" During her hotel venture, she also cared for her mother and daughter, both of which had mental health issues.
Upset with her past efforts as they had no effect, Carry began looking for other things to fight alcoholism. She began praying to God and supposedly he "spoke" to her. She said that he spoke to her saying "Go to Kiowa, take something to throw in your hands" She supposedly left for Kiowa later, taking rocks with her.
She attacked three bars in Kiowa throwing rocks and yelling "I have come to save you from a drunkard's fate". The exact town she had attacked was hit by a tornado shortly after, she called this divine approval of her actions. Her husband joking about her previous bar attack said, "Why don't you carry a hatchet next time"?
Carry responded with, "That's the most intelligent thing you've ever said to me". The couple divorced later bearing no children. Carry continued with her bar attacks, growing an arrest record of over 30. She eventually began selling souvenir "Hatchets" to pay her bail and fines.
Carry hated corsets, she even told other women not to wear them, very immodest behavior for the time period. At a speech later in Europe, Carry was struck with an egg out of hatred. She even applauded the assassination of U.S. President William McKinley, saying he was an alcoholic and, "Alcoholics get what they deserve".
All in all, Carry's mother and daughter were both insane, is it not possible that she could have been too?
As a side note: there are several bars that have opened since Carry Nation's death, in order to pay homage to the old bat.