Sometimes, there just isn’t a lot of information when it comes to history. Like, who is Pompadour Mike?
Pompadour Mike’s real name was Leo Burton, but also was commonly known as Little Mike. Almost nothing is known about their life though, even though while she was in the area, she had garnered a notorious reputation.
The earliest reference to Burton is in 1894. Burton had been living with a man named Charles Johnson at the Gem Hall in Lead, SD. In September of that year, Johnson had beaten Burton quite severely. Johnson would be charged at the behest of Burton.
This incident would lead Burton into a state of depression, where she, remorseful for having turned her “true love” in, made the decision to kill herself. Taking a few drops of carbolic acid, she laid down and was prepared to pass away.
However, other inmates of the dance hall discovered her body, and gave her an emetic. A few hours later she would be happy that she wasn’t successful in her suicide attempt, partially because if she was dead, then her “lover would be at the mercy of the other inmates.”
It is not until her death, just over a year later, on November 11, 1895, that Burton would once again be mentioned.
Around 2 a.m., on the morning of November 11th, Burton had gone to sleep in a building, that was used as a dormitory for the women, which was adjoined to the Mike Pendergrass’ dance hall. Burton was said to be slightly intoxicated that night, which was normal for her. It would be the last time she would sleep in that room.
Nearly an hour after retiring for the night, the building started on fire. By the time the fire was discovered, the building was nearly consumed, but Pendergrass and an associate would be able to pull Burton from the flames.
It was too late though. Burton had been very badly burned, and had inhaled a good deal of smoke. It is reported that in her final lucid moments, she would claim that the building and been set on fire, but she would soon fall unconscious. While attempts would be made to revive her, she would pass away around 6 a.m.
During her short time in the Black Hills, she would live in Lead, Deadwood, and Sturgis, where she would become a woman of the demi-monde circle, a group of women of ill fame who entertained more of the elite men in the area. While she was quite well known, her life remained a mystery.
Shortly after her death, Burton was buried at the Meade County Poor Farm Cemetery, making her one of the few known burials at the now forgotten cemetery.
What about the name Pompadour?
When I first came across Pompadour Mike, I was under the impression that Mike was a male. Both Leo and Mike are traditionally male names, and were not commonly, if ever, used for women’s names. At least English women names.
The nicknames of Little Mike and Pompadour Mike also had been used for men in different areas. Knowing that it wasn’t all too uncommon for men to disguise themselves as women in the wild west, that thought had came to mind.
But there are issues with that theory. First, we know of men disguising themselves as women largely because it would be covered when it was discovered, and it often provided sensational news. Second, this was an aspect that was often hidden. So the likelihood that a well-known prostitute would be a man disguised as a woman has a number of issues.
So why the name? The term pompadour may explain it. A pompadour is a French hairstyle. While men could also sport such, it was named after Madame de Pompadour, a mistress of King Louis XV of France. While the style of hair had nothing to do with Madame de Pompadour, it is a hair style that became quite popular for women in the 1890s, as part of the Gibson Girl look.
And with that French connection, the name Leo and Mike may make more sense. There are a number of French women names that start with Leo. As for Mike, there are French female forms of the name, so that could explain it.
We will probably never fully know.