Mattie Silks, or Martha Ready (1846– 7 January 1929), was a prostitute and leading madam in the late 19th century American West. Early life Mattie Silks was born Martha A. Nimon in Fayette County, Pennsylvania in 1845. Silks was one of five children born to farmers Henry and Sarah Nimon. Little is know about Silks' childhood other than her family moved to Erie, Indiana in 1850. Silks left her family home some time between 1860 and 1865. She may have traveled to Kansas or Springfield, Illinois. It is not certain whether she immediately went to work in the field prostitution upon leaving home. According to author Jan MacKell Collins, many historians are of the opinion that she may have worked as a freighter on wagon trains. Still, It is possible that Silks worked as both a freighter and madam while residing in Kansas as some historians contend that she was run out of Olathe, Kansas before working the cattle trails. Having worked as a prostitute in Abilene, Texas and Dodge City, Kansas, she became owner of a brothel in Springfield, Illinois, in 1865. She was 19 at the time . Collins also makes the case that historians agree Silks placed a sign on one of her first parlor houses which read, "Men taken in and done for." Silks became one of the best known madams in the west, having brothels in Dodge City, Georgetown, Colorado and Denver, Colorado, where demand for women was high due to the Colorado gold rushes. Traveling West Silks and four girls she hired in Kansas City traveled to Denver by way of stage coach and freight wagon. Her coach was equipped with a "portable boarding" house where the girls conducted business while on the road. The ladies set up shop at the many mining towns they visited on their way to Denver. Silks was a savvy business lady. It was her habit to set up camp below town, she explained, "because prospective patrons would more willingly walk down a mountainside than climb it." Life in Denver Silks was one of Denver's most memorable madams as she is quite popular in Denver folklore. She was described as a very good looking woman, with spirit and a competitive nature. According to Forbes Parkhill, Silks first visited Denver in 1869, though she did not move there until 1876 or 1877. The Rocky Mountain New reported Silks was fined