She was Her Own Man

Marion Barbara Carstairs was know to all as Joe. Joe was her own kind of woman, the manly kind. Joe was born in London 1900 to an American heiress and a man who she never knew. Her mother was a descendant of one of the founders of Standard Oil Company but lived life in Europe as a drunken opium addict. Joe moved back and forth between Europe and the USA until she more or less had enough of her family and joined the ambulance services in World War I as a driver. In a time when women were treated as second class citizens Joe rebelled and lived as she wanted, dressing like a man and sleeping with women. She cut a dashing figure driving her ambulance. When the was was over Joe moved to London and with a few girlfriends started an all female chauffeur service. they bought a few Rolls Royces and drove society women around London in the roaring 20's. It was during this time she discovered power boats and racing. Joe Carstairs was at one time the fastest woman on the water in the world.
At one point Joe did have to follow some one else's rules; if she wanted her inheritance she needed to be married. So Joe went out and found herself a gay man in the same boat. They married and as soon as the money was hers the marriage was annulled. She was once again her own woman and rich. Very rich. 
Joe became involved with some of the most talked about women in the 1920's. One of who was the niece of Oscar Wilde. She also started a series of affairs with several women all of who she supported even buying them homes. One of her ladies gave Joe a gift of a male doll. Joe named him Lord Tod Wadley. Tod live with her for the rest of her life. He was her child replacement.He went everywhere with Joe.

Things didn't work out with her racing career as she wanted so Joe quit. It was then she found what would be her biggest challenge and success in her life. Whale Cay was a scrubby island in the Bahamas. This island became her very own kingdom and she was the strict but loving ruler. Houses were built, farms planted and marinas created on the island. She even built a small town on the nine square mile island.
Joe lived on the island almost until the end of her life. This was a lesbian hot spot and famous and infamous women visited there through out the 30's, 40's 50's, 70's and 80's. When Joe started to become frailer with old age she sold the island and moved to Florida with her gay male assistant.
Joe died in 1993 her remains along with Lord Tod Wadley were cremated.