In 1855 at age 26 she wrote an autobiography. In the narrative she mentioned a need for equal pay for women, and stated that she planned to leave home dressed as a man "to earn more money".

Shortly after that she changed her name from Lucy to Joseph. Later she met Marie and in 1868 they were married and lived a persecuted life together until 1879. It was that year that Lucy's death was reported in the newspapers.