Eliza Carpenter (1851 - 1924)

Born Dec 1851 in Virginia, United States

Died 16 Dec 1924 at about age 73 in Oklahoma, United States

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Biography

Eliza Carpenter is Notable.

Eliza Carpenter, known as 'Aunt Eliza', was a race horse owner and jockey who achieved success as the only African-American horse racer in early Oklahoma.

Eliza Carpenter was born in December 1851 in Virginia and into slavery.^[1][2] Her birth was about 10 years before the start of the US Civil War. She was sold twice, once at the age of 6 to slave owner in Madison County, Kentucky, and at 8, two years later, to a planter in Missouri.^[2]

After the war ended, Eliza gained her freedom and chose to return to Madison, Kentucky, where she worked as a cook and laundress. This is where she became interested in Thoroughbreds and began to learn the business of buying, training and riding horses. ^[2] Later, she moved to Arkansas City, Kansas, where she continued buying horses, now included Quarter Horses and Standardbreds. ^[3]

In the 1900 census Eliza (age 49) was the single head of household at 491 Grand Avenue in Ponca City, Kay, Oklahoma Territory, United States. Her occupation was listed as trader of livestock. ^[1]

Eliza visited family in Kentucky on several occasions. However, on her final visit in 1924, she was thrown from a buggy when her Thoroughbred horse became spooked, resulting in a fractured skull. Although she returned to Ponca City, Oklahoma, she never fully recovered from her injuries. In August of that year, she suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed, and she passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 1924. ^{[4] [2][5]} She is buried at Odd Fellows Cemetery.^[4]

Despite the challenges she faced, Eliza's love for horses and her passion for racing never wavered. She was a pioneer and a trailblazer in a male-dominated industry and paved the way for future generations of African-American horse owners and jockeys. Her legacy inspires people even today, and her story serves as a reminder of the important contributions that African-American women have made to the world of horse racing.

Research Note

Eliza's will can be found on Ancestry here. I plan on transcribing it unless someone else beats me to it. Langholf-2 20:08, 6 May 2023 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMGF-65T : 15 February 2022), Eliza Carpenter, 1900."
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eliza_Carpenter|accessed 6 May 2023
3. ↑ https://africanamericanhorsestories.org/research/people/eliza-carpenter|accessed 6 May 2023
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/240318170/eliza-carpenter: accessed 06 May 2023), memorial page for Eliza Carpenter (1851–16 Dec 1924), Find a Grave Memorial ID 240318170, citing Odd Fellows Cemetery, Ponca City, Kay County, Oklahoma, USA; Maintained by Joe Roby (contributor 47499964).
5. ↑ https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/2383|accessed 6 May 2023

See also:

• Eliza Carpenter on Wikipedia