Eliza Carpenter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eliza Carpenter
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| Born | 1851 |
| Died | December 16, 1924 |
| Known for | Early African-American horse racer and Oklahoma pioneer |
Eliza Carpenter (born 1851 – died December 16, 1924) was an amazing African-American woman. She was a race horse owner and a jockey. She was born into slavery, but she became very successful. She was known as the only African-American horse racer in early Oklahoma. For over 30 years, she owned and raced many Thoroughbred horses in local races. She won a lot of races and earned a good amount of money.
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Eliza Carpenter's Early Life
Eliza Carpenter was born in Virginia around 1851. This was about 10 years before the American Civil War began. When she was 6 years old, she was sold to a slave owner in Madison County, Kentucky. Two years later, at age 8, she was sold again to a large farm owner in Missouri.
After the Civil War ended, Eliza gained her freedom. She went back to Madisonville, Kentucky. There, she learned all about buying, training, and riding race horses. Later, she moved to Kansas and bought several horses of her own.
The Oklahoma Land Run
In 1893, a large area of land called the Cherokee Outlet was opened for people to claim. This event was known as the Land Run of 1893. A prize of $1,000 was offered to the first person to reach the site of Ponca City, Oklahoma. Eliza Carpenter joined this exciting race.
She rode her horse like a man, covering 12 miles in just 45 minutes. Some stories say she was the first to claim land, while others say she did not win the race. She reportedly found a good farm, but she lost it because she didn't describe its exact location correctly at the land office.
Life in Ponca City
By 1900, Eliza Carpenter was living in Ponca City, Oklahoma. The census from that year shows she was a "trader [of] live stock," meaning she bought and sold animals. The record also shows she was a single woman, born in December 1851.
In Ponca City, she trained different types of horses for racing. These included Thoroughbreds and quarter horses. She became one of the few African-American stable owners in the West. Sometimes, if she wasn't happy with how a race was going, she would ride her own horses as a jockey. She won many races this way.
Some of her horses' names were "Irish Maid," "Blue Bird," "Jimmy Rain," "Sam Carpenter," and "Little Brown Jug." She even raced "Little Brown Jug" in Tijuana, Baja California.
A Special Race
In September 1920, there was a special event that recreated the 1893 Cherokee Outlet land rush. Eliza Carpenter joined in again. She won this race! She drove two fast ponies hitched to a buggy, standing tall like a Roman charioteer.
Later Years and Death
In 1924, Eliza visited her family in Kentucky. While there, she was thrown from a buggy. Her Thoroughbred horse got scared, and she suffered a fractured skull. She returned to Ponca City in August 1924. Sadly, she then had a stroke which caused paralysis. Eliza Carpenter passed away on Tuesday, December 16, 1924.
