African American Horsemen, Articles in Kentucky Newspapers
The horse industry in Kentucky has generated billions of dollars for the state. Within Kentucky's historical newspapers are the names of African American jockeys, trainers, and other horsemen who contributed to that industry. Their names can be found in relation to winning, losing, success, marriage, injury, death, crime, or some combination of each and all. While there are a lot of articles, they represent only a small portion of the total number of names; the majority of the men's names were never in print until they died, after which, it may or may not have been mentioned that they were part of the horse industry. To date, there is not a source that gives all their names, and only a few are mentioned in books. It is the more famous individuals with recent books dedicated to their lives. In old newspapers, it was these same indivuduals who had articles written about them in sections of the papers other than the "Colored Notes." A real show of success or acceptance was not having it mentioned in the article that the man was "colored." Then, around 1970, local newspapers started to do away with the practice of "Colored Notes" and mentioning the race of African Americans. Some newspapers made the change gradually, and for others, it was a very slow transition. This entry includes only a few of the names of horsemen found in Kentucky historical newspapers, from 1879-1952. This entry is meant to highlight the use of newspaper sources for filling in the gaps about the lives and deaths of Kentucky's African American horsemen. Note also that the articles give an indication of how the individual horsemen may have been regarded in terms of notoriety. For future research, suggested search terms for historical newspaper articles about African American horsemen are colored and Negro combined with Kentucky and other terms such as jockey, trainer, trotter, and horseman.
|
NAME |
OCCUPATION |
WORKED FOR |
CITATION |
NOTES |
|
Louis Augustus (b.1874) |
Horseman |
|
The Evening Bulletin, 01/10/1890, p.1 |
From Harrodsburg, KY, 15-16 years old. Left thigh fractured in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
Trainer |
|
Leader, 10/23/1911, p.12 |
Death Notice. |
|
|
Tom Bacon (-1899) |
Trainer |
Hopkinsville Kentuckian, 10/13/1899, p.1 |
Death Notice. |
|
|
Lloyd Baxter (b.1873) |
Horseman |
|
The Hickman Courier, 01/13/1890, p.1 |
From Frankfort, KY, 16-17 years old. Braised back in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
Frank Bayless (-1892) |
Jockey |
Leader, 01/14/1906, p.7 |
Death Notice. |
|
|
Jockey |
|
Leader, 08/08/1892, p.2 |
Injured in race. |
|
|
French Brooks (1856-1943) |
Trainer |
E. F. Clay |
The Bourbon News, 03/08/1910, p.8 |
Delivered filly to John E. Madden. |
|
Jockey, Trainer, Race Horse Owner |
|
The Paducah Sun, 05/11/1906, p.2 |
Death Notice. |
|
|
John Brown (b.1857) |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 12/17/1911, p.4 |
Wife threw a going away party for him. |
|
Hiram Burns (1876-1952) |
Saddle Horse Rider, Trainer of Trotters |
Herald-Leader, 09/07/1952, p.3 |
Death Notice. Died in Georgetown, KY. |
|
|
Jim Burnside (-1891) |
Trainer |
|
Semi-weekly Interior Journal (Stanford), 07/31/1891, p.1 |
Death Notice. Died from drinking too much bad whisky, according to the coroner's inquest. |
|
Ed Caldwell (1863-1912) |
Trainer |
|
Leader, 02/19/1912, p.7 |
Death Notice. |
|
Trainer, Race Horse Owner |
E. J. Baldwin |
The Evening Bulletin (Maysville), 08/13/1889, p.3 |
Owner of the horse Protection, winner of the Junior Champion Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, New Jersey. |
|
|
Anderson Carr (1864-1912) |
Horseman |
Semi-weekly Interior Journal (Stanford), 10/20/1893, p.1 |
From Stanford, KY. While in Danville, managed to regain control of his runaway horse and buggy. |
|
|
Harold M. Childs (1863-1941) |
Trainer, Trotters & Harness Horses |
Ben F. White / Assistant with Charles Marvin for Joseph W. Bailey |
Herald-Leader, 01/12/1941, p.11; & 01/10/1941, p.7 |
Death Notice. Iowa native who lived in Lexington. He died in Iowa City, Iowa. |
|
Sanford Chinn (b.1889) |
Jockey |
Leader, 09/03/1907, p.7 |
Participated in race at Colored Fair, September 10-14, 1907. |
|
|
Jockey, Trainer |
|
The Evening Bulletin (Maysville), 06/14/1894, p.3 |
Intended to file $10,000 lawsuit in Lexington against L&N Railroad because he was put out of the Smoking Car under the Separate Coach Law. The article mentions that Clay was almost white and had been allowed to ride in the Smoking Car when he boarded the train in Illinois. |
|
|
Harry Colston |
Trainer, Race Horse Owner |
Harper |
The South Kentuckian (Hopkinsville), 11/11/1879, p.2 |
Owner of Irish King, winner of Stallion Stake in Louisville, and won first in his class at the National Fair in Washington, D.C. |
|
William Crawford (-1883) |
Trainer |
Speak's Stables |
Semi-weekly Bourbon News, 12/21/1883, p.1 |
Death Notice. Died suddenly from heart disease. |
|
James Crutcher (-1896) |
Jockey |
|
Hopkinsville Kentuckian, 04/28/1896, p.4 |
Death Notice. From Lexington. Killed in an accident on a train in Lebanon Junction, KY. |
|
George Darnaby (1887-1940) |
Horseman |
C. V. Whitney |
Leader, 09/18/1940, p.17 |
Death Notice. |
|
Charles Decemberly |
Trainer |
|
Leader, 09/25/1952, p.17 |
Worked in Mt. Olivet, KY. |
|
Green Dunham (b.1833) |
Jockey |
|
The Hickman Courier, 11/10/1899, p.4 |
16 year old from Richmond, KY, accidently drank concentrated lye thinking it was whisky. |
|
Walter Eldridge (1900-1940) |
Trainer |
Ben White |
Leader, 11/21/1940, p.17 |
Death Notice. |
|
Walt Fletcher (b.1859) |
Trainer |
Daily Public Ledger (Maysville), 10/29/1904, p.1 |
Lost control of his horse and cart on Market Street in Maysville and crashed into the buggy of Miss Ellen Kirk. |
|
|
Ben Forrest (1877-1931) |
Trainer |
|
Leader, 08/24/1931, p.12 |
Death Notice. |
|
Chester Frakes (b.1888) |
Trainer |
Catesby Woodford, Bourbon County & John Ireland, Lexington |
The Bourbon News, 11/10/1911, p.4 |
From Bourbon County, KY. Married widow of James "Soup" Perkins, Frankie Perkins. |
|
Robert Garner (b.1865) |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 11/20/1911, p.8 |
Wife died, Sallie Garner |
|
Frank Givens (b.1876) [misspelled as Givenson] |
Horseman |
|
The Hickman Courier, 01/13/1890, p.1 |
From Covington, KY. Received cuts in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
Fred Gordon (1915-1940) |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 10/28/1940, p.11 |
Death Notice. From Maddoxtown. |
|
Morris Green (1871-1890) |
Horseman |
The Evening Bulletin (Maysville), 01/10/1890, p.1 |
Death Notice. From Frankfort, KY. Killed in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
|
Pat Green, Sr. (1842-1907) |
Trainer |
R. R. Pepper & others |
The Frankfort Roundabout, 01/19/1907, p.5 |
Death Notice. |
|
Hamilton [misspelled as Mamilton] |
Jockey |
Matt Allen, Hearst Stables |
The Climax (Richmond, KY), 01/16/1889, p.2 |
Signed to ride for Hearst Stables at 106 pounds at $6,000 for the season. |
|
Pearl Harris |
Jockey |
|
The Climax (Richmond, KY), 12/30/1896 |
From Paris, KY. Accidentally blew his hand off with a cannon firecracker. |
|
John Hathaway(-1905) |
Jockey |
|
The Hazel Green Herald, 01/05/1905, p.1 |
Death Notice. Hanged in Winchester, KY, for the murder of his ex-girlfriend Etta Thomas. First legal hanging in Clark County since 1851. |
|
P. L. Hensley (1858-1926) |
Trainer |
|
The Mt. Sterling Advocate, 03/16/ 1922, p.1 |
Assisting in preparations at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds race track. |
|
George Hurley |
Horseman |
|
The Evening Bulletin (Maysville), 01/10/1890, p.1 |
From Cynthiana, KY. Broken arm in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
Thomas M. Irvin (1865-1949) |
Trainer |
|
Leader, 04/15/1930, p.17 |
Wife died, Maggie Irvin. |
|
Alexander Jones (1863-1924) |
Trainer |
George Stoll |
Leader, 05/16/1913, p.11 |
Wife died, Mary Lilliard Jones. |
|
James R. Jones "Dutch" (1875-1950) |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 04/24/1950, p.14 |
Death Notice. |
|
John Johnson (-1931) |
Horseman |
Harrye Payne Whitney |
Leader, 06/24/1931, p.14 |
Death Notice. From Lexington. Died in New York |
|
Lucien Johnson (1876-1937) |
Trainer |
|
The Bourbon News, 09/30/1919, p.1 |
Heroic deed to save a child. |
|
Alexander Kelly |
Trainer |
Dr. McMillan |
The Bourbon News, 07/03/1883, p.1 |
Trained a blind horse that worked better with an open bridle than a blind bridle. |
|
George Keys (1882-1932) |
Horseman |
Hal Price Headley |
Leader, 05/16/1932, p.11 |
Death Notice. |
|
Howard Lee (1857-1915) |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 01/04/1915, p.3 |
Death Notice. |
|
Marshall Lilly |
Trainer, Jockey, Exerciser |
Greentree Stable of Mrs. Payne Whitney / Worked with Brown Dick |
Leader, 10/30/1931, p.6 |
Father worked for James A. Grinstead. |
|
Henry Mack (1853-1906) |
Trainer |
|
Leader, 10/28/1906, p.2 |
Death Notice. |
|
James E. Medley (1887-1940) |
Conditioned Horses, Break & Train Trotters |
Castleton Farm |
Leader, 10/22/1940, p.13 |
Death Notice. |
|
Robert Miller |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 02/04/1912, p.6 |
Mother died, Susan Nelson. |
|
Isaac Murphy (1861-1896) |
Jockey, Thoroughbred Owner |
Ehret Stable; Self Employed |
Leader, 07/14/1892, p.3; The Evening Bulletin, 05/15/1891 |
Half owner of the horse Kingman a derby winner in Louisville. |
|
Alfred Neil (-1896) |
Jockey |
Baldwin Stable |
Daily Public Ledger (Maysville), 05/04/1896, p.2 |
Death Notice. Alfred Neil was killed in Louisville by Louis Drake who was a white horse trainer for Hankins and Johnson. |
|
Noah |
Jockey |
|
The Hazel Green Herald, 10/24/1895, p.1 |
From Hazel Green, KY. Victorious at the Hazel Green Fair Race. |
|
Norman (-1893) |
Trainer |
|
Daily Public Ledger (Maysville), 04/05/1893, p.1 |
Death Notice. From Frankfort. Shot and killed by William Gray. |
|
Will F. Overton |
Race-rider |
From Chicago |
Leader, 09/21/1891, p.5 |
In town to wed Lucy Britton, sister to jockey Tom Britton. |
|
Frank Perkins (1871-1900) |
Train Thoroughbreds |
|
The Mt. Sterling Advocate, 10/09/1900, p.6; and Daily Public Ledger (Maysville), 05/07/1901, p.2 |
Death Notice. Brother of Soup Perkins. Killed by Thomas Christian who was given a life sentence. |
|
William Perkins (1879-1927) |
Trainer & Jockey |
|
Herald (Lexington), 04/19/1927, p.1 |
Death Notice. Brother of Soup Perkins. |
|
"Snow" |
Jockey |
|
The Paducah Evening Sun, 10/09/1909, p.6 |
Said to be overweight, "Snow," a colored jockey, was allowed to participate in the Paducah Fair and Races. He rode the horse Enrica and a stir was caused in the bookies camp. |
|
James Pulley (1877-1940) |
Horseman |
Leader, 11/11/1940, p.11 |
Death Notice. |
|
|
Harry Ray |
Jockey |
|
The Climax (Richmond, KY), 07/15/1896, p.4 |
Cleared of stealing a diamond ring from Pearl Britton - - Lexington, KY. |
|
Lem Snyder [misspelled as Sydner] |
Trainer |
|
The Mt. Sterling Advocate, 03/16/1922, p.1 |
Assisting in preparations at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds race track. |
|
James Stone (-1893) |
Jockey |
|
The Evening Bulletin (Maysville), 04/27/1889, p.1 |
Tried for the death of New York bartender Henry Miller. |
|
Archie Strange |
Trotting Horse Trainer |
|
Leader, 07/06/1911, p.9 |
Mother died, Harriet Strange. |
|
Cassius Clay “Cash” Tankersley (1866-1886) |
Jockey for Barak G. Thomas |
|
The Big Sandy News, 06/03/1886, p.4 |
Death Notice. Died after being thrown from horse at Latonia Track. |
|
William Taylor |
Horseman |
|
The Evening Bulletin (Maysville), 01/10/1890, p.1 |
From Covington, KY. Broken arm in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
William H. Thomas (-1890) |
Horseman |
|
The Evening Bulletin (Maysville), 01/10/1890, p.1 |
Death Notice. From Cynthiana, KY. Killed in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
Harry Thompson |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 04/02/1928, p.12 |
Death Notice. |
|
Lewis Thompson |
Horseman |
|
The Hickman Courier, 01/13/1890, p.1 |
From Harrodsburg, KY. Fractured bone in foot in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
John Todd (-1908) |
Jockey |
Talbott Brothers |
The Bourbon News, 07/10/1908, p.8 |
Death Notice. 14 year old jockey from Paris, KY, died of tubercula meningitis in Cincinnati, OH. {Death Certificate says he was 16 years old.} |
|
John H. Washington |
Horseman |
|
The Hickman Courier, 01/13/1890, p.1 |
From Spring Station, KY. Bruised in train collision in St. Louis, MO, while helping to transport race horses from Latonia to Kansas City. |
|
William Walker (1860-1933) |
Jockey; Race Horse Betting |
|
The Climax (Richmond, KY), 12/11/1889, p.2 |
Won big at betting. |
|
Edward Walls "Shorty" (1893-1940) |
Horseman |
C. Van Dusen |
Leader, 10/22/1940, p.13 |
Death Notice. |
|
Willis Wheeler (1875-1940) |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 10/12/1940, p.10; and Leader, 11/15/1912, p.12 |
Death Notice. Death Notice for wife, Amelia Wheeler. |
|
H. S. Williams "Shack" (1860-1913) |
Horseman |
|
Leader, 01/12/1913, p.2 |
Death Notice. |
|
Isaac Williams (1880-1930) |
Trainer |
|
Leader, 09/25/1930, p.17 |
Death Notice. |
|
Ansell Williamson (b.1810) |
Trainer |
|
Leader, 11/23/1914, p.3 |
Father of Mrs. Mary A. Cohn, wife of Hamilton Cohn. |
|
Ed Willis (1870-1930) |
Trainer and superintendent |
Patchen Wilkes Farm / R. P. Pepper in Frankfort |
Leader, 03/10/1914, p.8; & Leader, 12/06/1930, p.8 |
Resigned from Patchen Wilkes. Death Notice. |
|
Jimmy Winkfield (1882-1974) |
Jockey |
Russia and Poland |
Leader, 06/07/1904, p.7; The Citizen (Berea), 06/09/1904, p.3 |
Jockey in Russia. "Colored Jockey Won Derby" [Warsaw Derby in Poland]. |