Lexington in Fayette County, Kentucky — The American South (East South Central)

African Americans in the Horse Industry Buried Here

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, March 27, 2021

1. African Americans in the Horse Industry Buried Here Marker

Inscription.

African Americans in the Horse Industry Buried Here. . Thoroughbred Trainers (24). French Brooks 1861-1943 . Harry Brown ?-1890 . Edward Caldwell 1863-1912 . General Carter 1865-1936 . Oliver D. Chambers 1842-1909 . June Collins 1860-1930 . Polk Drake 1852-1889 . Moses Dupee 1832-1901 . Ben Forrest 1877-1931 . John H. Forrest, Jr. 1864-1903 . Austin Harris 1874-1902 . James Hoskins 1886-1927 . Howard Jefferson 1857-1900 . Thomas Johnson 1866-1924 . John Montgomery 1882-1930 . George Morton 1862-1906 . Frank Perkins 1871-1900 . Abraham Perry 1842-1908 . Henry Roberts 1862-1922 . Harry Thompson 1888-1928 . Charlie O. Walker 1889-1947 . David Wilkerson 1879-1920 . Charles Williams 1867-1895 . Isaac Williams 1876-1930 Trainer, 1885 Kentucky Derby winner, Standardbred Trainers (4) Jackson Brown 1826-1885 . Nelson Cleveland 1861-1911 . Walker Hughes 1888-1927 . John Jacob Perkins 1856-1913, Foremen (2) Matt Clarke 1856-1917 . William Keys 1887-1929, Exercisers (4) Malcolm Ayers 1865-1941 . William Henry Bates 1909-1928 . Cecil Green 1910-1932 . Robert Lee McCoy 1914-1915, Race Riders/Jockeys (20). Thomas "Tommie” Britton 1870-1901 . James Brooks 1888-1904 . Clarence Bryant 1878-1899 . Robert Bryant 1882-1895 . James Carter ?-1925 . Scott Gill 1878-1895 . Robert Isom 1879-1897 . James Juison 1874-1897 . George'Amos Knox 1860-1906 . Oliver Lewis 1856-1924 . Austin Morton 1897-1917 . Isaac Murphy 1861-1896 . James "Soup” Perkins 1880-1911 . Frank Ross 1895-1903 . Joseph Scott 1875-1891 . Charles Suter 1884-1900 . Cassius Clay Tankersley 1866 -1886 . Jacob Trotter 1883-1909 . John Warfield 1873-1894 . James H. Wilson 1850-1897 Kentucky Derby winning jockeys, Stable Hands (4) Dick Coleman 1868-1906 . Jim Dandy 1874-1901 . J. Runyon 1864-1895 . Charlie Witherspoon 1878-1905, Grooms (13). Smith Bones 1897-1927 . Albert Buston 1874-1895 . Ansel Cohn 1872-1926 . William M.C. Davis 1883-1932 . Russell Green 1889-1925 . Henry Jones 1879-1928 . Octie Keys 1884-1929 . Clarence Matthews 1883-1929 . Henry Slaughter 1871-1924 . George Washington 1879-1922 . Aaron M. Webster 1887-1905 . Edward Withrow 1877-1931 . Braxton Woodard 1867-1932, Horsemen (40). Louis Butler 1877-1929 . Chester Campbell 1887-1924 . Harry Carpenter 1853-1923 . Henry Chambers 1877-1920 . Peter Allen Cohn 1861-1937 . James Coleman 1865-1924 . Billy Curd 1865-1920 . Johnson Deamus 1872-1926 . William Dudley 1886-1926 . William Embry 1880-1930 . Frederick Evans 1864-1918 . Ben Fields 1866-1928 . Thomas Fisher 1879-1900 . Oscar Giles 1911-1930 . Horace Graham 1877-1911 . Samuel Grant 1902-1935 . Clarence Green 1882-1929 . Daniel Higgins 1835-1909 . Carey Lewis 1875-1908 . William Lewis 1891-1935 . Lee Madison 1885-1900 . Robert Minnis 1883-1922 . Eugene Morris 1886-1911 . Theodore Palmer 1883-1926 . Pete Phillips 1886-1923 . William Rivers 1863-1923 . George Rogers 1886-1914 . William Rollins 1873-1919 . George Ross 1909-1939 . Harry Seemore 1849-1911 . Eddy Scott 1885-1921 . Steve Scott 1895-1921 . Andrew Smith 1852-1927 . James Smith 1856-1916 . Walter Smith 1867-1927 . William Henry Steele 1869-1935 . Alexander Stout 1859-1923 . Henry Walker 1875-1910 . Sam Weathers 1990-1899 . Lewis Wells 1871-1911, Hostlers (47). Wallace Bibbs 1864-1912 . Ned Blackburn 1858-1915 . Henry Harrison Brown 1845-1914 . Larkin Buckner 1841-1901 . Benjamin Byrd 1838-1898 . Thomas Campbell 1878-1899 . William Carpenter 1878-1934 . Abraham Christopher 1835-1895 . Franklin Clay 1845-1918 . Hiram Coleman 1841-1902 . Richard Coulter 1856-1907 . James Curd 1874-1896 . Charles Green 1855-1895 . William Green 1853-1898 . Harry Gilbert 1875-1902 . Jacob Hall 1857-1897 . Parker Harris 1849-1897 . William Harris 1870-1903 . Daniel Hart 1875-1901 . George Holmes 1854-1897 . William S. Holman 1863-1898 . William Hunley 1818-1880 . George Johnson 1872-1915 . Henry Johnson 1875-1899 . Richard W. Jones 1862-1909 . Howard Lee 1857-1915 . James Mason 1844-1897 . Jake Overton 1868-1903 . John W. Palmer 1865-1915 . Stephen Porter 1864-1907 . Milton Robinson 1848-1899 . John Sailles 1873-1906 . John Sanders ?-1898 . William Seals 1876-1918 . Richard Sissle 1831-1901 . Henry Smith 1869-1902 . Clarence B. Snowden 1875-1903 . Frank Stanley 1862-1904 . George Stewart 1856-1910 . Willis Stout 1858-1907 . Clarence String 1885-1917 . Elijah Taylor 1852-1906 . James Taylor 1847-1903 . John Thomas 1845-1895 . John Q.A. Thomas 1880-1900 . Horatio Tucker 1892-1913 . Charley Williams 1874-1907, (Sidebar) Young Equestrian Scholars. In 2010 the cemetery board created the Y.E.S. (Young Equestrian Scholars) to expand its research effort. University students from several disciplines were awarded stipends through a Community Collaborative Grant from the University of Kentucky., Marisa Williams, one of the students wrote: "In current times the idea of African Americans being involved in the equine industry is very farfetched. Many have a difficult time imagining that Blacks were essentially responsible in catapulting the sport to become the phenomenon it is today. The extraordinary lives of these amazing athletes are slowly being uncovered and reveal astonishing information". , University of Kentucky Young Equestrian Scholar April 2011, The grant supported the placement of archive panels drawing attention to Kentucky Derby winning jockeys Oliver Lewis, James "Soup" Perkins and Isaac Murphy., Information panels for winning trainer Abraham Perry and jockey Cassius Clay Tankersley were supported in 2017 by the International Museum of the Horse., Dr. Anne Butler, board member from 1995 to 2013, began searching for African American men who were crucial to the development and continuance of racing, a multi-million dollar industry in Kentucky. Prior to her death she had identified eighty-seven names of those employed. Current board members Yvonne Giles and Allan Hetzel continue the search to identify others. As of January 2020, 158 are listed.

Thoroughbred Trainers (24) French Brooks 1861-1943 • Harry Brown ?-1890 • Edward Caldwell 1863-1912 • General Carter 1865-1936 • Oliver D. Chambers 1842-1909 • June Collins 1860-1930 • Polk Drake 1852-1889 • Moses Dupee 1832-1901 • Ben Forrest 1877-1931 • John H. Forrest, Jr. 1864-1903 • Austin Harris 1874-1902 • James Hoskins 1886-1927 • Howard Jefferson 1857-1900 • Thomas Johnson 1866-1924 • John Montgomery 1882-1930 • George Morton 1862-1906 • Frank Perkins 1871-1900 • *Abraham Perry 1842-1908 • Henry Roberts 1862-1922 • Harry Thompson 1888-1928 • Charlie O. Walker 1889-1947 • David Wilkerson 1879-1920 • Charles Williams 1867-1895 • Isaac Williams 1876-1930
*Trainer, 1885 Kentucky Derby winner

Standardbred Trainers (4)
Jackson Brown 1826-1885 • Nelson Cleveland 1861-1911 • Walker Hughes 1888-1927 • John Jacob Perkins 1856-1913

Foremen (2)
Matt Clarke 1856-1917 • William Keys 1887-1929

Exercisers (4)
Malcolm Ayers 1865-1941 • William Henry Bates 1909-1928 • Cecil Green 1910-1932 • Robert Lee McCoy 1914-1915

Race Riders/Jockeys (20) Thomas "Tommie” Britton 1870-1901 • James Brooks 1888-1904 • Clarence Bryant 1878-1899 • Robert Bryant 1882-1895 • James Carter ?-1925 • Scott Gill 1878-1895

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• Robert Isom 1879-1897 • James Juison 1874-1897 • George'Amos Knox 1860-1906 • *Oliver Lewis 1856-1924 • Austin Morton 1897-1917 • *Isaac Murphy 1861-1896 • *James "Soup” Perkins 1880-1911 • Frank Ross 1895-1903 • Joseph Scott 1875-1891 • Charles Suter 1884-1900 • Cassius Clay Tankersley 1866 -1886 • Jacob Trotter 1883-1909 • John Warfield 1873-1894 • James H. Wilson 1850-1897
* Kentucky Derby winning jockeys

Stable Hands (4)
Dick Coleman 1868-1906 • Jim Dandy 1874-1901 • J. Runyon 1864-1895 • Charlie Witherspoon 1878-1905

Grooms (13) Smith Bones 1897-1927 • Albert Buston 1874-1895 • Ansel Cohn 1872-1926 • William M.C. Davis 1883-1932 • Russell Green 1889-1925 • Henry Jones 1879-1928 • Octie Keys 1884-1929 • Clarence Matthews 1883-1929 • Henry Slaughter 1871-1924 • George Washington 1879-1922 • Aaron M. Webster 1887-1905 • Edward Withrow 1877-1931 • Braxton Woodard 1867-1932

Horsemen (40) Louis Butler 1877-1929 • Chester Campbell 1887-1924 • Harry Carpenter 1853-1923 • Henry Chambers 1877-1920 • Peter Allen Cohn 1861-1937 • James Coleman 1865-1924 • Billy Curd 1865-1920 • Johnson Deamus 1872-1926 • William Dudley 1886-1926 • William Embry 1880-1930 • Frederick Evans 1864-1918 • Ben Fields 1866-1928 • Thomas Fisher 1879-1900 • Oscar Giles 1911-1930 • Horace Graham

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, July 23, 2022

2. African Americans in the Horse Industry Buried Here Marker

1877-1911 • Samuel Grant 1902-1935 • Clarence Green 1882-1929 • Daniel Higgins 1835-1909 • Carey Lewis 1875-1908 • William Lewis 1891-1935 • Lee Madison 1885-1900 • Robert Minnis 1883-1922 • Eugene Morris 1886-1911 • Theodore Palmer 1883-1926 • Pete Phillips 1886-1923 • William Rivers 1863-1923 • George Rogers 1886-1914 • William Rollins 1873-1919 • George Ross 1909-1939 • Harry Seemore 1849-1911 • Eddy Scott 1885-1921 • Steve Scott 1895-1921 • Andrew Smith 1852-1927 • James Smith 1856-1916 • Walter Smith 1867-1927 • William Henry Steele 1869-1935 • Alexander Stout 1859-1923 • Henry Walker 1875-1910 • Sam Weathers 1990-1899 • Lewis Wells 1871-1911

Hostlers (47) Wallace Bibbs 1864-1912 • Ned Blackburn 1858-1915 • Henry Harrison Brown 1845-1914 • Larkin Buckner 1841-1901 • Benjamin Byrd 1838-1898 • Thomas Campbell 1878-1899 • William Carpenter 1878-1934 • Abraham Christopher 1835-1895 • Franklin Clay 1845-1918 • Hiram Coleman 1841-1902 • Richard Coulter 1856-1907 • James Curd 1874-1896 • Charles Green 1855-1895 • William Green 1853-1898 • Harry Gilbert 1875-1902 • Jacob Hall 1857-1897 • Parker Harris 1849-1897 • William Harris 1870-1903 • Daniel Hart 1875-1901 • George Holmes 1854-1897 • William S. Holman 1863-1898 • William Hunley 1818-1880 • George Johnson 1872-1915 • Henry Johnson 1875-1899 • Richard W. Jones 1862-1909 • Howard Lee 1857-1915 •

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James Mason 1844-1897 • Jake Overton 1868-1903 • John W. Palmer 1865-1915 • Stephen Porter 1864-1907 • Milton Robinson 1848-1899 • John Sailles 1873-1906 • John Sanders ?-1898 • William Seals 1876-1918 • Richard Sissle 1831-1901 • Henry Smith 1869-1902 • Clarence B. Snowden 1875-1903 • Frank Stanley 1862-1904 • George Stewart 1856-1910 • Willis Stout 1858-1907 • Clarence String 1885-1917 • Elijah Taylor 1852-1906 • James Taylor 1847-1903 • John Thomas 1845-1895 • John Q.A. Thomas 1880-1900 • Horatio Tucker 1892-1913 • Charley Williams 1874-1907

(Sidebar)
Young Equestrian Scholars In 2010 the cemetery board created the Y.E.S. (Young Equestrian Scholars) to expand its research effort. University students from several disciplines were awarded stipends through a Community Collaborative Grant from the University of Kentucky.

Marisa Williams, one of the students wrote: "In current times the idea of African Americans being involved in the equine industry is very farfetched. Many have a difficult time imagining that Blacks were essentially responsible in catapulting the sport to become the phenomenon it is today. The extraordinary lives of these amazing athletes are slowly being uncovered and reveal astonishing information". — University of Kentucky Young Equestrian Scholar April 2011

The grant supported the placement of archive panels drawing attention to Kentucky Derby winning jockeys Oliver Lewis, James "Soup" Perkins and Isaac Murphy.

Information panels for winning trainer Abraham Perry and jockey Cassius Clay Tankersley were supported in 2017 by the International Museum of the Horse.

Dr. Anne Butler, board member from 1995 to 2013, began searching for African American men who were crucial to the development and continuance of racing, a multi-million dollar industry in Kentucky. Prior to her death she had identified eighty-seven names of those employed. Current board members Yvonne Giles and Allan Hetzel continue the search to identify others. As of January 2020, 158 are listed.

Erected 2020 by African Cemetery No. 2.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Sports.

Location. 38° 3.084′ N, 84° 28.655′ W. Marker is in Lexington, Kentucky, in Fayette County. Marker can be reached from East 7th Street. Marker is located in African Cemetery No. 2. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 419 East 7th Street, Lexington KY 40508, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Thomas 'Tommy' Britton (a few steps from this marker); Isaac Burns Murphy (within shouting distance of this marker); Oliver Lewis (within shouting distance of this marker); Joseph Scott (within shouting distance of this marker); James 'Soup' Perkins (within shouting distance of this marker); Trainers (within shouting distance of this marker); Cassius Clay Tankersly (c. 1866-1886) (within shouting distance of this marker); Abraham Perry (1842-1908) (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lexington.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 29, 2022. It was originally submitted on March 31, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 8,483 times since then and 4,514 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 31, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on July 29, 2022, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.