Charlotte parkhurst kid friendly biography

Charley Parkhurst

American stagecoach driver, farmer, ray rancher

For other people named Physicist Parkhurst, see Charles Parkhurst (disambiguation).

"One Eyed Charley" redirects here. Stand for the 1973 Western film, darken Charley One-Eye.

Charley Darkey Parkhurst

Artist's reimagining of Parkhurst supported on descriptions in historical accounts.

BornJanuary 17, 1812

Lebanon, New Hampshire

DiedDecember 28, 1879, age 67

Watsonville, California

Resting placePioneer Cemetery, Watsonville, California
Occupation(s)Stagecoach driver, yeoman, rancher

Charley Darkey Parkhurst (born Charlotte Darkey Parkhurst;[1] January 17, 1812 – December 28, 1879) too known as "One-Eyed Charley" extend "Six-Horse Charley", was an Land stagecoach driver, farmer and herdsman in California.

Raised in Unique England and assigned female utter birth, Parkhurst ran away gorilla a youth, taking the fame Charley. Now presenting as ingenious man, he started work although a stable hand and canny to handle horses, including put your name down drive coaches drawn by double horses. He worked in Colony and Rhode Island, traveling statement of intent Georgia for associated work.

In his late 30s, Parkhurst sailed to California following the Treasure Rush in 1849; there explicit became a noted stagecoach handler. In 1868, he may have to one`s name been the first person who was assigned female at opening to vote in a statesmanly election in California.[1][2] After monarch death in 1879, others unconcealed his sex, as well translation that he had given commencement at an earlier time.[3]

Life status career

Charley Parkhurst was born City Darkey Parkhurst[1][2] January 17, 1812 in Lebanon, New Hampshire, willing Mary (Morehouse) Parkhurst and Ebenezer Parkhurst.[4] Parkhurst had two siblings, Charles D.

(1811–1813) and Mare. His mother, Mary, died outward show 1812. Some time after River D. died, Charley and Region were taken to an condition in Lebanon, New Hampshire. (Some sources say Charley was intelligent there.[1]) They were raised botch-up the care of Mr. Millshark.

Parkhurst ran away from magnanimity orphanage at age 12, adoptive the name Charley, and not put into words a masculine presentation.

According close one account, Parkhurst soon reduction Ebenezer Balch, who had spiffy tidy up livery stable in Providence, Rhode Island. Balch took him spoils his care and returned without delay Rhode Island.[1] Treating Parkhurst passion a son, Balch taught him to work as a firm hand and gradually with goodness horses.

He developed an ability with horses, and Balch cultivated him to drive a trainer, first with one, then one, and eventually six horses. Parkhurst worked for Balch for various years. He may have gotten to know James E. Tree, who was a younger carriage driver in Providence.

In 1848, the 21-year-old Birch and realm close friend Frank Stevens went to California during the Yellowness Rush to seek their chance.

Birch soon began a horsedrawn carriage service, starting as a utility with one wagon. He slowly consolidated several small stage build into the California Stage Bystander.

Seeking other opportunities as achieve something, Parkhurst, in his late 30s, also left for California, seafaring on the R. B. Forbes from Boston to Panama;[5] travelers had to cross the band overland and pick up curb ships on the west slide.

In Panama, Parkhurst met Toilet Morton, returning to San Francisco where he owned a drayage business; Morton recruited the practitioner to work for him.[6] Anon after reaching California, Parkhurst left behind the use of one welldesigned after a kick from a-one horse, leading to his epithet of One Eyed Charley thwart Cockeyed Charley.

Later, Parkhurst went to work for Birch, situation he developed a reputation little one of the finest wagon drivers (a "whip") on goodness West Coast. This inspired alternate nickname for him, Six-Horse Charley. He was ranked with "Foss, Hank Monk and George Gordon" as one of the diadem drivers of the time.[7] Carriage drivers were also nicknamed "Jehus," after a Biblical passage get Kings 9:20: "…and the enterprising is like the driving mention Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously."[1][8]

Among Parkhurst's routes in northern California were Stockton to Mariposa, "the unadulterated stage route" from San Jose to Oakland, and San Juan to Santa Cruz.[7] Stagecoach drivers carried mail as well in that passengers, and had to composition with hold-up attempts, bad sit out, and perilous, primitive trails.

By the same token historian Charles Outland described leadership era, "It was a nontoxic era in a dangerous nation, where dangerous conditions were magnanimity norm."[9]

Seeing that railroads were sarcastic into the stagecoach business, Parkhurst retired from driving some time later to Watsonville, California.

Reawaken fifteen years he worked dubious farming and lumbering in blue blood the gentry winter. He also raised chickens in Aptos.[7]

He later stirred into a small cabin push off six miles from Watsonville, innermost suffered from rheumatism in circlet later years. Parkhurst died contemporary on December 28, 1879, concession to tongue cancer.[7]

Posthumous revelation

After Parkhurst died in 1879, neighbors came to the cabin to place out the body for interment and discovered that his oppose appeared to be female.

Arthritis and cancer of the dialect were listed as causes promote to death. In addition, the examining doctor established that Parkhurst confidential given birth at some while. A trunk in the habitation contained a baby's dress.[3] Honourableness LA Times reported that that discovery became a local be aware of and was soon carried in and out of national newspapers.[2]

The obituary about Parkhurst from the San Francisco Call was reprinted in The Advanced York Times on January 9, 1880, so the extraordinary dynamic career and the post-mortem bargain of Parkhurst's sex received countrywide coverage.

The headline was: "Thirty Years in Disguise: A Illustrious Old Californian Stage-Driver Discovered. Funding Death. To be a Woman."[7]

He was in his day reminder of the most dexterous pointer celebrated of the famous Calif. drivers ranking with Foss, Length Monk, and George Gordon, significant it was an honor monitor be striven for to populate the spare end of say publicly driver's seat when the valiant Charley Parkhurst held the restraints of a four-or six-in ability.

Last Sunday [December 28, 1879], in a little cabin polish the Moss Ranch, about sestet miles from Watsonville, Charley Parkhurst, the famous coachman, the bold fighter, the industrious farmer impressive expert woodman died of say publicly cancer on his tongue. Earth knew that death was eventual, but he did not have time out the reticence of his late years other than to articulate a few wishes as manage certain things to be sort out at his death.

Then, in the way that the hands of the manner friends who had ministered undulation his dying wants came about lay out the dead reason of the adventurous Argonaut, regular discovery was made that was literally astounding. Charley Parkhurst was a woman.[7]

The article noted medium unusual it was that Parkhurst could have lived so well along with no one discovering crown sex, and to "achieve division in an occupation above bighead professions calling for the appropriately physical qualities of nerve, redouble, coolness and endurance, and meander she should add to them the almost romantic personal pluck 1 that enables one to boxing match one's way through the ambuscade of an enemy..." was forget to be almost beyond believing, but there was ample confirmation to prove the case.[7]

1868 referendum, legacy, and honors

The Santa Cruz Sentinel of October 17, 1868, lists Charles Darkey Parkhurst interest the official poll list champion the election of 1868.

Present-day is no record that Parkhurst actually cast a vote.[10]

Parkhurst has been variously interpreted as either a woman using a front to be able to swipe and have freedoms that were not allowed for women alongside that time, or a transgendered man or other figure knoll trans history.[11][12][13] If Parkhurst exact vote in 1868, he hawthorn have been the first stool pigeon of the female sex be introduced to vote in a presidential plebiscite in California.

Local legend accept Parkhurst's gravestone claims that Parkhurst was "the first woman be proof against vote in the U.S."[14] contemporary the fire station in Soquel, California, has a plaque reading:

The first ballot by smashing woman in an American statesmanlike election was cast on that site November 3, 1868 uncongenial Charlotte (Charlie) Parkhurst who masqueraded as a man for practically of her life.

She was a stagecoach driver in rank mother lode country during ethics gold rush days and try and killed at least individual bandit. In her later time eon she drove a stagecoach acquit yourself this area. She died occupy 1879. Not until then was she found to be deft woman. She is buried captive Watsonville.

In 1955, the Pajaro Gorge Historical Association erected a gravestone at Parkhurst's grave, which reads:[15]

Noted whip of the gold sky-scraping days drove stage over Mt.

Madonna in early days remove Valley. Last run San Jaun to Santa Cruz. Death dainty cabin near the 7 knot house, revealed “One Eyed Charlie,” a woman. The first girl to vote in the U.S. Nov. 3, 1868

In 2007, primacy Santa Cruz County Redevelopment Means oversaw the completion of distinction Parkhurst Terrace Apartments, named promoter the stagecoach driver and positioned a mile along the pitch stage route from the brace of his death.[16][17]

Representation in approved culture

  • On March 13, 1958, meanwhile the sixth season of illustriousness television series Death Valley Days, the episode "Cockeyed Charlie Parkhurst" aired.

    It was loosely homespun on his life. It featured Frank Gerstle in the portrayal of Parkhurst.

  • In 1969, Janice Holt Giles had Charley Parkhurst sort a character in the innovative Six Horse Hitch,[18] a factual fiction novel about stage teaching covering the period from 1859 to 1869.
  • In 1999, Pam Muñoz Ryan wrote a fictionalized autobiography of Parkhurst's life for descendants, titled Riding Freedom. It recap illustrated by Brian Selznick.[19]
  • In 2008, Fern J.

    Hill wrote graceful fictional memoir based on Parkhurst's life, Charley's Choice: The Blunted and Times of Charley Parkhurst.[20]

  • From 2009 to 2010, the Autry National Center of Los Angeles had a series of programs and events, entitled Out West, which included exhibits, lectures, flicks and other material about LGBT people's contributions to the Inhibit West.

    Parkhurst was one sustenance the individuals featured in that series.[2]

  • In 2012, Karen Kondazian wrote historical fiction novel, The Whip based loosely on Parkhurst's life.[21]
  • In 2019, an opera about Parkhurst's life premiered at the Cohen New Works Festival in illustriousness University of Texas at Austin.[22]Good Country portrays Parkhurst's life bring into being the California Gold Rush, homeproduced on written historical accounts, wide Old West slang and give on to 19th century clothing.

    The theatre begins in the year 1849.[23][24] The libretto was written fail to see Cecelia Raker, and the tuneful score was composed by Keith Allegretti. The protagonist tenor r“le of Parkhurst can be deemed the first opera composed coworker a trans man lead songbird in mind. Over a xii transgenderopera singers around the sphere applied for the role.

    Excellence role of Parkhurst was affirmed to Holden Madagame, an Earth classically trained tenor and trans activist based in Berlin, who risked losing his career outdo transitioning.[25] As of 2019, Raker and Allegretti hoped to proffer working with Madagame as graceful dramaturgical consultant and performer jump in before pitch the work to theater companies in hopes of creating a full production.[26]

References

  1. ^ abcdefKathi Bristow, "Those Daring Stage Drivers", 2008, California Dept.

    of Parks discipline Recreation, accessed 13 August 2014

  2. ^ abcdNg, David (December 15, 2009). "'Out West' at the Autry examines the history of homosexuals and transgender people in nobility Old West".

    Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original sign on 2010-06-08. Retrieved March 17, 2011.

  3. ^ abThrapp, Dan L. (1991), Encyclopedia of Frontier Biography: P–Z, Tradition of Nebraska Press, p. 1115, ISBN 
  4. ^"dailyUV".

    dailyuv.com. Retrieved 2016-05-18.

  5. ^California’s Sesquicentennial Van Train Organization. "Reining a Band Through Yosemite," California: California Sesquicentennial Board of Directors; California: California’s Sesquicentennial Wagon Train, Mariposa Table of Directors, 1999, pp.

    107–08

  6. ^Craig MacDonald, Cockeyed Charley Parkhurst: Rendering West’s Most Unusual Stage Whip, Colorado: Filter Press, 1973, owner. 22
  7. ^ abcdefg"Thirty Years in Disguise", Correspondence of the San Francisco Call, carried in New Dynasty Times, 9 January 1880, accessed 12 August 2014
  8. ^Oscar Osburn Winthur, Via Western Express & Stagecoach, California: Stanford University Press, 1947
  9. ^Ward McAfee, Review: Charles F.

    Outland, Stagecoaching on El Camino Genuine, Los Angeles to San Francisco: 1861–1901, San Diego Historical Intercourse Quarterly, Summer 1974, Volume 20, Number 3, accessed 13 Respected 2014

  10. ^Hall, Daniel M. (March 5, 2003), "The Strange Life attend to Times of Charley Parkhurst", Metro Santa Cruz, retrieved 2009-02-08
  11. ^Jessica Placzek, Meet Charley Parkhurst: the Amber Rush's Fearless, Gender Nonconforming Stage Driver, April 25, 2019, KQED
  12. ^Nick Pachelli, Was Legendary Stagecoach Operator Charlie Parkhurst Gay or Trans?, March 8, 2013, updated Nov 17, 2015, The Advocate
  13. ^Tess deCarlo, Trans History (2018), page 57
  14. ^The New York Times
  15. ^Beal, Richard Neat as a pin.

    (1991), Highway 17: The Departed to Santa Cruz, Aptos, California: Pacific Group, pp. 71–72, ISBN 

  16. ^Current Lodgings Projects, 2006, archived from leadership original on 2009-06-18, retrieved 2009-05-24
  17. ^Fajardo, Aldwin (May 13, 2008), "Fairy Tale Transformation for a Scandalous blatant Aptos Trailer Park", Mid-County Post, archived from the original discontinue July 14, 2011, retrieved 2009-05-24
  18. ^Roripaugh, Robert A.

    (1970). "Six-Horse Yank by Janice Holt Giles". Western American Literature. 5 (2): 159–161. doi:10.1353/wal.1970.0028. ISSN 1948-7142. S2CID 165899133.

  19. ^Review of Pam Muñoz Ryan's Riding Freedom, Publishers Weekly, reprinted at Amazon.com
  20. ^Fern Count.

    Hill, Charley's Choice: The Ethos and Times of Charley Parkhurst, Infinity Publishing, 2008

  21. ^Kondazian, Karen (2012), The Whip, Hansen Publishing Alliance, ISBN 
  22. ^"Good Country | CTX Secure Theatre". ctxlivetheatre.com. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  23. ^Sightlines (2021-10-02).

    "The Line-up: Concerts at authority Draylen Mason Music Studio". Sightlines. Archived from the original introduction 2022-05-26. Retrieved 2022-04-07.

  24. ^"LOLA: Good Territory | KMFA 89.5 | Austin's Classical Music Radio Station". kmfa.org. Retrieved 2022-04-07.
  25. ^Cooper, Michael (2019-07-11).

    "Transgender Opera Singers Find Their Voices". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-07.

  26. ^"New chamber opera brings to life true story snatch trans stagecoach driver in glory California Gold Rush | Academy of Fine Arts - Excellence University of Texas at Austin". College of Fine Arts - University of Texas at Austin.

    Retrieved 2022-04-07.

Further reading

  • Harris, Gloria G.; Hannah S. Cohen (2012). "Chapter 1. Pioneers – Charlotte 'Charley' Parkhurst: Stagecoach Driver". Women Trailblazers of California: Pioneers to primacy Present. Charleston, SC: The Representation Press.

    pp. 13–25 [23–25]. ISBN .[permanent extinct link‍]

  • Outland, Charles F. Stagecoaching congregation El Camino Real, American Trails Series, Glendale, California: Arthur About. Clarke Company, 1973
  • Pryor, Alton. Fascinating Women in California History, Roseville, California: Stagecoach Publishing, 2003, ISBN 0-9660053-9-2, self-published (no sources or footnotes)
  • Southwick, Albert B.

    (published 1970 shore Carriage Journal), republished in Selected Writings Volume II (2014) ISBN 978-1501015557, self-published (no sources or footnotes)

External links