Bessie Anthony Explained

Bessie Anthony (March 19, 1880 – November 22, 1912) was an American amateur golfer. She was the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1903, and won the Women's Western Amateur tournament in its first three years, 1901, 1902, and 1903.

Early life

Anthony was from Evanston, Illinois. Her father Charles E. Anthony was a lawyer in Chicago. Her sister Miriam Anthony also played golf.^[1]

Career

Anthony helped to found the Women's Western Golf Association in 1903, and, as a member of the Glenview Golf Club,^[2] won the organization's first three annual tournaments, all held at Chicago courses.^{[3] [4] [5]} In 1901, the New York Times reported that "Miss Anthony fairly electrified the gallery by her dashing play" at a tournament in New Jersey.^[6] That year, she also set a new record score for women's play at the Onwentsia golf course.^[7]

In 1902, she set a new record score at the Midlothian golf course.^[8] Also in 1902, Robert Todd Lincoln presented a sterling silver jewelry box to Anthony, to mark her win at the Chicago Golf Club.^[9]

In 1903, after defeating fellow Chicagoan Johnnie Anna Carpenter in the finals, she was the U.S. Women's Amateur champion, the first "western" player to win that title.^{[10] [11] [12]} By then, she had announced her engagement to marry, and that she would not defend her title in 1904.^[13] There were reports that she would have postponed the wedding if she did not win the championship.^[14]

Personal life

Bessie Anthony married fellow golfer Bernard S. Horne in late 1903, at the First Presbyterian Church in Evanston.^{[15] [16]} They lived in Virginia, where she raised horses.^[17] The Hornes had four sons together before she died in 1912, along with her infant daughter, in Keswick, Virginia, aged 32 years.^{[18] [19]}

External links

• Bessie Anthony Horne's gravesite on Find a Grave.
• A 1903 photograph of Bessie Anthony, from the collection of the Chicago History Museum.

Notes and References

1. https://books.google.com/books?id=vgZKAQAAMAAJ&dq=Bessie+Anthony+golf&pg=PA1399 "Women's Golf"
2. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20122693/bessie_anthony_1901/ "Trophy to Miss Anthony"
3. Mary Haferman, "The Women Influencers of Golf" Generation W.
4. Tim Cronin, "The Founding of the WWGA" Western Women's Golf Association.
5. "Miss Anthony, Golf Champion" New York Times (August 31, 1902): 18. via ProQuest
6. "Women Play Close Golf" New York Times (October 11, 1901): 7. via ProQuest
7. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20122236/bessie_anthony_1901/ "Miss Anthony Breaks Record"
8. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20122410/bessie_anthony_1902/ "New Golf Record for Midlothian"
9. http://www.golftripper.com/a-unique-golf-artifact/ "A Unique Golf Artifact"
10. http://www.chicagogolfclub.org/bessie-anthony.html "Bessie Anthony"
11. "Western Golf Women Win" New York Times (October 3, 1903): 10. via ProQuest
12. "Miss Anthony Wins At Golf" New York Times (October 4, 1903): 17. via ProQuest
13. "Many Golf Champions" New York Times (November 8, 1903): 15. via ProQuest
14. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20122542/bessie_anthony_1903/ "Cupid Defeats Champion"
15. https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=LAH19031104.2.67 "Miss Anthony, Leading Lady of the Golf Links, Married"
16. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20122787/bessie_anthony_horne_1903/ "Miss Bessie Anthony Married to Bernarde Horne"
17. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20123138/bessie_anthony_horne_1909/ "First of Horse Shows"
18. https://books.google.com/books?id=EZfUAAAAMAAJ&dq=Bessie+Anthony+HOrne&pg=PA123 "Society News"
19. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/20122980/bessie_anthony_1912/ "Woman Golf Champion Dead"