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."Women's Golf" The World To-day (November 1903): 1399–1400.
Career Anthony helped to found the Women's Western Golf Association in 1903, and, as a member of the Glenview Golf Club,"Trophy to Miss Anthony", Chicago Tribune (September 29, 1901): 18. via Newspapers.com won the organization's first three annual tournaments, all held at Chicago courses.Mary Haferman, "The Women Influencers of Golf" Generation W.Tim Cronin, "The Founding of the WWGA" Western Women's Golf Association."Miss Anthony Golf Champion" The New York Times (August 31, 1902): 18. via Newspapers.com In 1901, the New York Times reported that "Miss Anthony fairly electrified the gallery by her dashing play" at a tournament in New Jersey."Women Play Close Golf", The New York Times (October 11, 1901): 7. via Newspapers.com That year, she also set a new record score for women's play at the Onwentsia golf course."Miss Anthony Breaks Record", Chicago Tribune (September 28, 1901): 6. via Newspapers.com
In 1902, she set a new record score at the Midlothian golf course."New Golf Record for Midlothian", Inter Ocean (June 18, 1902): 4. via Newspapers.com Also in 1902, Robert Todd Lincoln presented a sterling silver jewelry box to Anthony, to mark her win at the Chicago Golf Club."A Unique Golf Artifact", Golf Tripper.
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."Bessie Anthony" Chicago Golf Club website."Western Golf Women Win", The New York Times (October 3, 1903): 10. via Newspapers.com "Miss Anthony Wins At Golf", The New York Times (October 4, 1903): 17. via Newspapers.com By then, she had announced her engagement to marry, and that she would not defend her title in 1904."Many Golf Champions", The New York Times (November 8, 1903): 15. via Newspapers.com There were reports that she would have postponed the wedding if she did not win the championship."Cupid Defeats Champion", Indianapolis Journal (October 18, 1903): 8. via Newspapers.com
Personal life Bessie Anthony married fellow golfer Bernard S. Horne in late 1903, at the First Presbyterian Church in Evanston."Miss Anthony, Leading Lady of the Golf Links, Married", Los Angeles Herald (November 4, 1903): 5. California Digital Newspaper Collection "Miss Bessie Anthony Married to Bernarde Horne" Chicago Tribune (November 4, 1903): 13. via Newspapers.com They lived in Virginia, where she raised horses."First of Horse Shows", Washington Post (May 8, 1909): 7. via Newspapers.com The Hornes had four sons together before she died in 1912, along with her infant daughter, in Keswick, Virginia, aged 32 years."Society News", American Photography (February 1913): 123."Woman Golf Champion Dead", Chicago Tribune (November 23, 1912): 5. via Newspapers.com
References
External links
A 1903 photograph of Bessie Anthony, from the collection of the Chicago History Museum.