Elizabeth Goodloe Mays
Indianapolis Suffragist and Christian Leader
1873-1960

Elizabeth (Eliza) Goodloe Mays was born on February 2, 1873 in Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana to Alfred Mays (1835-1907) and Jane (Jennie) Berry (1835-1929). She never married. According to the 1880 Federal Census both of her parents were born in Tennessee or Kentucky and she had four siblings at that time, William, Mary, Clara, and Herbert. She was a teacher and business executive.

In 1912 when Madam C. J. Walker hosted the first meeting of Branch Number 7 of the Equal Suffrage Association (ESA) in her home, Elizabeth Mays was elected treasurer of the newly formed organization. In 1914 a new organization was formed, the Women’s Council, with 200 women present at the first meeting at the Senate Avenue YMCA in October of 1914. She was one of three speakers at that meeting addressing, “Preparation on the Part of Women for Ballot.” During the second meeting, she spoke on “Suffrage for Women.” In 1916 the Women’s Council was replaced by the First Colored Women’s Suffrage Club. In 1903 she is listed as a teacher with her sister, Clara. Herbert, her brother, a barber, and Jennie, her mother, are listed as living in the same household. In 1920 she worked as a bookkeeper in a doctor’s office. In 1912 she served as one of three judges of a scripture and religious literature contest held by the Central District Colored Baptist Young People’s Union at the Mount Zion Baptist Church. At a program provided for the G. A. R. encampment in 1913 by the Women’s Relief Corps, # 118, she presented an address, “The Colored Soldier.” In addition, as President of the Allen Christian Endeavor League of the Bethel AME church, she organized “the juvenile relief committee” to solicit donations to provide “slippers, apples and oranges for the residents of the Alpha Home of Aged and Infirm Colored Women; candles and fruit to the Colored Orphans’ Home; and a story book and a box of candy to each sick child at the city hospital.” She also served at their Vice-President in 1912, Missionary Chair in 1917, and Program Chair in 1920. She was a member of the Alpha Home Association. On a separate occasion she received a letter from Mrs. Booker T. Washington thanking her for the Christmas gifts sent to the unfortunate children of the rural south by the Endeavor League. In 1917 in Noblesville she addressed a large audience on the topics, “The Necessity of Spiritual Training for the Child, and Women’s Sphere and Women’s Work.” Traveling to Chicago in 1917, she also attended the youth congress of the 4th District of the AME church and was elected to an office of the congress. In 1917 she addressed the Endeavor League on “The Lord’s Day, the Best Day.” 1918, she responsible for the Endeavor League Program at the Church, the topic of discussion being, “The Needs of Africa.” At a benefit tea in 1932, she addressed the women of the Katherine Blackburne Missionary Society. The society was named after a friend of Miss Mays who was a missionary in South Africa. In 1933 she was listed as a minister for a ten-day evangelistic meeting at the Bethel AME Church on Sunday evenings. At her death, she had been a member of the Bethel AME Church for 75 years.

She died April 12, 1960 in her home from a fall and pneumonia in Indianapolis, Indiana and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Section 59, Lot 525.

Mays Bibliography

FindaGrave website: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45966708
FindaGrave website: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45966733
FindaGrave website: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45966721

Federal Census 1870; Indianapolis Ward 3, Marion, Indiana; Roll: M593_340; Page: 128A; Family History Library Film: 545839
Federal Census 1880; Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: 294; Page: 92C; Enumeration District: 109
Federal Census 1910; Indianapolis Ward 3, Marion, Indiana; Roll: T624_367; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0073; FHL microfilm: 1374380
Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; Year: 1907; Roll: 09
Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; Year: 1960; Roll: 06
Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1867, Edwards Annual Directory, Indianapolis, Hai
Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1903, R. L. Polk & Co. Publishers, pg. 756, May
Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1909, R. L. Polk & Co. Publishers, pg. 910, May
Polk’s Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1952, R. L. Polk & Co. Publishers, pg. 535, May

Indiana, Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993

We Must Be Fearless, The Woman Suffrage Movement in Indiana, Morgan, Anita, 2020, Indiana Historical Society Press, Indianapolis, pg. 116, 127

The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 25, 1908, pg. 20
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, July 11, 1909, pg. 25
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, January 22, 1911, pg. 48
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, January 14, 1912, pg. 41
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, January 20, 1912, pg. 16
The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, July 9, 1912, pg. 3
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, May 18, 1913, pg. 22
The Indianapolis News, Thursday, July 17, 1913, pg. 7
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, October 11, 1914, pg. 18
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, October 18, 1914, pg. 18
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, January 15, 1916, pg. 7
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 1, 1916, pg. 5
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, February 25, 1917, pg. 32
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, April 15, 1917, pg. 22
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, June 16, 1917, pg. 10
The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, June 6, 1917, pg. 20
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, June 23, 1917, pg. 12
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 14, 1917, pg. 11
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 28, 1917, pg. 5
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, August 26, 1917, pg. 24
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, December 2, 1917, pg. 22
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Her sister, Clara B. Mays (215811080)

Elizabeth Goodloe Mays
Indianapolis Suffragist and Christian Leader
1873-1960

Elizabeth (Eliza) Goodloe Mays was born on February 2, 1873 in Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana to Alfred Mays (1835-1907) and Jane (Jennie) Berry (1835-1929). She never married. According to the 1880 Federal Census both of her parents were born in Tennessee or Kentucky and she had four siblings at that time, William, Mary, Clara, and Herbert. She was a teacher and business executive.

In 1912 when Madam C. J. Walker hosted the first meeting of Branch Number 7 of the Equal Suffrage Association (ESA) in her home, Elizabeth Mays was elected treasurer of the newly formed organization. In 1914 a new organization was formed, the Women’s Council, with 200 women present at the first meeting at the Senate Avenue YMCA in October of 1914. She was one of three speakers at that meeting addressing, “Preparation on the Part of Women for Ballot.” During the second meeting, she spoke on “Suffrage for Women.” In 1916 the Women’s Council was replaced by the First Colored Women’s Suffrage Club. In 1903 she is listed as a teacher with her sister, Clara. Herbert, her brother, a barber, and Jennie, her mother, are listed as living in the same household. In 1920 she worked as a bookkeeper in a doctor’s office. In 1912 she served as one of three judges of a scripture and religious literature contest held by the Central District Colored Baptist Young People’s Union at the Mount Zion Baptist Church. At a program provided for the G. A. R. encampment in 1913 by the Women’s Relief Corps, # 118, she presented an address, “The Colored Soldier.” In addition, as President of the Allen Christian Endeavor League of the Bethel AME church, she organized “the juvenile relief committee” to solicit donations to provide “slippers, apples and oranges for the residents of the Alpha Home of Aged and Infirm Colored Women; candles and fruit to the Colored Orphans’ Home; and a story book and a box of candy to each sick child at the city hospital.” She also served at their Vice-President in 1912, Missionary Chair in 1917, and Program Chair in 1920. She was a member of the Alpha Home Association. On a separate occasion she received a letter from Mrs. Booker T. Washington thanking her for the Christmas gifts sent to the unfortunate children of the rural south by the Endeavor League. In 1917 in Noblesville she addressed a large audience on the topics, “The Necessity of Spiritual Training for the Child, and Women’s Sphere and Women’s Work.” Traveling to Chicago in 1917, she also attended the youth congress of the 4th District of the AME church and was elected to an office of the congress. In 1917 she addressed the Endeavor League on “The Lord’s Day, the Best Day.” 1918, she responsible for the Endeavor League Program at the Church, the topic of discussion being, “The Needs of Africa.” At a benefit tea in 1932, she addressed the women of the Katherine Blackburne Missionary Society. The society was named after a friend of Miss Mays who was a missionary in South Africa. In 1933 she was listed as a minister for a ten-day evangelistic meeting at the Bethel AME Church on Sunday evenings. At her death, she had been a member of the Bethel AME Church for 75 years.

She died April 12, 1960 in her home from a fall and pneumonia in Indianapolis, Indiana and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Section 59, Lot 525.

Mays Bibliography

FindaGrave website: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45966708
FindaGrave website: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45966733
FindaGrave website: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45966721

Federal Census 1870; Indianapolis Ward 3, Marion, Indiana; Roll: M593_340; Page: 128A; Family History Library Film: 545839
Federal Census 1880; Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana; Roll: 294; Page: 92C; Enumeration District: 109
Federal Census 1910; Indianapolis Ward 3, Marion, Indiana; Roll: T624_367; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0073; FHL microfilm: 1374380
Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; Year: 1907; Roll: 09
Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; Year: 1960; Roll: 06
Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1867, Edwards Annual Directory, Indianapolis, Hai
Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1903, R. L. Polk & Co. Publishers, pg. 756, May
Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1909, R. L. Polk & Co. Publishers, pg. 910, May
Polk’s Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1952, R. L. Polk & Co. Publishers, pg. 535, May

Indiana, Select Marriages Index, 1748-1993

We Must Be Fearless, The Woman Suffrage Movement in Indiana, Morgan, Anita, 2020, Indiana Historical Society Press, Indianapolis, pg. 116, 127

The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 25, 1908, pg. 20
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, July 11, 1909, pg. 25
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, January 22, 1911, pg. 48
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, January 14, 1912, pg. 41
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, January 20, 1912, pg. 16
The Indianapolis Star, Tuesday, July 9, 1912, pg. 3
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, May 18, 1913, pg. 22
The Indianapolis News, Thursday, July 17, 1913, pg. 7
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, October 11, 1914, pg. 18
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, October 18, 1914, pg. 18
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, January 15, 1916, pg. 7
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 1, 1916, pg. 5
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, February 25, 1917, pg. 32
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, April 15, 1917, pg. 22
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, June 16, 1917, pg. 10
The Indianapolis News, Wednesday, June 6, 1917, pg. 20
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, June 23, 1917, pg. 12
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 14, 1917, pg. 11
The Indianapolis News, Saturday, July 28, 1917, pg. 5
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, August 26, 1917, pg. 24
The Indianapolis Star, Sunday, December 2, 1917, pg. 22
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Her sister, Clara B. Mays (215811080)