Eliza led a relatively short life that ended violently. She gave birth to nine children. She lived at a time when women were still considered property but for black women, life was much harder. She died at the hands of her husband.
Eliza Reed Cushenberry was born in Missouri. It was here that she met and married her husband, Charlie. They lived in Gallatin, Missouri. At this time she was 23 years of age and had three daughters (America, Eppa, and Mable) and two sons (Ernest and Elvan) living at home.
According to Eliza's mother, the family moved to El Paso County in 1886 and settled in Colorado Springs. Charlie was a laborer and Eliza kept house. In 1891 and 1893 Eliza lost two children in infancy (Arvl and Hattie). Charles W. arrived in 1888, and Eveline in 1891.
In late August and September of 1898 violence broke out in the home that caught the attention of the city. About mid August, Charlie had tried to harm Eliza one day with a cleaver. Eliza's screams brought the assistance of a local officer, Sheldon McNew, who chased and caught Charles Cushenberry as Charles ran into the Ivywild area to escape. Charles was put in jail.
Eliza went before Chief Gathright to seek shelter. She complained that he was violent. She was afraid for her life complaining that Charles had said he was going to kill her. There had been violence before but now it was really bad. Chief Gathright didn't find enough to continue to hold Charles beyond his sentence. Charles went home.
The incident did not happen right away. Charles was a member of the colored Masons in the city and Eliza was very active in the African M. E. church. Both were esteemed by members of their friends and associates. Mabel was working as domestic help in the house of Mrs. S. Ben Smith. Ernest worked at the street car barn. The rest stayed at the family home at 221 E Victoria St.
On Tuesday, September 27, 1898, Charlie gave Elvan and Eveline money for candy and sent them away. Mabel and Ernest were working at their jobs. Charlie Jr. was somewhere close to the property but not at the house. Eliza was working in the kitchen when Charles entered with a shotgun. Eliza was shot twice as she tried to run and died just outside the back door. Neighbors heard the shots and thought at first that Charles was shooting for sport. On final shot rang out and the house went silent. Charlie Jr. found his mother's body and ran for help. Officers McNew, Barr, and Cornell responded only to find both Eliza and Charlie to be dead. Charlie had committed suicide with the same shotgun inside the home. The children were taken to Mrs. McPherson's home along Weber St. near Lowell school until Mrs. Reed, Eliza's mother, could be reached. Mrs. Reed lived on Cucharras St.