Born: 1885
Died: 1950
Biography:
Mamie Francis Hafley (1885–1950), born Elba Mae Ghent, was a remarkable performer in Wild West shows and rodeos from around 1901 until 1940. She gained fame for her daring horse-diving act, where she would jump off a towering, fifty-foot structure and plunge into a pool of water. Mamie was also known for her sharpshooting prowess while riding a galloping horse and her captivating horse-riding acts during high school exhibitions. Through her thrilling performances, Mamie Francis Hafley captivated audiences across the United States and left an indelible mark on the history of entertainment.
Elba Mae Ghent, later popularly known as Mamie Francis, was the youngest child of Charles Edgar Ghent and Hannah Street Ghent, who tied the knot on September 26, 1875, in Gratiot, Wisconsin. Charles, having arrived in America as an infant with his parents, Henry and Henriet Ghent, on September 16, 1854, from Liverpool, England, built a life for his family in the new world. Mamie’s mother, Hannah or Anna, was the daughter of Samuel Street from New Jersey and Elizabeth Armstrong from New York.
Charles Edgar and Anna Street Ghent initially settled in Nora, Illinois, where they welcomed three children: Charles H. Ghent, Elizabeth B. Ghent Colt, and Elba Mae Ghent. However, they later relocated back to Wisconsin, as evidenced by Elba’s christening records. Unfortunately, tragedy struck the family as both of Mamie’s siblings passed away at relatively young ages. Charles died due to an accidental shooting, witnessed by the family, while Elizabeth, who had married Alfred Winston Colt, succumbed to unknown causes shortly after giving birth to her daughter, Bessie Betty Maretta Colt.
The circumstances surrounding Mamie’s parents’ relationship become unclear from the 1900 census. Elba, at fifteen years old, resided in Janesville, Wisconsin, with her mother Anna Street, who worked as a housekeeper for a farmer named Edmund Jaynes. Correspondingly, a single man named Charles E. Gent, likely Elba’s father, lived with his mother, H. Campbell, in Burlington, Iowa. However, by 1905, Charles E. Gent was listed as a widower residing in Des Moines, Iowa.
Mamie Francis embarked on her illustrious career when she joined Pawnee Bill’s Historical Wild West Indian Museum and Encampment Show in the early 1900s. Her performing journey spanned over four decades, from 1901 to 1940. Under the stage name Mamie Francis, she enchanted audiences across the country with her displays of courage, skill, and beauty. Mamie’s acts captivated untold numbers of Americans during the heyday of Wild West shows and rodeos in the early 20th century, contributing significantly to the popularity of this form of entertainment.