Bettie Hunter 11 oz. Natural Soy Candle
$38.00BETTIE HUNTER
"She soars to success from humble beginnings, a savvy entrepreneur who perseveres with strength and ingenuity."
Scent: Warm Ginger - A zesty top note of lemon enhances the peppery ginger core. Saffron and amber base notes add warmth to this intriguing earthy scent.
Every candle is hand-poured, made from all natural and renewable soybean wax with 100% cotton wicks.
ABOUT BETTIE
Bettie Hunter (c. 1852 – 1879) was born in Cahaba, Alabama, into a life of slavery, which involved grueling agriculture work. She was 11 years old when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, and after the Civil War ended, the Hunter family moved to Mobile in search of a better life.
Hunter grew up alongside two brothers, Henry and Robert. Even at an early age, her tenacity and desire to learn was evident. She believed being well-rounded was important, and she learned to speak Latin and play piano. Despite her innate drive, being a Black woman in the post-Civil War South meant success was likely unattainable. But what was happening just to the west of Mobile would ultimately be the springboard to her profitable business.
The capture of New Orleans during the Civil War left Mobile as the only major port along the Gulf. Hunter saw an opportunity for a carriage transportation business, but it was illegal for a woman to own a business during that time, so she partnered with brother Henry. At the age of 24, she had cornered the market, her carriages transporting items from the port to warehouses and back.
Not only had Hunter found financial success, she also broke down barriers previously thought of as unsurmountable for women, let alone a Black woman. With her earnings, she purchased a piece of land on St. Francis Street, hired an architect and built a two-story Italianate-style house. Unfortunately, Hunter was only able to enjoy the house for one year; she died from complications of anemia at the age of 27.
The Bettie Hunter House, built in 1878, still stands today, its ornate architecture and strong bones an homage to the grit and determination Hunter embodied. The home is still owned by the Hunter family and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 for architectural and historical value.
