Eliza defied convention, not only by becoming an educated female, but by challenging the colonial idea that women weren’t suited for industry. As the daughter of a prominent farmer, Eliza was given an education, which by her own words to her father was “a more valuable fortune than any [he] could have given [her]” and, “will make me happy in my future life.” Eliza was fascinated by botany, the study of plants.

At age 16, she was tasked with running three of her father’s farms. Rather than plant what her neighbors were planting, she experimented with a highly-prized tropical plant called Indigo until it produced seeds, which she then shared with her fellow farmers. Indigo became one of the most important cash crops of the era, with Indigo dye accounting for one-third of exports.

Eliza’s ingenuity and integrity changed the course of history and she became the first woman inducted into South Carolina’s Business Hall of Fame. We hope each of our students will be inspired by Eliza’s drive to excel, innovate, and overcome the odds as they plant the seeds of their own future here at Indigo.