Eli Donovan

stablemaster/horse trader 

Elijah Donovan was born May 6, 1833, to Teresa and Patrick Donovan, Irish immigrants who came to America not long after they married. Eli was their second of three children and only son; he has two sisters: Anne, the eldest, and Jenny, the baby of the family. By the time he was fifteen, he was apprenticed with his father, and over the course of the next decade, learned everything he could about raising and caring for horses, from breeding to foaling to trading effectively. He's fully qualified as a stablemaster, but Eli decided at a young age that he wanted to buy and sell horses as well as stable them. He left home at age twenty-five to strike out on his own, and worked steadily as he began to save enough to start his own stables.

Two years after leaving home, Eli met and married a young woman named Katherine Morris -- a feisty, outspoken young woman who didn't allow Eli to remain oblivious to her interest in him. The two of them settled in Carson City, Nevada, and within the first year of marriage, Katherine discovered she was pregnant. Unfortunately, she lost the child midway through the pregnancy, and never fully recovered, physically or emotionally. A year later, Katherine died of influenza, already weakened from her miscarriage. Eli was left a widower, and decided to pick up and move on to give himself a new start. He buried his young wife in Carson City, and then struck out on his own again, older and more determined than ever.

After a few more years working, Eli finally had enough saved to start up his own operation. He'd been steadily working his way toward west, and heard rumors about New Shelby, which sounded ideal for his purposes. He relocated again, and set up the Donovan stables with access near the center of town, providing food and shelter for local horses, as well as buying and selling horses to locals and travelers alike.

MUN: Stacey [contact]

For Eli's complete bio, visit his journal HERE.

In-game timeline for Eli:

• May 2, 1867; afternoon.  Idle hands are the devil's tools: Margaret May's restless students find their way to the stables. [COMPLETE] 

• May 7, 1867; afternoon (~2pm). Equine check-ups: Livestock vet Robert MacKenzie stops by for a look at one of Eli's mares. [COMPLETE] 

• May 16, 1867; nearing midnight. New beginnings are usually messy: Floyd Huntington helps with Trixie's foaling. [COMPLETE]

• May 17, 1867; morning. Foal inspections: Robert comes to check on the new foal, and Lizzie comes looking for her brother. [COMPLETE] 

• May 17, 1867; afternoon. Reunion: Jennifer Donovan arrives in town and is reunited with her brother. [COMPLETE] 

• May 19, 1867; early afternoon. Knock knock: Dell needs a horse and goes to Eli to see what he has. [COMPLETE]

• May 19, 1867; late afternoon. Silver linings: Eli has found Lizzie's abandoned parasol, and decides to return it himself. [COMPLETE]

• May 22, 1867; early afternoon. Equine visits: Grace Sackett stops by to have a look at the new foal. [COMPLETE]

• May 31, 1867; after supper. Lazy ride: Lizzie comes to collect on the ride that Eli promised. [COMPLETE]

• July 4, 1867; evening. A little piece of Americana: Eli stops by to drop off a package for Lizzie and things take a turn. [COMPLETE]

• July 6, 1867; late morning. Round up a posse!: Nate gathers up a group to go searching for Helene,  Josie, and the outlaws. [INCOMPLETE]

• July 6, 1867; evening. Brother & sister bonding: Jenny prods Eli for information. [INCOMPLETE]

• July 17, 1867; early afternoon.  A new horse for the princess: Emily Carter stops by the stables, in search of a fast horse. [COMPLETE]

• July 20, 1867; mid-afternoon. Family blessings: Eli needs to have a chat with Robert regarding his sister. [COMPLETE]

• August 3, 1867; evening. Second chance, perhaps?: Eli isn't really sure what to expect when he answers Lizzie's note. [COMPLETE]

• September 5, 1867; mid-afternoon. Founders' Day Horse Races: Eli's opened the doors of the stable for a series of horse races. [INCOMPLETE]