Tennessee Claflin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lady Tennessee Celeste Claflin, Viscountess of Montserrat
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| Born | October 26, 1844 |
| Died | January 18, 1923 (aged 78) England
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| Other names | Tennie |
| Title | Lady Cook, Viscountess of Montserrat |
| Relatives | Victoria Woodhull (sister) |
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Lady Tennessee Celeste Claflin, Viscountess of Montserrat (born October 26, 1844 – died January 18, 1923), also known as Tennie C. or Tennie, was an American suffragist. She is famous for being one of the first women, along with her sister Victoria Woodhull, to open a Wall Street brokerage firm in 1870.
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Early Life and Family
Tennessee Claflin was born in Homer, Licking County, Ohio. She was the youngest of ten children born to Roxanna Hummel Claflin and Reuben Buckman Claflin. Her older sister, Victoria Claflin Woodhull, was born in 1838.
Her father, Reuben, was known for selling various products, sometimes claiming to be a doctor or lawyer. The family often struggled financially.
A poem was written about Tennessee and her two sisters, Victoria and Utica:
Victoria, Utica, and Tennessee
Three sisters fair, of worth and weight,
A queen, a city, and a State—
At least from such each takes her name—
And all were largely known to fame.
Two of them took an early start
To practice in the healing art,
The other traveled far and near,
And visited each hemisphere.
All were geniuses most rare,
Of for genteel and features fair.
By as great space they were separate
As Buckeye from the Golden State.
Around 1852, Tennessee and Victoria began to be advertised as "mediums." Mediums were people who claimed they could communicate with spirits. The sisters soon became important for helping their family earn money.
Spiritualism and Healing Abilities
By 1860, Tennessee was known as a fortune teller. She was also said to be able to cure illnesses. People would pay $1 for a consultation with her. Her father would sell a "Magnetic Elixir" for $2, which was a fake medicine.
In 1863, her family rented a hotel in Ottawa, Illinois. They advertised Tennessee's healing skills. However, they used strong chemicals in their treatments, which sometimes harmed patients. In 1864, authorities investigated the family for selling fake cures. The family left town to avoid legal trouble.
In 1868, Tennessee met Cornelius Vanderbilt, a very wealthy businessman. He was interested in her healing abilities. They spent a lot of time together.
Breaking Barriers on Wall Street
In late 1869, Victoria Woodhull and Tennessee Claflin opened an office in New York City. In January 1870, they announced their new business: Woodhull, Claflin, & Company. This was a brokerage firm, which helps people buy and sell stocks.
They were financially supported by Cornelius Vanderbilt. Their office opened on February 14, 1870. This made Woodhull and Claflin the first women to open a brokerage firm on Wall Street. So many curious people came to see them that police officers were needed to keep order.
Newspapers like The New York Times and Harper’s Weekly wrote about the sisters. They wondered if the firm would succeed because the sisters were involved in spiritualism. However, many women, including wives, widows, teachers, and business owners, wanted to invest with them. The firm quickly became a big financial success.
With the money they earned, the sisters started their own newspaper, Woodhull & Claflin’s Weekly. This paper was the first in America to print The Communist Manifesto. The brokerage firm closed after a financial downturn in 1873.
Political Efforts
In 1871, Tennessee and Victoria tried to vote in a local election but were not allowed.
On August 11, 1871, Tennessee Claflin announced she wanted to run for Congress in New York. She gave a speech in German to the people of her district.
In 1872, Victoria Woodhull was nominated to run for President of the United States by the Equal Rights Party. This was a historic moment, even though she did not win.
Later that summer, Tennessee Claflin tried to become the leader (colonel) of a New York National Guard regiment. The newspapers made fun of her idea. However, she was invited to run for colonel of a regiment for black soldiers. The members of the Eighty-Fifth Regiment elected her as their colonel because of her past work and success.
Life in London
In 1877, Tennessee and Victoria moved from New York to London, England. Some people believe that Cornelius Vanderbilt's family helped them move. They wanted the sisters out of the way during a dispute over Vanderbilt's inheritance.
On October 15, 1885, Tennessee married Francis Cook. He was a wealthy businessman and also a Viscount in Portugal. After their marriage, Queen Victoria made Francis Cook a Baronet. This meant Tennessee became "Lady Cook" and also the Viscountess of Monserrate. They lived in beautiful homes in England and Portugal.
After her husband died in 1901, Tennessee started a short-lived bank in London called Lady Cook & Co.
Tennessee Claflin continued to hold her strong beliefs throughout her life. She passed away in England on January 18, 1923.
Images for kids
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Tennessee Celeste Claflin
