Tennessee Claflin

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Tennessee Celeste Claflin (October 26, 1844 – January 18, 1923), also known as Tennie C., was an American suffragette best known as one of the first women to open a Wall Street brokerage firm. She was additionally a rumored prostitute and advocated legalized prostitution. [1]

Called Woodhull, Claflin, & Company, the firm was rumored to have been backed by Cornelius Vanderbilt. Claflin is believed to have been his mistress. During the 1870s she was a flamboyant proponent of women's rights with her sister Victoria Woodhull. Tennessee ran for Congress in the state of New York. She held the controversial belief that women could serve in the military and was elected Colonel of a "colored" National Guard Regiment.

On October 15, 1885, she married Francis Cook, Viscount of Montserrat, Portugal. Within months of their marriage, Cook was made a Baronet by Queen Victoria and Claflin became known as Lady Tennessee Cook, Viscountess of Montserrat.

Together with her sister, Victoria Woodhull, Claflin was portrayed in two musicals, Winner Take All (1976) and Onward Victoria (1980).