logo
livingroom

decorative bar

biographies


corner Last update of this page: March 25th 2004 corner
Katharine Coman
(1858 - 1915) U.S.A.

Katharine Coman

Wellesey College Dean, economist

separator

In 1887, Katharine Coman, who taught history and political economy and later founded the college's economics department, met another young faculty member - Katharine Bates. Their friendship grew slowly; it wasn't until 1890 that the two women considered themselves (and were considered by others) to be bound together in an intimate relationship. Their circle of friends included other female academic couples who lived together in the so called "Wellesley marriages."

Both women had successful careers at Wellesley college - Bates became chair of the English department, while Coman became chair of the Economics Department and Dean of the college. They kept contact with other educated women who lived in couples as they did, but they did not assume roles as lesbian activists.

Katharine ComanIn 1907, they had a house for themselves, a Coman custom-built edifice near the Wellesley campus. On the third floor was a large, open study in which Coman wrote. Though less well-known than her partner, Coman was a prolific writer who authored six books and numerous articles on American history and economics. Also a social activist, Coman helped to found Denison House, a settlement house in Boston that is still in operation.

Coman's field was the development of the American West. The result of her studies was the book The Economic Beginnings of the Far West: How We Won the Land Beyond the Mississippi. Wellesley named a professorship in her honor.

In 1912, Coman underwent surgery for a lump in her breast. Another operation soon followed, forcing her to retire from teaching. Bates installed an elevator in their home so that her partner could negotiate the house's three floors and continue to live as normally as possible. But in 1915, Coman died at the age of 57. Their relationship had lasted for 25 years.

Bates and Coman's relationship might be described as a "romantic friendship", and sometimes is referred to as a "Boston marriage". It is not clear whether their relationship was sexual, but for sure it was intensely loving; Bates referred to Coman as her "Joy of Life" and wrote many poems about their love. In 1922, Bates published a limited volume of poetry entitled, Yellow Clover, where she wrote of their relationship.

separator

Click on the letter A to go back to the list of names

corner © Matt & Andrej Koymasky, 1997 - 2008 corner