Madame Presidentess

by Nicole Evelina

  This same biography gives us the details of Victoria and Colonel Blood’s meeting in St. Louis, including the “betrothal by the powers of the air.” It is thought likely that he introduced Victoria to Virginia Minor, who was to be so influential to her position on women’s right to vote being part of the Constitution.

  PART TWO: FUTURE PRESIDENTESS

  Victoria herself was the source for the story of how she came to New York at the urging of her spirit guide, Demosthenes. The work of Victoria and Tennie with prostitutes appears in several biographies, and it appears Madame de Ford and Miss Wood might both have been historical people, though I have taken liberty in fictionalizing their interactions with the sisters.

  Minnie is completely fictional, as are all of her interactions with Victoria and her family. I invented her embody and symbolize all of the women Victoria worked with during her time in the brothels, the women who inspired her to run for president.

  How exactly Victoria and Tennie met Cornelius Vanderbilt is up for debate. Some say Buck had something to do with it, while others say the sisters made the acquaintance on their own or even that James was involved. But both of them worked for him, and he did back them in their desire to become stock brokers. His training and contributions to their knowledge of the financial world are fictional, but they had to have gotten it somehow. Given their poor upbringing and meager education, I thought it logical for him to have been involved. Also, it is commonly believed that Josie Mansfield, through her real-life relationship with Jim Fisk, was the source behind Victoria’s stock tips, not the spirit world as Victoria and Mr. Vanderbilt claimed.

  James was a supporter of the suffrage movement and was likely the reason Victoria became involved. The January 1869 convention in Washington goes by different names in different sources: National Woman’s Rights Convention, the National Female Suffrage Convention, the American Equal Rights Association Convention, and National Convention of Woman Suffrage. The quotes from Elizabeth Cady Stanton are mostly her own words. As noted in The Woman Who Ran for President, Douglass’ speech from that day didn’t survive, so I pulled from a letter he wrote about the convention after it was over reflecting on the contents of the speech he gave. The debate between Tennie and Victoria is my own invention, but Victoria is recorded as siding with Douglass over Stanton. The newspaper accounts from after the event are all historical.

  Victoria and Tennie briefly operated their stock company out of another location in January 1870 before moving and having their official grand opening on February 5. I omitted the January location for the sake of clarity and have combined the description of the two offices, as my sources disagree to which office the descriptions belong. Walt Whitman did indeed visit their office, and the poem attributed to him in the story is made of his own words, though he did not deliver them in poetic form. The many strange visits of Edward Van Schalck and Hugh Hastings on opening day are factual, as are their actions and comments. However, the vandalism of the brokerage firm is fictional. I chose to add it because I wanted something to show the resistance to and danger of women entering the male sphere.

  The incident at Delmonicos about Victoria and Tennie nearly being removed for not having a man with them is the stuff of legend surrounding Victoria, as is her “tomato soup for three” comment, but it may have actually happened. However, we don’t know for sure how she and Stephen met, so my use of that location for their first meeting is fictional.

  Victoria’s biographers disagree on exactly when Canning Woodhull reentered Victoria’s life after they divorced. Some say he never left it. Others tell a story that about a year and a half after James and Victoria’s marriage, Canning was delirious with illness and called for her. She and James brought him back and took care of him for six weeks. He paid them, and they said he was welcome any time. From that day on, when he needed her, he came. She knew others were scandalized by it but considered it her Christian duty to take care of him. I have chosen to use a variation of this story, having him track her down after the national press coverage of the opening of their stock company and her announcement as a candidate for the presidency.

  In some cases, I have moved the timing of content in the Weekly to suit my story. All that is mentioned in the book really did appear in the paper, though perhaps not exactly in the order it is in my novel.

  James and Stephen Pearl Andrews were the prime sources of Victoria’s political writings. Some biographers believe her political career was entirely their doing and she was just along for the ride, but I agree with those that give her a more active role. A woman as shrewd as Victoria would not have allowed herself to be totally manipulated. She would have allowed it when it suited her, but she would also have had her say.

  There is no evidence of an affair between Victoria and J.D. Reymart. In fact, my sources disagree on his actual name and its spelling (Reymert vs. Reymart). I have taken advantage of this to create two characters, one with each surname, and to create a fictional familial relationship between them.

  Only Other Powers gives J.D. Reymert a full name, James “John” DeNoon Reymert, which is the name of a historical lawyer practicing in New York since 1861, and which I have used for the elder of the two lawyers in this novel. In Other Powers, he is only mentioned as James Blood’s aging lawyer at the trial instigated by Annie Claflin, with no reference to Washington at all.

  In my other sources, beyond a few brief references to a J.D. Reymart as the lawyer who helped Victoria with her memorial, there is no relationship at all, nor have I been able to find any biographical details about him. While the man likely existed and interacted with Victoria on a business level, the name Judah DeWitt Reymart is a fabrication, as are his age, appearance, all the details of his relationship with Victoria, and his familial relationship to the historical James “John” DeNoon Reymert. However, there were rumors that Victoria had an affair with Congressman Benjamin Butler while she was in Washington. While I doubt that was more than idle gossip, I used it as the basis of her affair with the younger Reymart.

  Victoria’s memorial is reproduced in this book minus one paragraph because of its importance to the history of the women’s movement. Victoria did meet with President Grant while she was in Washington D.C., but she never divulged the details of their meeting, so I had to make that up. But it is commonly rumored that he said she would one day occupy the presidential chair.

  After the rejection by the House Judiciary Committee, Victoria amended the memorial to take it to the New York legislature, where Representative Bingham, the same man who wrote the majority opinion on the memorial, blocked her efforts. I have omitted this step from the book for brevity and let Representative Bingham’s threat stand in its place.

  Victoria’s carriage ride with Catharine Beecher is also included in many biographies. While I have fictionalized the particulars, everything Catharine says to Victoria is historically accurate, culled from letters and other interactions between the two women.

  The letter Victoria intercepts from Ohio is included as written in at least one source, as are Annie’s many blackmail attempts. Annie’s charges against Colonel Blood and the resulting trial are also real. I have used actual trial testimony, although Victoria wasn’t actually present at the first day of the May 1871 trial that pitted Col. Blood and her mother against one another. I took license to have her there so that the reader could see the events as they happened rather than having them recounted to her after. Several variations of the trial testimony exist. Many believe that which was recorded in the New York Herald to be the most accurate – and it is claimed to be the most widely distributed – so I have used that as my main source with bits from other accounts thrown in as I saw fit. Nearly all of the proceedings, save a few questions by the lawyer to break up Victoria’s monologist testimony, are the actual quotes as recorded in works by Underhill, Goldsmith, and Macpherson. Blood’s comments about Polly’s extortion are not part of the trial testimony but come from an interview he and Tennie gave to the Brooklyn Heral
d before the trial. I used them to connect the dots for the reader that were left out of the testimony.

  Tennie’s odd testimony at the trail is real. Tennie and her mother had a strange sort of codependent relationship that made them hate one another one moment and be the most loving of relatives the next. I made up Tennie’s possible drug use on the day of her testimony as I needed a reason why she would say such strange things that aren’t otherwise in keeping with her attitudes toward her family.

  Victoria’s first meeting with Tilton is based on recorded recollections of that day, and his poem and note to her are historically accurate. I fictionalized Victoria’s interaction with Lib from accounts given in Goldsmith’s book.

  PART THREE: “MRS. SATAN”

  Victoria and a group of women did attempt to vote in November 1871, an event which was memorialized in a drawing in Harper’s Weekly, which Victoria said was her favorite depiction of her of all that had appeared during her lifetime.

  The words of Rev. Beecher during his two meetings with Victoria are based on her recollections.

  It is believed by some that a madam (possibly named Mary Bowles) did indeed offer the sisters use of her client books. In some sources, she is substituted for Annie Wood or Madame de Ford, so I have combined this information to make all of them supportive in helping the sisters unmask hypocrisy among the rich and powerful. However, a few biographers are beginning to question the reality of this occurrence, speculating that Tennie may have invented the incident to help the sisters’ cause.

  The strange exchange between Utica and Victoria during her Free Love speech is well documented in the historical record. The threat of violence before her speech is also real, as is Theodore’s introduction.

  The IWA funeral parade was a historical event, though whether or not Victoria and Tennie participated willingly is unknown. The details were well-recorded in the papers, so I only had to fill in some blanks. The attempted robbery and threats against Victoria and Tennie after the IWA funeral parade are my own invention, but the threat to their safety in Union Square was very real, as was the mob’s beating of an innocent man trying to keep the peace while the police looked on, doing nothing.

  For a brief period of time in 1872, Victoria’s political party (which had started out as the Cosmopolitical Party, then was rebranded the Equal Rights party in July 1871) was called the People’s Party. I have chosen to refer to it consistently as the Equal Rights Party after July 1871 so as not to confuse the reader.

  Victoria suffered a series of misfortunes in early 1872, including being evicted from her home, losing the brokerage building, and being unable to find a place to live. She appealed to Henry Ward Beecher for help. This letter and his reply were as shown in the book. The details of Victoria’s illness in the summer of 1872 are fictional, but she was known to be ill and depressed that summer, refusing to speak publicly until September.

  While the validity of Victoria’s vision of Tilton being responsible for Greeley’s death (as told in Other Powers) is anyone’s guess, it is true that Horace Greeley died only a week after the presidential election of 1872, before the electoral votes were cast.

  I have included only a brief introduction to Victoria and Tennie’s “scandal” articles against Beecher and Challis to save space. Anyone who wishes to read them in full may find them online or printed in Underhill’s book, p. 221-226.

  I have combined the two days of testimony at the Luther Challis trial into one for ease of reading. The account of the French Ball which Challis attended comes from Other Powers. It is also cited in Documents of the Senate of the State of New York, Volume 12 and City of Eros: New York City, Prostitution, and the Commercialization of Sex, 1790-1920. I have also streamlined Victoria and Tennie’s time in jail. They were moved around quite a bit, and according to at least one source, may have spent time in the Tombs, the most feared prison in New York City.

  If you would like to know more about the sources I consulted in writing this book, please see the selected bibliography on the next page or visit my website, http://nicolevelina.com, and click on the “Research” tab under the section for Madame Presidentess. You may also wish to search my blog, located on the same site, for additional information on many of these topics.

  SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

  Bensel, Richard Franklin. The American Ballot Box in the Mid-19th Century.

  Brody, Miriam. Victoria Woodhull, Free Spirit for Women’s Rights.

  Frisken, Amanda. Victoria Woodhull’s Sexual Revolution.

  Gabriel, Mary. Notorious Victoria.

  Gilfoyle, Timothy J. City of Eros: New York City, Prostitution, and the Commercialization of Sex, 1790-1920.

  Goldsmith, Barbara. Other Powers: The Age of Suffrage, Spiritualism and the Scandalous Victoria Woodhull.

  Havelin, Kate. Victoria Woodhull.

  Kisner, Arlene. The Lives and Writings of Notorious Victoria Woodhull and Her Sister Tennessee Claflin.

  Krull, Kathleen. A Woman for President – The Story of Victoria Woodhull.

  MacPherson, Myra. The Scarlet Sisters.

  Sachs, Emanie Nahm. The Terrible Siren.

  Stern, Madeleine B. The Pantarch: A Biography of Stephen Pearl Andrews.

  ——-, ed. The Victoria Woodhull Reader.

  Stiles, T.J. The First Tycoon: the Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt

  Tilton, Theodore. The Golden Age Tract No. 3 “Victoria C. Woodhull, a Biographical Sketch.”

  Underhill, Lois Beachey. The Woman Who Ran for President.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Thank you so much to Liv Raincourt for pinning the Pinterest pin that started it all. I bet you had no idea you were launching a book, did you? Thanks also to the unknown person who pinned the original photo and wrote such an alluring caption. You drew me in and made me want to learn more, which I have in turn shared in this story.

  Thanks to my editor Cassie Cox for asking the tough questions and helping this story shine, and to Devon for catching all my last-minute errors and saving my butt on a few historical missteps. I owe you both so much! Also, thank you to Terri Valentine for editing an early draft of this manuscript. Your patience and attention to detail helped shape Victoria’s story and make it all the richer. Thanks as well to Kiffer Brown and Chanticleer Reviews for their belief in this tale and championing of it. My gratitude also goes to Jenny Quinlan for the beautiful cover and The Editorial Department for their layout and attention to detail.

  Hugs and kisses to my beta readers, Courtney, Kerry, and Lauren. Your feedback was invaluable. Eternal gratitude to my mom for listening to every single detail of this story as it flowed from my mind to the page and for being one of my first readers.

  I’d also like to thank the Missouri History Museum, especially reference librarian Jason Stratman, for providing their information on Victoria and James’ time in St. Louis. Thanks as well to Myra Macpherson, author of The Scarlet Sisters, for answering my questions about Victoria’s later life.

  I can’t leave out my fur babies, Connor and Caitlyn, who are the best editorial assistants in the world. You have my heart and all my love. Thank for you your patience and support. (Yes, I am the crazy cat lady.)

  As always, thanks to everyone who reads this book. Your willingness to read about someone you’ve likely never heard of is commendable, and I appreciate it. By that simple act, you are helping Victoria’s story be known, helping her to be restored to the historical record. In a year when we may well see the first female president of the United States, it is time for the woman who made that journey possible to take her place among the annals of history.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  NICOLE EVELINA is an award-winning historical fiction and romantic comedy writer. Madame Presidentess was the first place winner in the Women’s US History category of the 2015 Chaucer Awards for Historical Fiction, earning the distinction months before it was released to the public.

  Nicole’s debut novel, Daughter of Destiny, the first book of an Arthurian legend tr
ilogy that tells Guinevere’s life story from her point of view, was named Book of the Year by Chanticleer Reviews, took the Grand Prize in the 2015 Chatelaine Awards for Women’s Fiction/Romance, won a Gold Medal in the fantasy category in the Next Generation Indie Book Awards and was short-listed for the Chaucer Award for Historical Fiction. Her contemporary romantic comedy, Been Searching for You, won the 2015 Romance Writers of America (RWA) Great Expectations and Golden Rose contests.

  Her mission as a historical fiction writer is to rescue little-known women from being lost in the pages of history. While other writers may choose to write about the famous, she tells the stories of those who are in danger of being forgotten so that their memories may live on for at least another generation. She also writes from the female point of view since the male perspective has historically been given more attention.

  Nicole is one of only six authors who completed the first weeklong writing intensive taught by #1 New York Times bestselling author Deborah Harkness in 2014. She is a member of and book reviewer for the Historical Novel Society and Sirens, a group supporting female fantasy authors, as well as a member of the Romance Writers of America, Broad Universe, Women Fiction Writers Association, the St. Louis Writer’s Guild, and Women Writing the West.