“A Singular Case and A Female Husband”
“A Singular Case and A Female Husband.” The Pennsylvanian, August 16, 1836. Digital Transgender Archive.
Document Text |
Summary |
| A Singular Case | |
| A person, supposed to be a man, was taken up a few days since in New York for drunkenness. It proved, however, that the individual was a woman, and likewise a husband! The New York Express has the following particulars of the affair: | A few days ago, a person identified as a man was picked up by the police for public drunkenness. But it turned out that this person was a woman and a husband. Here are the details of the case: |
| A FEMALE HUSBAND.-ln our Police report of Friday, was noticed the case of a person calling herself James Walker, but who afterwards confessed that she– was a female, and not a male, as her dress denoted. She said her real name was Jane Walker. She was examined by a surgeon, and it was found that the statement as regards her sex was correct, when she was removed for further examination. | In the Friday police report, a person who called herself James Walker confessed to being a woman, even though she was dressed like a man. She said her real name was Jane Walker. A doctor examined her body and found she was telling the truth. She was held for further questioning. |
| On Saturday morning a female applied to Mr. Lowndes, the magistrate, for permission to see· a prisoner named George Wilson. After a few questions from Mr Lowndes, it appeared that the individual she wished to see was no other than the said Jane Walker, who she said had been her husband for fifteen years. The magistrate expressed his surprise at this communication, when she requested to speak with him in a private room. She then stated that she had married the prisoner in 1821 in Scotland, thinking him at the time to be a male, but that she had been deceived. She did not discover the prisoner’s real sex until some days after marriage, when they set sail for this country. She has not told any one of the circumstance, not even her own relations, some of whom live in the same house with her. Jane Walker is not the real name of the prisoner, but George Wilson. | On Saturday, a woman asked to see a prisoner named George Wilson. After some questions, it was determined that she was looking for Jane Walker. Jane was her husband of fifteen years. The judge was surprised. The woman asked to speak with the judge in a private room. She explained that she married the prisoner in Scotland in 1821. At the time of her wedding she thought her husband was a man. She did not realize the truth until after they set sail for America. She told no one about her husband’s secret identity. Even family that lived with them did not know. The real name of the prisoner is George Wilson, not Jane Walker. |
| On receiving this information, the magistrate ordered the prisoner to be brought up for a second examination. | After hearing this information, the judge requested that the prisoner be brought up for more questioning. |
| Jane in being brought in was quite confused at seeing her wife in the office. She then admitted that her real name was Wilson, and not Walker, and that the tale she had told on her former examination was totally false. | Jane was confused when she saw her wife in the room. She confessed that her real name was George Wilson and that her previous story was a lie. |
| She said she was not born in Ireland, but at No. 20 Atherton street, Liverpool, and that her parents were Scotch. The maiden name of her wife was Cummins. She was the daughter of a cotton spinner at Glasgow, in Scotland, at which business the prisoner is also proficient. | She said she was not from Ireland but from Liverpool and of Scottish descent. Her wife’s maiden name was Cummins. Her wife was born into a family of spinners, and was a spinner by trade. The prisoner was also a spinner. |
| The certificate of the marriage was then produced. The following is a copy:
Glasgow, 2d April, 1821. CEllTIFICATE.-That George Wilson, cotton spinner, of Brighton, and Elizabeth Cummins, residing there, have been three Several Sabbaths lawfully proclaimed in the BARONY CHURCH, in order to marriage, and no objection has been offered. The above parties were lawfully married by me, JOHN MARFORTAINE, Minister. The prisoner then stated that after being married on the Sunday, they set sail on the Tuesday following for this country, and that Elizabeth Cummins did not discover her (the prisoner’s) sex until after they were on board. On arriving in this country they went to Canada, when they purchased land in New Limerick. After having been there several years the wife’s father was sent for, who has been living with them ever since, and has worked with the prisoner at Clarke & Robinson’s cotton factory, at Paterson, New Jersey, whom he always thought to be a man. During the examination, the prisoner, was perpetually taking snuff; and seemed perfectly at ease. She was attired in striped pantaloons, a plaid stock, and a grey roundabout. Considerable merriment was caused by Justice Hopson asking the prisoner how many children they had since their marriage? She was again remanded. |
The prisoner and her wife showed their marriage certificate, which said:
“A spinner named George Wilson, from Brighton, married a resident of Brighton, Elizabeth Cummins, on April 2, 1821. They were married by Minister John Marfortaine” The prisoner explained that they set sail for America three days later. Elizabeth did not learn her husband’s biological sex until they were already at sea. They went to Canada and bought land and brought over Elizabeth’s father. He still lives with them and works with Wilson. He believes Wilson is a man. The prisoner was comfortable during questioning. She was wearing the clothing of a male laborer. The judge mocked the couple by asking how many children they had. Then he put Wilson back in jail. |
“A Singular Case and A Female Husband.” The Pennsylvanian, August 16, 1836. Digital Transgender Archive.
Background
On a summer day in 1836, Elizabeth Wilson walked into a New York City police station and asked to see her husband, George Wilson. George was a furrier who was arrested because they were found passed out drunk on a sidewalk. Elizabeth wanted to check on her husband and possibly bail them out of jail.
What Elizabeth did not know is that the police had discovered that George was biologically female. George had already told the police many lies about their life in New York City to protect Elizabeth. Her unexpected arrival created chaos. The police interrogated her to learn about the unusual relationship they had discovered. Under questioning, Elizabeth revealed that she met and married George in 1821 in Scotland. She claimed that she did not learn George’s biological sex until they were on a boat traveling to the U.S. She explained that she decided to stay with George because she needed the support a marriage would bring in her new home. Eventually, Elizabeth’s father came to live with them, but according to Elizabeth, he never learned their secret.
Elizabeth told this version of her story under very stressful circumstances. She may have said she did not know George’s biological sex before their marriage to protect herself. But regardless of what she knew before their marriage, she had been married to George for 15 years at the time their secret was discovered.
About the Document
This is a newspaper article that recounts the public discovery of George and Elizabeth Wilson’s relationship. This was the first time a so-called “female” husband was discovered in the United States, but others followed. These cases are critical evidence that there were women living in relationships with trans men in the early U.S. We will likely never know how many queer women’s relationships went undiscovered.
Vocabulary
- furrier: A person who makes fur coats and hats.
Discussion Questions
- What is the tone of this article? What does that reveal about U.S. attitudes toward queer relationships in 1836?
- Given the circumstances, how much can we rely on the testimony of George and Elizabeth Wilson? Why is it important to think about the circumstances in which historical evidence is gathered?
- Why is it difficult to find stories of LGBTQ+ people in history? How has this shaped our society and culture?
Suggested Activities
- Ask the students to compare and contrast Elizabeth and George Wilson’s story with that of Charity and Sylvia. In what ways were their circumstances different? How did these differences impact their lives? Taken together, what do these stories reveal about the history of queer women’s relationships in the U.S.?
- To help students understand the gender roles that Elizabeth and George upheld in order to keep their relationship a secret, see “The Two Sexes.”
- For more stories of transgender people in U.S. history, see:
Themes
DOMESTICITY AND FAMILY
