TENNESSEE CLAFLIN

The ceiling has shattered

Victoria and Tennessee were some of the first women to break into the male dominated field of banking. Not only were they some of the first females to become bankers, they were some of the first women to have a newspaper. Without even attempting to do so, the sisters were challenging the Patriarchy put before them. Shattering glass ceilings and proving women were capable of doing things men could do, the sisters were influential to say the least.
During their childhood Tennessee was the one who got them recognized. Tennessee predicted a fire in a nearby town accurately and told a farmer where a lost calf was located. The popularity from this made them go on tour and it made a lot of people interested in spiritualism. Vanderbilt, who had become interested in spiritualism late in his life, took an interest in the sisters and started to invest in their futures. Vanderbilt would actually end up proposing to Claflin who denied, continuing to be close friends though. The popularity the sisters had would launch the sister's speaking career which would make them the famous activists they are today. While not being the most influential women in her family, she was still an influential women in her own right. Had it not been for Tennessee and her popularity we very well could have no idea who Victoria is. Not many women from this time period can say that they did the things that these sisters did.