Improper Bostonians Lesbian and Gay Histor Paperback – January 1, 1998
by The History Project
The Hub of the Gay Universe: An LGBTQ History of Boston, Provincetown, and Beyond Paperback – April 1, 2019
by Russ López
Partner Susan Dimock
Queer Places:
Dimock Community Health Center, 55 Dimock St, Roxbury, MA 02119, USA
Elizabeth Willard "Bessie" Greene (September 14, 1846 - May 8, 1875) was a devoted friend and colleague of the pioneering physician Susan Dimock. While she is less documented in traditional biographies than Dimock, historical records highlight her as an influential figure in the life of the doctor and a dedicated advocate for the poor.
Bessie Greene was the daughter of William Batchelder Greene, a prominent 19th-century Boston reformer, anarchist, and Unitarian minister, and Anna Greene (née Shaw).
Bessie is best remembered for her close bond with Susan Dimock, whom she met in the mid-1860s. Their relationship was described by contemporaries as a deep, profound friendship—frequently compared to the biblical bond of "David and Jonathan". During the winter of 1872–1873, while receiving medical treatment for a knee injury at the New England Hospital for Women and Children, Bessie became deeply involved with the hospital’s Maternity Department. Her experiences there, particularly her concern for young, unmarried mothers, moved her to take action to improve their conditions.
Alongside Susan Dimock and their friend Lilian Freeman Clarke, Bessie Greene helped found a charity aimed at aiding destitute mothers and infants (often referred to as the "Society for Aiding Destitute Mothers and Infants"). Bessie was noted for her determination and willingness to tackle difficult social problems, despite her youth.
In May 1875, Susan Dimock took a sabbatical from her duties at the New England Hospital to tour Europe, accompanied by Bessie Greene. While traveling across the Atlantic, their ship, the S.S. Schiller, was wrecked off the coast of the Isles of Scilly, England, on May 7–8, 1875.
Both women perished in the disaster. While Susan Dimock’s body was recovered, Bessie Greene's was never found. The tragedy devastated their families and colleagues; the sentiment that they were "lovely in their lives, and in death they were not divided" became a lasting tribute to their inseparable bond.
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