To Believe In Women: What Lesbians Have Done For America - A History – A Compelling Landmark Account of 19th and 20th Century Rights
by Lillian Faderman
Partner Marie Zakrzewska
Queer Places:
41 Forest Hills St, Boston, MA 02130, USA
Julia A. Sprague (c. 1820/1824–1904) played an essential role in 19th-century reform as a writer, organizer, and clubwoman. Rather than seeking public office or medical fame, Sprague operated primarily behind the scenes, creating institutional and social spaces for women's civic engagement.
Sprague was a dedicated member and officer of the New England Woman's Club, one of the earliest official women's clubs in the United States. She served as a chronicler for the organization, writing early accounts that documented the club's activism and impact on women's higher education.
Deeply embedded in Boston's progressive circles, Sprague participated in local abolitionist and women's suffrage networks alongside leading reformers like Julia Ward Howe and Caroline Severance.
Sprague provided steady domestic and organizational support for the New England Hospital for Women and Children, established by Dr. Marie Zakrzewska in 1862 as the second American hospital run entirely by women.
Sprague’s life holds an important place in queer history as a documented example of a 19th-century same-sex domestic partnership:
In 1862, Sprague moved into Dr. Marie Zakrzewska’s home. The two remained life partners for 40 years until Zakrzewska died in May 1902. Sprague survived her long-time partner by roughly two years, passing away in 1904.
In the late 19th century, long-term cohabitation between financially independent, professional women was often described as a "Boston marriage". These partnerships allowed women to reject traditional marriage expectations and share their lives with other women.
While earlier 20th-century historians tended to dismiss these cohabitations as purely platonic friendships, modern LGBTQ+ historians recognize them as romantic and domestic partnerships. Surviving primary sources—including letters from Dr. Zakrzewska to reform activist Caroline Severance—reflect a deeply romantic bond between Sprague and Zakrzewska.
For nearly three decades, the pair shared a home at 41 Forest Hills Street in Jamaica Plain, Boston. Their household served as a gathering space for radical thinkers, reform activists, visiting medical students, and progressive intellectuals.
Through her quiet leadership, organizing efforts, and lifelong relationship with Dr. Zakrzewska, Julia A. Sprague illustrates how 19th-century queer women built enduring partnerships and spearheaded social change.
References:
|
To Believe In Women: What Lesbians Have Done For America - A History – A Compelling Landmark Account of 19th and 20th Century Rights by Lillian Faderman |
Other references:
Support this project
This website is a passion project researched, developed, and funded entirely by me. If you find the content valuable and would like to help support the ongoing research and hosting costs, any contribution is deeply appreciated.
Thank you for keeping this independent resource alive!
My books on Amazon: Elisa Rolle's books