Jenny Brown, salesman, 1857
Earning a decent living in 19th-century America was more difficult for women than it was for men; one woman in 1852 could find jobs paying only $4 a month, but earned $30 a month while dressed as a man. (“A Chapter for the Weaker Vesselites.” New York Tribune [New York, New York] 18 June 1853; p. 6) Thus Harry Blake/ Jenny Clark/ Jenny Brown, who worked and traveled as a man.
Arrested in Chicago, Illinois, on 8 November 1857 for wearing men’s clothing while being female-bodied, Brown provided editors with an opportunity to joke. (“Trowserloons” appears to be a folksy term for a kind of trousers.) Also with an opportunity to describe appearance in detail; Phalon was in the 1850s a brand of lotion and hair products, including “Phalon’s Magic Hair Dye” (“[Y]ou can obtain a black or a brown which will defy the best judges to tell it from nature itself”) and “Phalon’s Chemical Hair Invigorator” (“for preserving, dressing and beautifying the hair”).
Because Toledo newspapers for the period are unavailable, this is the only story about Brown, who vanishes into 19th-century America.
“Trowserloons Versus Crinoline.” Chicago Tribune [Chicago, Illinois] 10 November 1857; p. 1.
On Sunday Harry Blake alias Jenny Clark alias Jenny Brown was arrested for wearing male attire. Her real name is Jenny Brown and she formerly resided in New York City. She stated that she was doing a lucrative business in the way of selling patent rights and that sh[e] was once arrested in Toledo upon a similar charge but managed to escape from the officers. She was attired in a grey overcoat, velvet vest, black pants, and fancy shirt, her hair cut short and brushed a la Phalon. She was fined $50 and appealed from the judgment of the Court.
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