Mary Emily Bates Coues

Mary Emily Bates Coues (, Bennett; after first marriage, Bates; after second marriage, Coues; August 26, 1835 – February 16, 1906) was an American suffragist and society woman of the long nineteenth century, committed to women's rights, spiritualism, and the occult.

Early life and education Mary Emily Bennett was born in New York City, August 26, 1835. She was a daughter of Henry Silliman Bennett, president of the New York Bible Society (an office he held till his death), and Mary Emily Martin Bennett.

On her father's side, she was a collateral descendant of Aaron Burr, cousin of Mr. Bennett, and was connected with the Silliman family of New Haven, Connecticut, which included the two Benjamins, father and son, both distinguished scientists. The maternal ancestry included the name of Foote, notable in New England annals, and of Martin, borne by several officers of high rank in the English navy. Sir Henry Byam Martin, K. C. B., the second son of Admiral Sir Thomas Byam Martin, KCB, Admiral of the Fleet and vice-admiral of the United Kingdom, for many years comptroller of the navy and member of Parliament for Plymouth, was Mrs. Bennett's cousin. The Martin family resided in Antigua, where they owned large estates, and Sir William Byam, who died in 1869, was president of the council of Antigua and colonel of the Antigua dragoons. The grand-aunts of Coues were the Misses Martin -Catherine, Penelope and Eliza- long known in New England for their devotion to education, whose historical school (Misses Martin's School for Young Ladies) was in Portland, Maine. That year, he also divorced his second wife. On October 25, 1887, at the Hotel Vendome, in Boston, Massachusetts, Mrs. Bates and Dr. Coues married. Thereafter, she resided with her husband in their home on N street in that city. She was in sympathy with Dr. Coues' published views on the religious and social questions of the day, and her inspiration of one of his books is recognized in its dedication to his wife. Coues was a prominent member of various other organizations for the promotion of enlightened and progressive thought among women, Pro Re Nata club, and the Humane Society.

Her attitude was that of the extreme wing of radical reform. Though at heart a deeply religious woman, Coues did not find church communion necessary to her own spiritual aspirations. Among her dominant traits were a strong, intuitive sense of justice, a quick sympathy for all who suffered wrongs and a never-failing indignation at all forms of conventional hypocrisy, intellectual repression and spiritual tyranny. Many were the recipients of her secret charities. Interment was at Arlington Cemetery. Effects from her estate were put up for auction by C.G. Sloan & Co., Washington, D.C. in May 1906.