Henry Fowle Durant

Henry Fowle Durant (February 22, 1822 – October 3, 1881) was an American lawyer and philanthropist, as well as the co-founder, with Pauline Durant, of Wellesley College.

For the founder of the University of California, see Henry Durant.

Early life and career

Durant was born in Hanover, New Hampshire[1] as Henry Wells Smith. He changed his name to Henry Fowle Durant to avoid confusion with a local businessman.

Durant completed his studies in Harvard Law School at Harvard University in 1841. He subsequently practiced in Boston.

Durant married his cousin, Pauline Adeline Durant (née Fowle), in 1855. The couple went on to have two children, Henry “Harry” Fowle Durant and Pauline Cazenove Durant. Both children died in early childhood.[2]

After the death of his son, Harry, Durant underwent a religious conversion and became a lay preacher in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, practicing from 1864 to 1875.

In 1870, Durant and Pauline contributed between one and two million dollars to found Wellesley College, in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Durant, a staunch believer in female education, famously said, “Women can do the work. I give them the chance.”[3]

He died from Bright's Disease at the age of 59.[4]

References
  1. "HANOVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY". Town of Hanover New Hampshire. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.
  2. Crawford, Mary Caroline (1930). Famous Families of Massachusetts. Little, Brown & Company.
  3. "A Brief History of Wellesley College". Wellesley College. 2007. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  4. Kingsley, Florence Morse (2004). The Life of Henry Fowle Durant Founder of Wellesley College. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 0766199533.


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