Phoebe Doty (died June 9, 1849)[1] was an Americanprostitute andmadam. In 1821, she started her career in abordello in theFive Points neighborhood ofNew York City. Over the next three years, she accrued $600 in personal belongings.[2] For the next decade or so, Doty moved from house to house, eventually settling in a brothel onChurch Street. There she was valued at $800.[2] Doty had an adopted daughter, Sal Wright, who also became a prostitute.[3]
By 1839, Doty had opened her own brothel onLeonard Street. At decade's end, she was valued at $2000.[2] During the 1840s, Doty was a prominent prostitute and madam. She held lavishballs at her brothel to attract new customers and to mingle with the upper classes. Her high profile earned her notoriety in thepenny press. TheLibertine suggested that Doty and another madam,Adeline Miller, should rent thePark Theatre and talk about their lives. It predicted that "the house would be crammed if theentrance was five dollars ahead. The bigger the harlot now-a-days the more money is made."[4]
 | ThisNew York City–related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
.svg)