The relevance of a subject of a research is caused by growth of scientific and public interest in problems of women’s business, to the social status of the women who were a part of the Russian provincial business community at the end of 19th - the beginning of the 20th century. On the basis of the archival and published sources (office work documents, reference and statistical materials) and special scientific literature problems of women - representatives of merchant class of Tambov at the end of 19th - the beginning of the 20th century are considered. The complex analysis of their situation in family is carried out, the questions connected with marriage are studied, the characteristics are given to the intra family relations. Questions of education, professional and public work of representatives of merchants of the provincial city during the late imperial period are investigated. Separate aspects of a problem have been considered through a prism of biographies of businesswomen, famous in the city. In post-reform time the dependency of women in merchant families still remained. However neither the custom, nor the legislation interfered with them independently to be engaged in commerce. The most enterprising representatives of merchants of Tambov rather successfully were implemented in this field. The changes which have come in an education system of women from merchant families in the second half of the 19th century have raised possibilities of their self-realization not only in family, family business, but also beyond her limits, including in professional niches, new, not typical for representatives of merchants.