Susanna Rowson

Susanna Rowson (1762-1824), novelist, playwright
actress and educator, was born in Portsmouth,
England. Her mother died when she was an infant.
She was raised in New England by her father, a Bri
ish Navy man. During the Revolutionary war,
Susanna's family was held captive for three years
until they were sent back to England in a prisoner
exchange. Susanna married an English actor and
stagehand, William Rowson, and they relocated to
Philadelphia, and then Boston, to work in the thea-
ter. Susanna retired from the stage in 1797 to write
novels, and to run a Young Ladies' Academy. In
addition to Charlotte Temple (1791) and the sequel,
Charlotte's Daughter; or. The Three Orphans
(published posthumously in 1828), Rowson wrote
several novels and dramatic works, as well as educa-
tional tracts that she created for her young pupils.