11 Facts About Susanna Rowson

Susanna Rowson, nee Haswell, was a British-American novelist, poet, playwright, religious writer, stage actress, and educator.

Susanna Rowson was the first woman geographer and an early supporter of female education.

In 1796, Susanna Rowson reestablished contact with her old Edinburgh director, John Brown Williamson.

Susanna Rowson had taken over the Federal Street Theatre in Boston, and the Rowson trio relocated there in part to be closer to the more familiar residence of her youth and her core American literary fan base.

Susanna Rowson was then hired at the Boston Custom House and there was employed for almost four decades.

Susanna Rowson was a leader on female education and the first woman geographer, publishing the first American education book on geography Rowson's Abridgement of Universal Geography in 1805, a textbook focussing on human geography not maps and including information on the position of women, the cultural, religious, financial and social structure of different continents and in particular the impact of the 'barbarous, degrading traffic' of slavery.

Susanna Rowson published Youth's First Steps in Geography in 1811.

Susanna Rowson managed her school until 1822 and trained hundreds of girls overall.

Susanna Rowson continued her writings, producing several novels, an additional work for the stage, a dictionary as well as the two geographies and as a contributor to the Boston Weekly Magazine.

Susanna Rowson retired from her school in 1822, passing its operation to her adopted daughters, and she died in Boston two years later, 2 March 1824.

Susanna Rowson was buried in the family vault of friend Gottlieb Graupner at St Matthew's Church, South Boston.