A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Rowson, Susannah

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4121065A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography — Rowson, Susannah

ROWSON, SUSANNAH,

Was the daughter of Lieutenant Haswell, of the British navy, who was sent to New England in 1769, when his daughter was about seven years old. On the breaking out of the revolution. Lieutenant Haswell returned to London with his family, where, in 1786, Miss Haswell was married to William Rowson. While in this country she published several novels, of which the only one that is now known is the one entitled "Charlotte Temple." Mrs. Rowson returned to the United States in 1793, and was engaged as an actress in the theatres of Boston and Philadelphia for the next three years; and was also diligently occupied with her literary pursuits. In 1797, she opened a school for girls in Boston, which succeeded extremely well. She died in that city in 1824. She was considered a poetess as well as a novelist, though but few of her poems are now known. Her writings are very voluminous.