Rowena Granice Steele facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rowena Granice Steele
"A Woman of the Century"
Born	Rowena Graniss June 20, 1824 Goshen, New York, U.S.
Died	February 7, 1901(1901-02-07) (aged 76) Willows, California, U.S.
Resting place	Merced Cemetery, Merced, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress singer elocutionist journalist poet novelist editor publisher
Language	English
Nationality	American
Genre	low comedy
Notable works	The Victims of Fate
Spouse	Thomas Claughley ​ ​ (m. 1846; died 1860)​ Robert J. Steele ​ ​ (m. 1861; died 1889)​
Children	Henry Hale Granice, George Law Granice, Lee Richmond Steele

Rowena Granice Steele (born Graniss) was an amazing American woman. She lived from 1824 to 1901. Rowena was many things: an actress, singer, and a speaker who taught others how to speak well. She also wrote poems and novels. Besides that, she was a newspaper journalist, editor, and even a publisher!

Her novel, The Victims of Fate, was the first one written by a woman in California. It was a fictional story, but it was inspired by real events and people. Rowena was also famous for her shows during the early days of the California Gold Rush. She and her son, George, would perform scenes from Shakespeare plays and funny comedy skits.

Early Life and Talents

Rowena Granniss was born on June 20, 1824, in Goshen, New York. Her parents were Harry and Julie Granniss. She had many brothers and sisters.

From a young age, Rowena showed a natural talent for writing. She loved to create stories and poems.

A Busy Career

Performer and Theater Manager

In 1846, Rowena married Thomas Neptune Claughley. In 1853, Thomas went to California for the California Gold Rush. Rowena stayed in New York City and performed at Barnum's American Museum.

In 1856, Rowena and her two sons, Henry and George, moved to California. She began performing under the stage name "Miss Rowena Granice." She put on shows with Shakespeare readings, songs, dances, and funny stories. She performed in many places, including San Francisco and Petaluma.

In 1857, Rowena took on a new challenge. She became the manager of the Sacramento Theater. She continued to perform in various places across Northern California and even in the Sandwich Islands (now Hawaii).

In 1858, Rowena married John P. Addams. He was an actor and comedian. Rowena and Addams started a traveling theater group.

In May 1859, Rowena opened her own entertainment spot in San Francisco. It was called "The Gaieties, Temple of Mirth and Song." She performed funny shows there. Famous performers like Lotta Crabtree also performed with her.

Rowena continued to perform throughout the years. In 1866, she gave readings and sang comic songs in San Joaquin County, California. In 1868, she and her son George performed scenes from plays like Macbeth and Othello. She also wrote and performed her own funny skits.

Author and Publisher

Rowena started writing stories and sketches for newspapers and magazines. Soon, her name became very well known in California. People loved her simple, heartwarming stories about life in the new state. Her writing was popular with miners who enjoyed exciting tales.

Her novel, The Victims of Fate, was published in 1857. It was the first novel written by a woman in California. It sold many copies across the state. In 1858, she published The Family Gem, which was a collection of her short stories.

On June 13, 1861, Rowena married Robert Johnson Steele. In 1862, while living in Auburn, California, she published a short novel called The Suicide's Curse.

In July 1862, Rowena and her new husband started a newspaper called the Pioneer in Snelling, California. They later moved to Merced, California, and made the paper bigger. Their newspaper, the San Joaquin Valley Argus, was published every Saturday. It was known for being an independent paper that supported temperance (avoiding alcohol) and other social and political reforms. Rowena was the assistant editor, and later became the editor and owner.

In 1874, she wrote another book, Dell Dart, or, Within the meshes. She worked as an associate editor of their newspaper until 1877. After that, she took full charge of the newspaper for seven years. In 1884, with help from her son, she started a daily newspaper in addition to the weekly one.

Her husband passed away in 1889. After running the newspaper business successfully for 28 years, she sold it. In 1892, she was the editor and owner of another newspaper called the Budget in Lodi, California.

Rowena Steele was very active in the temperance cause. This movement worked to reduce or stop the use of alcohol. She also strongly supported women's right to vote. She spoke and wrote about these important causes.

Family Life

Rowena Steele had three sons: Henry Hale Granice, George Law Granice, and Lee Richmond Steele. Henry and Lee both became journalists, following in their mother's footsteps.

Rowena Steele passed away on February 7, 1901, in Merced, California. She was buried at the Merced Cemetery.

Selected Works

• 1857, Victims of Fate
• 1858, The Family Gem
• 1861, Camorie, or the Kanaka Girl's Revenge (short novel)
• 1862, Leonnie St. James, or the Suicide's Curse"
• 1862, The Suicide's Curse (short novel)
• 1874, Dell Dart, or, Within the meshes
• 1893, Weak or wicked? : a romance