The Extraordinary Suzy Wright: A Colonial Woman on the Frontier

by Teri Kanefield

Overview

Children are taught much about the men who shaped early America, but history-shaping colonial women remain largely unknown and undiscussed. The Extraordinary Suzy Wright sets about to change that, telling the little-known story of Quaker Susanna (Suzy) Wright (1697–1784), a renowned poet and political activist. Suzy helped settle the Pennsylvania frontier, where she acted as legal counselor to her less literate neighbors, preparing wills, deeds, indentures, and other contracts. Surviving documents and correspondence between Suzy and a host of her contemporaries—including Benjamin Franklin; James Logan, Pennsylvania’s governor and chief justice; and a few signers of the Declaration of Independence—reveal that Suzy, from her home on the frontier, exerted considerable influence in the highest circles of Pennsylvania government. This fascinating and inspiring story includes an author’s note, bibliography, and index.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781613129173
Publisher:	ABRAMS, Inc.
Publication date:	05/23/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	70
Lexile:	1220L (what's this?)
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	1 - 12 Years

About the Author

Teri Kanefield is a lawyer and writer. Her books for children have won numerous awards and distinctions, including the Jane Addams Peace Award in the Older Readers category. She lives with her family in San Francisco, California.

Editorial Reviews

"The story is presented in a beautiful package replete with photographs of primary sources and a text liberally supported with quotations. Detailed notes, image credits, and acknowledgements speak to the exhaustive research behind this important volume."

School Library Connection

"...In Kanefield’s beautifully produced biography, with ample reproductions, full-color photos, and page layouts rich in biographical detail and historical context, both Suzy and her time and place come to life... As presented here, her story also serves as model to
contemporary readers: it promotes valuing women and non-Europeans as equals, seeking diplomatic methods to resolve negotiations, and engaging in a variety of endeavors—poetry as well as law and science—rather than pursuing a single interest or concern. Excellent for browsing as well as research and discussion."

Booklist

"...In Kanefield’s beautifully produced biography, with ample reproductions, full-color photos, and page layouts rich in biographical detail and historical context, both Suzy and her time and place come to life... As presented here, her story also serves as model to
contemporary readers: it promotes valuing women and non-Europeans as equals, seeking diplomatic methods to resolve negotiations, and engaging in a variety of endeavors—poetry as well as law and science—rather than pursuing a single interest or concern. Excellent for browsing as well as research and discussion."

Booklist

★ 03/01/2016
Gr 4–8—This biography of Suzy Wright is a welcome addition to the very crowded collection of early American history books and a rare example of a work that highlights a groundbreaking Colonial woman. At 16, Wright emigrated in 1714 from England to Pennsylvania with her family to escape religious persecution. She chose to remain unmarried to retain freedoms (such as the ability to own property) only allowed single women. Wright gained acclaim as a poet, correspondent, advocate, and naturalist and for her legal and political work. While the vocabulary is complex and the concepts are somewhat complicated, the many photographs and illustrations, pull quotes, and large page and text size make this a quick read. The volume is beautifully laid out and includes reproductions of the primary sources that it quotes. Kanefield focuses primarily on social issues as they relate to the role of women in Colonial America and examines how Wright tried to advocate for better treatment for Native Americans. An afterword offers more details on the geographic area and the role of Quakers in Colonial America. VERDICT Providing a different perspective on a very familiar time in the United States, this is an excellent look at a little-known but important woman.—Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

School Library Journal

★ 2016-01-09
Susanna "Suzy" Wright, an English Quaker, traveled to her family's new home in Pennsylvania in 1714 at the age of 16 and grew into a highly intelligent, well-educated, and influential woman. Lavishly adorned with period paintings, maps, etchings, and contemporary photographs, this thoughtful and insightful biography explores the life of a most unusual woman for her time. In 1726, the unmarried Suzy (as Kanefield calls her throughout) relocated from the relative comfort of Philadelphia to the frontier, where she purchased land and had a home constructed. From Wright's Ferry, on the bank of the Susquehanna River, Suzy practiced law, influenced politics, defended Native American rights, wrote poetry, corresponded with and influenced important men of her time including Benjamin Franklin, and developed horticultural and scientific practices that helped her become a successful businesswoman. This presentation of her fascinating story is enhanced by the attractive design, with primary source material neatly interwoven into the text, highlighted in a dark red, oversized, and italicized type that draws attention to its value in the narrative. These primary materials, including Suzy's poems and letters, give her a voice that time had threatened to still. Fine source notes and references, along with an afterword that helps explain how Suzy and the Quaker movement influenced American history into the 20th century, add valuable context. An excellent resource that shines a spotlight on a previously little-known but highly meritorious woman. (Biography. 10-18)

Kirkus Reviews