Author. She was a 19th-century author as well as serving as the First Lady of the New Mexico Territory. Born Susan Arnold Elston in a Quaker household, she was well-educated at Dr. Gibbons' Friends' Boarding School in Poughkeepsie, New York, studying literature, geometry, writing, and music, especially playing guitar and piano. She married a young lawyer, Lew Wallace on May 6, 1852 and the couple had one son. Besides being the Territorial Governor of New Mexico, her husband was a United States military officer, diplomat, and best-selling author. She was her husband's constant companion and advisor, but she chose to stay away from the limelight of her husband's career. In 1881, she accompanied her husband to his diplomatic post in Constantinople, Turkey, and traveled throughout Europe, Egypt, and the Holy Land during their years abroad. During her lifetime, she published six books: "The Storied Sea" in 1883, "Ginevra" in 1887, "The Land of the Pueblos" and "The Repose in Egypt" in 1888, "Along the Bosphorus and Other Sketches" in 1898, and "The City of the King" in 1903. She also wrote articles on her travels for American magazines and newspapers. After her husband's death, she finished her husband's two-volume autobiography and died two years after her husband's death.
Author. She was a 19th-century author as well as serving as the First Lady of the New Mexico Territory. Born Susan Arnold Elston in a Quaker household, she was well-educated at Dr. Gibbons' Friends' Boarding School in Poughkeepsie, New York, studying literature, geometry, writing, and music, especially playing guitar and piano. She married a young lawyer, Lew Wallace on May 6, 1852 and the couple had one son. Besides being the Territorial Governor of New Mexico, her husband was a United States military officer, diplomat, and best-selling author. She was her husband's constant companion and advisor, but she chose to stay away from the limelight of her husband's career. In 1881, she accompanied her husband to his diplomatic post in Constantinople, Turkey, and traveled throughout Europe, Egypt, and the Holy Land during their years abroad. During her lifetime, she published six books: "The Storied Sea" in 1883, "Ginevra" in 1887, "The Land of the Pueblos" and "The Repose in Egypt" in 1888, "Along the Bosphorus and Other Sketches" in 1898, and "The City of the King" in 1903. She also wrote articles on her travels for American magazines and newspapers. After her husband's death, she finished her husband's two-volume autobiography and died two years after her husband's death.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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