Susanna Moodie ( ) b Suffolk England gentry family who stressed education, discipline, self-reliance practicality she and sisters drawn to theatre, poetry, history published in several magazines in England 1830 – experienced religious crisis; converted to Congregationalism 1831 – married John W.D. Moodie, a half- pay officer in the military 1832 – immigrated to Canada (with first child); settled on a partially cleared farm near Cobourg, Ontario.

remained in bush for 6 years; total of 7 children – one son drowned in 1844 spent two winters in the bush without her husband Roughing it in the Bush describes her life between records struggles and concerns of mid 19 th century Upper Canadians; vivid and dramatic vignettes of pioneer life more recent literary criticism has focused on its enactments of class, race and gender.