Hannah Mary Bouvier

Hannah Mary Bouvier Peterson
Born	1811 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died	September 4, 1870 Long Branch, New Jersey, USA
Residence	U.S.
Nationality	United States
Spouse(s)	Robert Evans Peterson
Scientific career
Fields	Science, Astronomy, Cookery

Hannah Mary Bouvier Peterson (1811-1870) wrote books on science, astronomy and cookery. Most of her works were published anonymously or under her maiden name. Bouvier's familiar astronomy: or, An introduction to the study of the heavens, "for the use of schools, families and private students", went through multiple editions in the United States and England and was highly acclaimed. Familiar science, originally credited to her husband, was also popular and adopted in schools. Cookbooks such as The national cook book and The young wife's cook book were widely reprinted. Her books share a common focus on writing for an American audience.

Hannah Mary Bouvier was the daughter of John Bouvier, a Philadelphia lawyer and legal writer, and his wife Elizabeth Widdifield (1789-1870). She was educated at private schools in Philadelphia, in painting, music and linguistics.

Bouvier married Robert Evans Peterson (1812-1884), the eldest son of publisher George Peterson, on September 3, 1834. Both her family and her husband's family were Quakers, and the marriage took place at the Monthly Meeting on Cherry Street, Philadelphia. Robert Peterson studied law with his father-in-law and was admitted to the bar in 1843. He established the Philadelphia publishing house R. E. Peterson & Co. around 1850, which became Childs & Peterson around 1854. He later studied medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating with an M.D. in 1863. The couple had two children, Robert Evans Peterson, Jr., and Emma Bouvier Peterson. They spent summers in Crosswicks, New Jersey. Robert taught Hannah advanced mathematics, supported her interests in the sciences, and encouraged her to write and publish.

During her lifetime, Hannah Bouvier tended to publish anonymously or under her maiden name. A preface to a later edition of The national cook book, written by her husband R. E. Peterson after her death, indicates that 'When this work was prepared for the Press, she declined to let her name appear as the author, from her great dislike to notoriety, observing "that a woman should never be known outside of her own home."' In addition to this preface, the title page identifies her as the author, and gives her credit for other works. These include Familiar science; or, The scientific explanation of common things (1851), which originally credited her husband as its editor.Familiar science reorganized and expanded upon A Guide to the Scientific Knowledge of Things Familiar by Ebenezer Cobham Brewer, adapting it for an American audience. It sold widely and was adopted for use in schools. As of 1866, over 200,000 copies had been sold, and it was being used in public schools in Philadelphia and Brooklyn.

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