Susan Louisa Moir Allison
| Susan Louisa Moir Allison | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Susan Louisa Moir August 18, 1845 British Ceylon |
| Died | February 1, 1937 (aged 91) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Known for | Chronicling the Similkameen people |
Susan Louisa Moir Allison (August 18, 1845 – February 1, 1937) was a Canadian author and pioneer. In 2010 Allison was designated a National Historic Person by the Canadian Government.
Susan Louisa Moir was born on August 18, 1845 in Ceylon, where her father owned a tea plantation. When Susan's father died, her family, consisting of her mother, sister and brother, relocated to England, where she was educated. In 1857, Susan's mother remarried, this time to Thomas Glennie, a Scotsman. In 1860, when Susan was 14, Glennie moved the family to Hope, British Columbia in Canada. However, in 1864, Susan's stepfather deserted his new family, leaving her to work as a governess. Using this experience, Susan established Hope's first school with her mother, and subsequently married John Fall Allison, one of the founders of what is now Princeton, British Columbia, in 1868.
After their marriage, the Allisons moved to the Similkameen Valley, becoming the first non-Aboriginal settlers to live there. The couple, aided by John's knowledge of Chinook Jargon, a trade language, as a result of his previous marriage to an Aboriginal woman, became close with nearby Aboriginal populations. There, the two produced 14 children. In the Valley, Allison had what she described as her happiest days, traversing nearby mountains on horseback and establishing relationships with nearby First Nations. Allison claimed to have sighted Ogopogo, a cryptid lake monster similar to the Loch Ness Monster in Okanagan Lake.
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