Cushman, Susan

Born March 17, 1822 in Boston, Massachusetts. Charlotte's father, Elkanah Cushman , became a successful merchant; mother - Mary Eliza Babbitt Cushman ; her sister, older sister Charlotte was also an actress.

In 1836 she made her debut in The Genoese by the American poet Epes Sargent . A year later, with her mother, she went to New York to see her sister's work in the theater.

At age 14, she married Nelson Merriman . Her husband left her when Susan was pregnant, and Charlotte looked after her sister. Both sisters were known for playing Romeo and Juliet, where Charlotte played Romeo. ^[1] Together they performed in New York and Philadelphia. Then Susan was invited to play a role in "Satan in Paris" , later she played Desdemona in " Othello " by George Vandenhoff . Worked at the Philadelphia Theater Walnut Street Theater .

In 1845, Susan followed Charlotte to England, where in 1846 they played together in Romeo and Juliet (Charlotte played Romeo) at the Haymarket Theater in London . The sisters also played together in Twelfth Night .

In 1847, Susan came into conflict with the theater manager over her role in The Lady of Lyons and left the theater. After leaving the scene, Susan again and successfully married the Liverpool chemist James Maspratt with whom she lived in Liverpool.

Died May 10, 1859 in Liverpool, Merseyside County. She was buried in the Necropolis or Low Hill Cemetery cemetery in Everton, Liverpool. ^[2]

From her first marriage, she had a son, Edwin Charles Cushman (1838-1909), who was married to Emma Crowe (1839-1920). ^[3]

• Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. III. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. 1959.