Hannah Mary Bouvier Peterson
Hannah Mary Bouvier Peterson (1811–1870) was an American author of books on science, astronomy and cookery. Most of her works were published anonymously or under her maiden name. Bouvier's Familiar Astronomy "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. Family 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 (1812–1894), 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