Wood, Susan (1836–1880)

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Wood, Susan (1836–1880)

New Zealand writer. Name variations: Susan Lapham, Mrs. Nugent Wood. Born Susan Lapham, Aug 21, 1836, at Lisdillon, Great Swan Port, Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania), Australia; died Nov 30, 1880, at Riverton, New Zealand; dau. of Samuel Lapham and Susan (Butler) Lapham; sister of Henry Lapham (writer); m. John Nugent Wood, 1854; children: 2 sons, probably 3 daughters.

Resided near goldfields of New Zealand and regularly contributed verse, feature articles, and short stories to local newspapers and periodicals; though work is considered sentimental and stylized, provided valuable insight into daily life, emotions, and aspirations of pioneer women; wrote Women's Work in Australia (1862), Bush Flowers (1867) and Waiting for the Mail (1875), among others.

See also Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 1).