Marion Harland

Marion Harland was the pen name of Mary Virginia Terhune, an American author and journalist born on January 19, 1830, in Amelia County, Virginia. She was the daughter of a Presbyterian minister and grew up in a family that valued education and literature. She began writing at a young age and published her first story at the age of 14. In 1856, she married Edward Payson Terhune, a Presbyterian minister, and moved to Newark, New Jersey. Together, they had four children. In addition to her writing, Harland was also active in the women's suffrage movement and was a founding member of the New Jersey Woman Suffrage Association. Harland's most famous work is Common Sense in the Household, a cookbook and household management guide that was first published in 1871. The book was a bestseller and was reprinted numerous times. It was praised for its practical advice and easy-to-follow recipes. Harland went on to write several other books on cooking and household management, including Breakfast, Luncheon, and Tea (1875) a