A.K. Smiley Public Library will commemorate Women’s History Month with “Becoming Mrs. Sarah Jane Rousseau” by journalist Janelle Molony on Saturday, March 9 at 11am in the library’s Assembly Room and on Zoom (passcode 536433). A descendant of Rousseau, Molony will share the story of Rousseau’s journey to San Bernardino in the nineteenth century.
One of San Bernardino County’s more notable female pioneers, Sarah Jane Rousseau is known for her 1864 diary about the overland journey to California of the “Pella Company” that features young celebrity lawmen in the Earp family. In her earlier life, Sarah was a member of England’s landed gentry and a highly accomplished piano forte player. After immigrating to the United States in the 1830s, she became a sought-after finishing school teacher and almost a First Lady.
Janelle Molony is an award-winning author and journalist, and a member of the Western Writers of America and Oregon-California Trails Association. She is a verified descendant of the Rousseau family and the publisher of the incredible story, The 1864 Diary of Mrs. Sarah Jane Rousseau (M Press Publishing, 2023). She hosts the Wyoming Historical Society’s YouTube series, “Women of Wyoming: Then & Now.” Her latest release, Emigrant Tales of the Platte River Raids, recently ranked #1 on Amazon for Biographies on the Civil War. Official: www.JanelleMolony.com
This presentation is free and open to the public. A.K. Smiley Public Library is located at 125 W. Vine Street in Redlands. Registration is required to view on Zoom (passcode (536433). For more information, contact the Heritage Room at (909)798-7632.