Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie was a French-born American author, writer, public speaker, actress, and preservationist. Her best-known work was the play Fashion, which was released in 1845. After her critical acclaim as a playwright, she had a successful stage career as an actress. Her Autobiography of an Actress was published in 1853. Anna Cora Mowatt was instrumental in lobbying and fundraising for the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, the country's oldest national historic preservation group. Anna Cora Ogden was born in Bordeaux, France, on March 5, 1819. She was the tenth out of fourteen children. Her father was Samuel Gouveneur Ogden (1779-1860), an American trader. Her mother was Eliza Lewis Ogden (1785-1836), the granddaughter of Francis Lewis, who signed the United States Declaration of Independence. The Ogden family returned to the United States in 1826, when Anna was six years old. She attended private schools but received her primary education at home. She was encouraged to read from a young age and developed a strong interest in writing and acting.
