Sara Payson Willis, (1811-1872) better known by her penname, Fanny Fern was an American novelist, humorist, and columnist. Known for her conversational style and understanding of her target audience, Fern became one the of highest paid columnist in the United States, and was among the first women to have a regular newspaper column. She was an advocate for women's rights. Fern suffered through a difficult history of marriage after her first husband died, leaving her nearly penniless. When she was encouraged to remarry, she married a jealous man, who made her miserable. Despite the social scandal, Fern divorced him. After she earned financial, commercial, and personal success for herself, Fern married once more, this time to a man who adored her writing, and stayed with her until her death in 1872.
