Susanna Rowson (1762-1824), an early American best-selling author, ran a girls school in Medford in 1799. Steven Epley, a professor of English at Samford University, is the author of “Susanna Rowson: Sentimental Prophet of Early American Literature,” published in 2016.

Thanks to a grant from Mass Humanities, the MHSM is hosting Epley as a Scholar In Residence from September 5-25. At this event, he will lead a roundtable discussion on researching Medford in the 18th century.

Epley also will speak on Rowson and her ties to Medford in a program at Tufts University on Monday, September 17.