Rowena Granice Steele (née Graniss; after first marriage, Claughley; after second marriage, Steele; June 20, 1824 – February 7, 1901) was an American performer (actress, singer, elocutionist), author of poetry and novels, as well as a newspaper journalist, editor, and publisher.

The first novel written by a woman in California was Steele's, The Victims of Fate, a work of fiction loosely based on David C. Broderick, the preface stating: "Some of the incidents of this little story, (although mingled with fiction,) are real facts.

"[2] Steele was well known for the entertainments which she provided during the early days of the California Gold Rush, where, with her son, George, she acted out scenes from Shakespeare and bits of comedy.

[6] At an early age, she showed talent for composition, but, being of an extremely sensitive nature, her efforts were burned as soon as written.

While he abandoned the family in 1853 to pursue the California Gold Rush, she performed in Barnum's American Museum in New York City.

In April of that year, she was a performer of Shakesperian readings, songs, dances, and Yankee stories at San Francisco's Metropolitan Theater[9] using the stage name "Miss Rowena Granice".

[10] In September, with Dan Virgil Gates, she was performing a similar program in Petaluma, California.

[19][20] Though he was a one-time leader of a large Mormon colony, when she met him, Addams was an actor, manager, dramatist,[21] comedian, and ultimately "a hopeless rover".

[23] In May 1859, Steele opened a saloon, "The Gaieties, Temple of Mirth and Song" on Commercial Street[24] in San Francisco where she performed burlesque.

[29] In November of that year, while she was the proprietor of the Union Theater in San Francisco, she was arraigned in the San Francisco Police Court for assault and battery on a theater goer, but when the complaint was called, Grance was discharged on the consent of the complainant.

[24] In 1866, she was traveling in San Joaquin County, giving readings and comic songs;[31] and in July 1868, she was in Tuolumne City with her son, George, performing scenes from Macbeth and Othello as well as skits she had penned, including Judy Murflinnigan's trip from Ould Ireland and The Maniac.

[33] Through the force of circumstances, she was compelled to offer her stories and sketches to the newspapers and magazines, and in less than two years, the name of Rowena Granice had become a household word in every town in the new State of California.

It is permanently established, has a large circulation in three counties, is well known, and consequently one of the best advertising mediums in the San Joaquin Valley."