Eliza Boardman Burnz

Eliza Boardman Burnz (31 October 1823 - 19 June 1903) was a nineteenth century American shorthand inventor and promoter. Her simplified alphabet, arranged in the basis of Isaac Pitman's Phonography, was the subject of Mark Twain's essay A Simplified Alphabet.

Biography

Eliza Boardman Burnz was born on October 31, 1823 in Essex, England to John Boardman and Anna Thomason. She moved with her family to the United States in 1837.

As a librarian and the 'mother' of women of stenographers, Burnz championed spelling reform and founded the Burnz' Fonic Shorthand in 1869. Burnz claimed no originality in its method, as it was based on Isaac Pitman's method, which she had become familiar with in 1846. The Burnz system best features were its ability to enable the writer with legibility and speed. In 1872, she began teaching shorthand at Cooper Union and the Young Women's Christian Association.

Burnz died June 19, 1903 in Walters Park, Pennsylvania.