Susan Lawrence Dana (1862-1946) was the child of Rheuna and Mary Lawrence.  As the only child of a wealthy businessman (he was a builder, mine owner, and later became mayor of Springfield), Susan grew up in a refined atmosphere that accustomed her to social parties, club activities, charity fund-raisers and grand entertainment.  In 1883 she married Edwin Dana, had two children die in infancy, and then suffered more tragedy when her husband died in 1900, followed by the death of her father a few months later.  As the executor of her father's estate, Susan decided to have the old Italianate family residence in Springfield remodeled, and chose Frank Lloyd Wright as the architect.  Designed between mid-1902 and early 1903, construction on the house began in late summer of 1902, and was completed by Christmas 1904.  The house was constructed around the much smaller previous family home, and incorporated one parlor of the home into the new design, perhaps to make Susan's mother feel more comfortable in the otherwise very modern house.  (See below).