Women of the Constitution

Janice E. McKenney is a military historian and is retired from the U.S. Army Center of Military History. She has published books and articles on U.S. Army artillery.

McKenney (Field Artillery; Air Defence Artillery) here provides concise details on the wives of the signers of the U.S. Constitution. The book, a project of the District of Columbia Daughters of the American Revolution, is well researched, with information from primary sources where available. Each entry begins with a block of basic biographical data such as places and dates of birth and death and details on the woman’s marriage and children; the entries that follow provide further facts about the wives’ education, family, and married life. Most of the entries include a photo or illustration and all entries include notes and a bibliography. An appendix provides information about the historic homes of the subjects. VERDICT Any researcher interested in women’s lives in Colonial America could use this title as a starting point for their research. The book will be a useful addition to reference collections at school, public, and two-year college libraries.