THESE WERE THE WOMEN

Second in Hastings' new Procession of America Series is an ordered kaleidoscope of characters that sets the important female figures in the development of our country from 1776 to 1860 in an historical perspective that is a product of good research and a prevailing sense of humor. Mrs. Whitton has written First First Ladies, on the wives of the early presidents, but here, she abandons a strict adherence to the biographical sketch as she branches out to include a host of women from all social strata and relates them to each other and sets them aptly in their times. Starting off with the Washingtons, mother and wife, she contrasts the ""real"" with the ""orthodox"" interpretations, particularly of Mary who was the domineering type. From other Revolutionary heroines, and the variety was wide, we move on to the citizens of the new republic among whom were the instigators of the first fashion war, the Quaker schoolmarms and the arbiters of frontier etiquette. With the 30's came Frances Trollope and Mrs. Whittom excels in analysis here as she contrasts that famous disapprover's words with those of a remembered youth- Mark Twain. On to the really wild west and on still further through the ""Parade of Pathfinders"" whose marchers were all kinds the trends and personalities and their influences on each other continue to make good history and their mark in a man's world.