Sentiments of a British-American Woman

Owen S. Ireland's latest work rescues Esther DeBerdt Reed (1746–1780), “one of the foremost political female founders,” from historical obscurity (p. 3). The format of the book closely follows the extant letters of Esther DeBerdt Reed and her husband Joseph Reed (1741–1785). The resulting biography stands as a prime example of a sympathetic treatment of a truly British American woman. The early chapters focus on the couple's whirlwind romance. Ireland details their initial meeting in London, their romance, and their subsequent transatlantic separation of five years. Throughout, Esther, who steadily mastered the dealings of the family's import-export business, fully expected Joseph to return to London, but the death of her father, Dennys DeBerdt, in 1770 left the family unexpectedly impoverished. Following a simple marriage ceremony in London, the couple relocated to the colonies, first to Burlington, New Jersey, and later to Philadelphia. Early on, the Reeds enjoyed a happy married life, with several children born of the union. Ireland carefully points out Esther's many contributions to her husband's legal practice and the DeBerdt family's business interests. Events in 1775 effected a critical change in the couple's political outlook: Esther moved toward a propatriot view regarding the conflict with Great Britain, and Joseph served as adjutant-general of the Continental Army. The separation caused discord within the family, and the loss of a young daughter proved devastating. The war also produced numerous dislocations in the Reeds' household, as Esther moved her family four times in one year. When the British evacuated Philadelphia in 1778, the Reeds returned to their home city and assumed a greater political prominence in the operation of the state government

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