Francis Villon in his grand poem of the 15th century celebrated mythic but half-remembered ladies of antiquity. In our book we recall a family of real but largely forgotten women in American history. All were descendants of Elizabeth Taylor and Peter Blow. Their lives were full, far-flung and unscripted, emblematic of the nation's course over five generations. Our story begins on the eastern shore of Virginia in 1800 and ends on the Pacific...