Click here to read Dolley Madison's letter concerning
the burning of Washington DC
Dolley Madison ,was born Dolley Payne in Guilford
County, N. C., on May 20, 1768. Her family moved to Virginia when she
was an infant, and she spent the first 15 years of her life there. In
1783 her Quaker parents moved to Philadelphia, where, in 1790, she
married Quaker lawyer John Todd, Jr. They had two children: one died in
1793 during the same yellow-fever epidemic that took her husband's life;
the other was John Payne Todd..She
married Congressman James Madison, 17 years her senior, on Sept. 15,
1794. The marriage, though childless, was apparently a very happy one.
Mrs.
Madison first served as "unofficial first lady" during the
presidency of Thomas Jefferson, a widower, while her husband served as
secretary of state. During her husband's presidency (1809-1817), she
became the unquestioned center of Washington society.Noted for her graciousness and charm as well as her ability to
entertain guests and preside at dinners, she was best known for her
Wednesday evening receptions where politicians, diplomats and the
general public gathered. At a time of intense party rivalries, these
gatherings helped to soothe some of the tensions between Federalists and
Republicans.Correspondence
indicates that not only was she an effective counter balance to her husband's rather colorless public personality, but that her influence
on Madison's political decisions was not in the least insignificant.Notably, during the British invasion of Washington in 1814, she
escaped to Virginia carrying important state papers, a Gilbert Stuart
portrait of George Washington, and other personal valuables.
Retiring
to Virginia in 1817, the Madisons continued to entertain lavishly.After her husband's death in 1836, Mrs. Madison returned to
Washington where her home once again became a center of social life.Her last public appearance was at a ball given for President Polk
in 1848.She died in
Washington on July 12, 1849.
Dolley
Payne Madison was the wife of President James Madison and one of the
most famous First Ladies in U. S. History.
A
full address leaf, Free Frank "Free D.P. Madison" by her at the
upperright, and addressed in her hand to Miss Mary E.E. Cutts in
Washington.With a very
dark circular red "Orange C.H. VA June 8" postmarkBlack seal with "DM" initials is intact.
Forgotten Founders Historic Documents and Coins of Freedom - By Stanley
L. Klos
Keynote Address on the 2003
Re-Internment of Samuel and Martha Huntington
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