The First Ladies: Dolley Madison
At the ceremony where George W. Bush's official White House portrait was unveiled, Bush recalled the story of how Dolley Madison had saved the portrait of George Washington from being damaged when the British were marching on Washington during the War of 1812. He remarked that he expected Michelle Obama to follow that example if his portrait was ever in danger. But like many of the other First Ladies, there is much more to Dolley Payne Todd Madison than this simple anecdote.
Dolley Madison was born on May 20, 1768 in Guilford County, North Carolina. Her father was John Payne, a planter who emancipated his slaves and moved to Philadelphia in 1783, where he opened a small laundry starch-making business (which failed.) Dolley's mother was Mary Coles Payne. After her husband's death in 1792, Mary Payne briefly opened their home to boarders, including Congressman Aaron Burr of New York. Several years later, Burr introduced the widowed Dolley Todd to Congressman James Madison of Virginia.
Dolley was the fourth of eight children. She had four brothers and three sisters. Her sister Lucy was first married to George Steptoe Washington, the nephew of the first President, and married secondly, Thomas Todd, a U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice. Her sister Mary was married to John George Jackson, U.S. Congressman (Virginia). Her sister Anna was married to Richard Cutts, U.S. Congressman (Massachusetts).
She was 5' 6 1/2" tall with black hair and blue eyes. She was born into the Quaker faith, but expelled after her marriage to non-Quaker James Madison, following which, she became an Episcopalian. No record exists of any formal education.
Her first marriage took place when Dolley was 21 years old, in january of 1790. She married lawyer John Todd in Philadelphia. Todd died in a yellow fever epidemic, in October of 1793. The following year she married James Madison on september 15, 1794 at "Harewood" estate, Charles Town, West Virginia. Following their wedding, they lived in Madison's elegant three-story Spruce Street brick house until his retirement in 1797, when they moved to the Madison family plantation, "Montpelier," in Orange, Virginia.
Dolley had two sons from her first marriage: John Payne Todd and William Isaac Todd. William died at the age of three in the same day as his father. She had no children with James Madison. Following her second marriage and move to Madison's Virginia estate, Dolley Madison assumed household management of the plantation and slaves, and also cared for her elderly mother-in-law who lived there. James Madison served as Secretary of State in the Administration of his friend, President Thomas Jefferson, from 1801 to 1809, and the Madisons moved to Washington, D.C. At those receptions and dinners which the widowed Jefferson felt necessitated a hostess, he asked Dolley Madison to aide him. She also took a large public role in the fundraising effort that supported the exploration of the Louisiana Territory by explorers Lewis and Clark. Dolley Madison's popularity as a hostess in Washington helped with recognition of her husband by those members of congress whose electoral votes then chose the winner of presidential races. During the 1808 election, however, there were false articles Federalist newspapers in Baltimore and Boston that implied Mrs. Madison had been intimate with President Jefferson. This proved not to be a factor in the outcome of the election.
In preparation for the inaugural ceremonies of James Madison on March 4, 1809, Captain Tom Tingey, commandant of the Washington Navy Yard, had requested Dolley Madison's permission and sponsorship of a dance and dinner, to which she agreed. This became the first presidential "inaugural ball". It was held at Long's Hotel, on Capitol Hill, with four hundred guests in attendance. The event began at 7 p.m., opening with the playing of "Jefferson's March," followed by the entrance of the former President. Next, "Madison's March," was played and the new president and his wife entered. A formal dinner followed.
Dolley Madison was a very active first lady. She would steer conversation with political figures, including their spouses, in order to gain information on issues facing the Madison Administration. She would try to lobby them for her husband. She redecorated the public rooms in a style grand enough to impress foreign diplomats and dressed in a regal, yet simple manner. She sometimes sought to place supporters, friends and family members into official government positions.
Dolley Madison helped to found a Washington, D.C. home for young orphaned girls. She also befriended nuns from a local Catholic school and began a lifelong association with the organization.
Her legend was built by her act in the hours preceding the burning of Washington by British troops during the War of 1812. She famously refused to leave the White House before being assured that the large portrait of George Washington was removed from the walls and taken safely away from potential destruction or defacing by the approaching enemy.
There are a number of legend about Dolley Madison that can not be verified, but persist. For example she is credited with the first egg-rolling contest for children that has evolved to the current Easter Egg hunt. Another credits Dolley Madison with convincing the President to permit Washingtonian Francis Scott Key to board a ship in an effort to seek the freedom of a captured friend, and that when he did so, he witnessed the firing on Fort McHenry and wrote the poem which became the Star Spangled Banner.
After Madison left office, the family faced a vast debt accumulated by her irresponsible son. Following the death of James Madison in 1836, Dolley was forced to sell their Virginia properties, including her home, the plantation Montpelier. In 1844, she returned permanently to Washington, D.C., living across from the White House in a row. She was in a state of near-poverty that was alleviated somewhat when Congress agreed to purchase part of her husband's papers. She was also awarded an honorary seat in Congress, permitting her to watch congressional debates from the floor, where members sat at their desks. She was given the honor of being the first private citizen to transmit a message via telegraph. Incumbent First Ladies Julia Tyler and Sarah Polk all sought Mrs. Madison's advice on how to conduct their public role. Her last public appearance was on the arm of President James K. Polk at his last White House reception.
Dolley Madison died at Her home in Washington, D.C. on July 12, 1849 at the age of 81. She was buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., but was later re-interred at Montpelier estate, Orange, Virginia. It was at Dolley Madison's funeral that incumbent President Zachary Taylor eulogized her as "First Lady," and this may be the first known use of the title in connection with a president's wife.
Dolley Madison was born on May 20, 1768 in Guilford County, North Carolina. Her father was John Payne, a planter who emancipated his slaves and moved to Philadelphia in 1783, where he opened a small laundry starch-making business (which failed.) Dolley's mother was Mary Coles Payne. After her husband's death in 1792, Mary Payne briefly opened their home to boarders, including Congressman Aaron Burr of New York. Several years later, Burr introduced the widowed Dolley Todd to Congressman James Madison of Virginia.
Dolley was the fourth of eight children. She had four brothers and three sisters. Her sister Lucy was first married to George Steptoe Washington, the nephew of the first President, and married secondly, Thomas Todd, a U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice. Her sister Mary was married to John George Jackson, U.S. Congressman (Virginia). Her sister Anna was married to Richard Cutts, U.S. Congressman (Massachusetts).
She was 5' 6 1/2" tall with black hair and blue eyes. She was born into the Quaker faith, but expelled after her marriage to non-Quaker James Madison, following which, she became an Episcopalian. No record exists of any formal education.
Her first marriage took place when Dolley was 21 years old, in january of 1790. She married lawyer John Todd in Philadelphia. Todd died in a yellow fever epidemic, in October of 1793. The following year she married James Madison on september 15, 1794 at "Harewood" estate, Charles Town, West Virginia. Following their wedding, they lived in Madison's elegant three-story Spruce Street brick house until his retirement in 1797, when they moved to the Madison family plantation, "Montpelier," in Orange, Virginia.
Dolley had two sons from her first marriage: John Payne Todd and William Isaac Todd. William died at the age of three in the same day as his father. She had no children with James Madison. Following her second marriage and move to Madison's Virginia estate, Dolley Madison assumed household management of the plantation and slaves, and also cared for her elderly mother-in-law who lived there. James Madison served as Secretary of State in the Administration of his friend, President Thomas Jefferson, from 1801 to 1809, and the Madisons moved to Washington, D.C. At those receptions and dinners which the widowed Jefferson felt necessitated a hostess, he asked Dolley Madison to aide him. She also took a large public role in the fundraising effort that supported the exploration of the Louisiana Territory by explorers Lewis and Clark. Dolley Madison's popularity as a hostess in Washington helped with recognition of her husband by those members of congress whose electoral votes then chose the winner of presidential races. During the 1808 election, however, there were false articles Federalist newspapers in Baltimore and Boston that implied Mrs. Madison had been intimate with President Jefferson. This proved not to be a factor in the outcome of the election.
In preparation for the inaugural ceremonies of James Madison on March 4, 1809, Captain Tom Tingey, commandant of the Washington Navy Yard, had requested Dolley Madison's permission and sponsorship of a dance and dinner, to which she agreed. This became the first presidential "inaugural ball". It was held at Long's Hotel, on Capitol Hill, with four hundred guests in attendance. The event began at 7 p.m., opening with the playing of "Jefferson's March," followed by the entrance of the former President. Next, "Madison's March," was played and the new president and his wife entered. A formal dinner followed.
Dolley Madison was a very active first lady. She would steer conversation with political figures, including their spouses, in order to gain information on issues facing the Madison Administration. She would try to lobby them for her husband. She redecorated the public rooms in a style grand enough to impress foreign diplomats and dressed in a regal, yet simple manner. She sometimes sought to place supporters, friends and family members into official government positions.
Dolley Madison helped to found a Washington, D.C. home for young orphaned girls. She also befriended nuns from a local Catholic school and began a lifelong association with the organization.
Her legend was built by her act in the hours preceding the burning of Washington by British troops during the War of 1812. She famously refused to leave the White House before being assured that the large portrait of George Washington was removed from the walls and taken safely away from potential destruction or defacing by the approaching enemy.
There are a number of legend about Dolley Madison that can not be verified, but persist. For example she is credited with the first egg-rolling contest for children that has evolved to the current Easter Egg hunt. Another credits Dolley Madison with convincing the President to permit Washingtonian Francis Scott Key to board a ship in an effort to seek the freedom of a captured friend, and that when he did so, he witnessed the firing on Fort McHenry and wrote the poem which became the Star Spangled Banner.
After Madison left office, the family faced a vast debt accumulated by her irresponsible son. Following the death of James Madison in 1836, Dolley was forced to sell their Virginia properties, including her home, the plantation Montpelier. In 1844, she returned permanently to Washington, D.C., living across from the White House in a row. She was in a state of near-poverty that was alleviated somewhat when Congress agreed to purchase part of her husband's papers. She was also awarded an honorary seat in Congress, permitting her to watch congressional debates from the floor, where members sat at their desks. She was given the honor of being the first private citizen to transmit a message via telegraph. Incumbent First Ladies Julia Tyler and Sarah Polk all sought Mrs. Madison's advice on how to conduct their public role. Her last public appearance was on the arm of President James K. Polk at his last White House reception.
Dolley Madison died at Her home in Washington, D.C. on July 12, 1849 at the age of 81. She was buried in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., but was later re-interred at Montpelier estate, Orange, Virginia. It was at Dolley Madison's funeral that incumbent President Zachary Taylor eulogized her as "First Lady," and this may be the first known use of the title in connection with a president's wife.