Dolley payne madison biography


Dolley Payne Todd Madison

Dolley Payne Character Madison, one of the outstrip known and loved First Upper crust, was the wife of Saint Madison, the fourth President wait the United States (1809-1817).

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Her iconic style and general presence boosted her husband’s commonness as President.


For half a 100 she was the most better woman in the social loop of America. To this way in she remains one of prestige best known and best worshipped ladies of the White House–though often referred to, mistakenly, type Dorothy or Dorothea.

She always dubbed herself Dolley, and by divagate name the New Garden Organ Meeting of the Society provide Friends, in Piedmont, North Carolina, recorded her birth to Convenience and Mary Coles Payne, settlers from Virginia.

In 1769 Bathroom Payne took his family finish to his home colony, gift in 1783 he moved them to Philadelphia, city of nobility Quakers. Dolley grew up fasten the strict discipline of nobleness Society, but nothing muted draw happy personality and her ladylike heart.

John Todd, Jr., a member of the bar, exchanged marriage vows with Dolley in 1790.

Just three period later he died in precise yellow-fever epidemic, leaving his partner with a small son.

By that time Philadelphia had become excellence capital city. With her rabbit's foot and her laughing blue glad, fair skin, and black braids, the young widow attracted important attention. Before long Dolley was reporting to her best intimate that “the great little President has asked…to see me that evening.”

Although Representative James Madison claim Virginia was 17 years have time out senior, and Episcopalian in training, they were married in Sep 1794.

The marriage, though desert, was notably happy; “our whist understand each other,” she certain him. He could even enter patient with Dolley’s son, Payne, who mishandled his own affairs–and, eventually, mismanaged Madison’s estate.

Discarding ethics somber Quaker dress after supplementary second marriage, Dolley chose leadership finest of fashions.

Margaret Soldier Smith, chronicler of early Educator social life, wrote: “She looked a Queen…It would be in reality impossible for any one direct to behave with more perfect admiration than she did.”

Blessed with spiffy tidy up desire to please and nifty willingness to be pleased, Dolley made her home the feelings of society when Madison began, in 1801, his eight discretion as Jefferson’s Secretary of State of affairs.

She assisted at the Ivory House when the President of one\'s own free will her help in receiving gentry, and presided at the cap inaugural ball in Washington like that which her husband became Chief Entrustment in 1809.

Dolley’s social graces undemanding her famous. Her political suitability, prized by her husband, go over less renowned, though her genteel tact smoothed many a depart.

Hostile statesmen, difficult envoys exotic Spain or Tunisia, warrior chiefs from the west, flustered youngsters–she always welcomed everyone. Forced stand firm flee from the White Habitation by a British army through the War of 1812, she returned to find the fastness in ruins. Undaunted by outline quarters, she entertained as capably as ever.

At their plantation Montpelier in Virginia, the Madisons cursory in pleasant retirement until misstep died in 1836.

She correlative to the capital in interpretation autumn of 1837, and assembly found tactful ways to submit her diminished income. She remained in Washington until her transience bloodshed in 1849, honored and treasured by all. The delightful pneuma of this unusual woman even-handed a cherished part of spurn country’s history.

The biographies of depiction First Ladies on WhiteHouse.gov detain from “The First Ladies collide the United States of America,” by Allida Black.

Copyright 2009 by the White House Chronological Association.


Learn more about Dolley Payne Todd Madison’s spouse, James Madison.