Dolley Payne Todd Madison was born on May 20, 1768 in Guilford County, North Carolina. She was the fourth of eight children born to John and Mary Payne. The family moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1783. There is no record of Dolley receiving any formal education, but the Philadelphia Pine Street Meeting, the family’s Quaker meetinghouse, provided education for boys and girls. Dolley was fifteen years old when the Paynes moved to Philadelphia, so she may have been too old for these classes.

In 1790, Dolley Payne married lawyer and fellow Quaker John Todd, Jr. The couple had two children: John Payne Todd born in 1792 and William Isaac Todd born in 1793. They lived in a modest home with her in-laws. In 1793 Dolley’s husband and in-laws died of yellow fever. Tragically, her infant son William died on the same day as his father.

Philadelphia being the capital of the young nation at the close of the 18th century, Dolley had the opportunity to meet many important political figures. In 1794 she married James Madison, a planter and Congressman from Virginia. In 1797 the couple moved to the Madison family plantation Montpelier in Orange, Virginia. While at Montpelier, she managed the household and cared for her elderly mother-in-law.

In 1801 the Madisons moved to Washington, D.C., the new capital city, when James Madison was appointed President Jefferson’s Secretary of State. Between 1801 and 1809, Dolley co-hosted events that the widower Jefferson felt needed a female presence. She played a large part in fundraising for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Previously, being the wife or hostess of the President had been a rather private undertaking, but Dolley Madison transformed the role into a public one.

In 1808 James Madison was elected President. On the evening of his inauguration, Dolley Madison sponsored the first official Inaugural Ball. During their time in the White House, she was the first President’s wife to formally associate herself with a public charity project, sponsoring a home in Washington, D.C. for orphaned girls. Throughout her husband’s two terms in office, Madison was a central figure in political society. She corresponded, socialized, and cultivated alliances with the wives of important political figures. Through these relationships, Dolley Madison was able to influence opinions in favor of her husband and his politics.

Madison is most famous for her courage and bravery during the burning of Washington, D.C. in the War of 1812. She refused to leave the White House and escape to safety until a large portrait of George Washington was also safely removed. Even though the British burned much of the city, Madison continued entertaining in her temporary quarters. This, she believed, symbolized the renewal and optimism of the city.

When President Madison’s second presidential term ended in 1817, the couple retired to Montpelier. James Madison died in 1836. After his death, Dolley was forced to sell off much of his property, including Montpelier, because of debt incurred by her irresponsible son.

She moved permanently to Washington, D.C. in 1844, where she spent the remainder of her life. During this time she was awarded an honorary seat in Congress, allowing her to watch Congressional debates from the floor. She was chosen by inventor Samuel F. B. Morse to have the honor of being the first private citizen to send a message via telegraph.

On July 12, 1849, Dolley Madison died in Washington, D.C. at age eighty-one. Legend says that incumbent President Zachary Taylor eulogized her as the “First Lady.” This was the first time the President’s wife was given an official title. She not only inspired the title but also set the standard for all who would serve in that role in the future.

 

Additional Sources:
Web sites:

• James Madison's Montpelier
• National First Ladies' Library
• The White House

Books:

• Logan, Logna B. Ladies of the White House.
• Schiro, Anne-Marie. It Began With Dolley Madison.
• Watson, Robert P. American First Ladies.
  

Works Cited:

• Anthony, Carl Sferrazza. First Ladies. New York: Quill. 1990.
• Lebsock, Susan. “A Share of Honour:” Virginia Women 1600-1945. Richmond, VA: Virginia Women’s Cultural History Project, 1984.
• PHOTO: Peale, James, "Dolley Madison, James Madison's Montpelier Home, c. 1794, http://www.montpelier.org/history/dolley.cfm (May 2007).
  

 

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