By Addison Kessler
Dolley (Payne) Madison was born on May 20, 1768 in Guilford County, N. C., Mary and John Payne as their fourth child. They ended up having four more children after the birth of Dolley, which made her the fourth or eight children in her family. Dolley was born into Quaker roots and grew up Quaker. She also never received any formal education but it is known that she was able to read and write. This is said because there are no formal records on her education, but at Philadelphia’s town meeting, where her father belonged, offered classes for girls and boys, which gives hints that she was slightly educated. When Dolley was 15, her dad moved them back to Philadelphia, “city of the quakers.”
She remained in Philadelphia, where she met her husband John Todd Jr. at the age of 22. Dolley and John ended up having two children together, John Payne Todd in 1792 and William Temple Todd in 1793. Unfortunately, in 1793, William and the elder John were killed in the yellow fever epidemic that went through Pennsylvania. Dolley took this as an opportunity to get to know more people. She met Aaron Burr who introduced her to James Madison in May 1794. They had a 17-year age difference but still decided to get to know each other; they got married on September 5, 1794. She got banished from her Quaker community because James was not a Quaker. James left the House of Representatives in 1797 and they moved to a Montpelier plantation in Virginia. Dolley managed the estate and enslaved workers. When James received the Secretary of State title in 1800, they moved back to Washington, D.C. During this time, Dolley started to become more well known for her hospitality, she established herself at the center of the Washington social season. She hosted events for President Thomas Jefferson when his daughters were available. In 1809, when James became president, they moved into the White House and she started to create her interior style alongside architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe. She was planning on hosting lots of parties and social events. During the war of 1812 she remained in the White House while James was out supporting the troops. In 1814, when the British invaded the White House, she directed enslaved and free workers to remove the portrait of George Washington made by Gilbert Stuart. She ensured that it was carried away safely before fleeing. After the burning of the White House, Dolley and James moved first to the nearby Octagon House and then shortly after to Seven Buildings at the intersection of 19th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.
Even though they moved around, Dolley continued to host social gatherings and events. When they retired from the White House in 1817, they moved to Montpelier, Va. They continued to live a normal life until 1836 when James passed away due to liver dysfunction. Following his death in 1837, she faced major financial difficulties due to her son’s spending habits and her lifestyle choices. She had a fondness for playing cards, racetrack gambling and using a type of chewable tobacco called snuff. She was struggling with the tasks of selling her husband’s papers and fulfilling his will. His land had lost value and he knew that it would not convey enough to fulfill his obligations and comfort Dolley. Because of her financial difficulties, she moved into her sister Anna Payne Cutts’ former home on Lafayette square.
Dolley died on July 12, 1849, at the age of 81, at her home in Washington, D.C. Overall, Dolley’s legacy was carried on all throughout history and her lasting legacy impacted all future generations of First Ladies.
Addison Kessler is a student at Spring Grove High School. She is one of 13 area students participating in the Journal Writing Project, now in its 25th year.
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