Presidential First Lady. She was the wife of 4th United States President, James Madison.
Born in New Garden, North Carolina, she married John Todd, Jr., a lawyer, in 1790. He succumbed to yellow fever in 1793, leaving her with a small son, Payne. Her second marriage was to James Madison, who was then serving as a Congressman from Virginia, and was seventeen years her senior. He was very patient with his stepson Payne, who first mismanaged his own affairs and eventually his mother's, which left her destitute.
She was a great asset to Madison's career. When her husband was appointed Secretary of State by the widowed President Thomas Jefferson in 1801, Dolley assisted Jefferson as the White House hostess and presided at the first Inaugural Ball when her husband became Chief Executive in 1809. During the burning of the White House in 1814 during the War of 1812, she saved many state papers and the famous portrait of George Washington from the advancing British.
Upon her husband's death in 1836 in Virginia, she returned to Washington, D.C., residing on Lafayette Square. She retained a place in Washington society and was granted a lifelong seat on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Upon her death, she was interred in a brick receiving vault at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington D.C. She was removed in 1852 and placed in the private vault of her niece. Her remains were moved again in 1858 when they were exhumed and transported to the Madison family graveyard at Montpelier and interred behind her husband's monument.
Born in New Garden, North Carolina, she married John Todd, Jr., a lawyer, in 1790. He succumbed to yellow fever in 1793, leaving her with a small son, Payne. Her second marriage was to James Madison, who was then serving as a Congressman from Virginia, and was seventeen years her senior. He was very patient with his stepson Payne, who first mismanaged his own affairs and eventually his mother's, which left her destitute.
She was a great asset to Madison's career. When her husband was appointed Secretary of State by the widowed President Thomas Jefferson in 1801, Dolley assisted Jefferson as the White House hostess and presided at the first Inaugural Ball when her husband became Chief Executive in 1809. During the burning of the White House in 1814 during the War of 1812, she saved many state papers and the famous portrait of George Washington from the advancing British.
Upon her husband's death in 1836 in Virginia, she returned to Washington, D.C., residing on Lafayette Square. She retained a place in Washington society and was granted a lifelong seat on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Upon her death, she was interred in a brick receiving vault at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington D.C. She was removed in 1852 and placed in the private vault of her niece. Her remains were moved again in 1858 when they were exhumed and transported to the Madison family graveyard at Montpelier and interred behind her husband's monument.
Presidential First Lady. She was the wife of 4th United States President, James Madison.
Born in New Garden, North Carolina, she married John Todd, Jr., a lawyer, in 1790. He succumbed to yellow fever in 1793, leaving her with a small son, Payne. Her second marriage was to James Madison, who was then serving as a Congressman from Virginia, and was seventeen years her senior. He was very patient with his stepson Payne, who first mismanaged his own affairs and eventually his mother's, which left her destitute.
She was a great asset to Madison's career. When her husband was appointed Secretary of State by the widowed President Thomas Jefferson in 1801, Dolley assisted Jefferson as the White House hostess and presided at the first Inaugural Ball when her husband became Chief Executive in 1809. During the burning of the White House in 1814 during the War of 1812, she saved many state papers and the famous portrait of George Washington from the advancing British.
Upon her husband's death in 1836 in Virginia, she returned to Washington, D.C., residing on Lafayette Square. She retained a place in Washington society and was granted a lifelong seat on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Upon her death, she was interred in a brick receiving vault at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington D.C. She was removed in 1852 and placed in the private vault of her niece. Her remains were moved again in 1858 when they were exhumed and transported to the Madison family graveyard at Montpelier and interred behind her husband's monument.
Born in New Garden, North Carolina, she married John Todd, Jr., a lawyer, in 1790. He succumbed to yellow fever in 1793, leaving her with a small son, Payne. Her second marriage was to James Madison, who was then serving as a Congressman from Virginia, and was seventeen years her senior. He was very patient with his stepson Payne, who first mismanaged his own affairs and eventually his mother's, which left her destitute.
She was a great asset to Madison's career. When her husband was appointed Secretary of State by the widowed President Thomas Jefferson in 1801, Dolley assisted Jefferson as the White House hostess and presided at the first Inaugural Ball when her husband became Chief Executive in 1809. During the burning of the White House in 1814 during the War of 1812, she saved many state papers and the famous portrait of George Washington from the advancing British.
Upon her husband's death in 1836 in Virginia, she returned to Washington, D.C., residing on Lafayette Square. She retained a place in Washington society and was granted a lifelong seat on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Upon her death, she was interred in a brick receiving vault at the Congressional Cemetery in Washington D.C. She was removed in 1852 and placed in the private vault of her niece. Her remains were moved again in 1858 when they were exhumed and transported to the Madison family graveyard at Montpelier and interred behind her husband's monument.
Bio by: Paul S.
Inscription
IN
MEMORY
OF
DOLLEY PAYNE
Wife of
JAMES MADISON
BORN
May 20, 1768.
DIED
July 12, 1849.
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