First Ladies For Dummies. Marcus A. Stadelmann, PhD
were devout Quakers, had moved to North Carolina from Virginia to live in a Quaker settlement. They soon returned to Virginia, and Dolley grew up on the family’s plantation. In 1783, her father John Payne freed his enslaved people and sold his planation and Dolley, who was 15 years old, and the family moved to Philadelphia to start a starch business.
Dolley was well educated. She had attended various Quaker schools and had received private tutoring. Her grandmother taught her about the finer things in life, such as fine food and fancy clothing. After her parents’ business failed, the family started to run a boarding house, and Dolley became the cook. In 1790, she abided by her father’s dying wish and married a Quaker lawyer from Philadelphia, John Todd. She was happily married and had two children. However, in 1793, a yellow fever pandemic struck Philadelphia and killed her husband and one of her children. Dolley was now a widow with one young boy. As a widow, however, she inherited her husband’s property and was well off.
Source: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Reproduction number LC-USZ62-68175 (b&w film copy neg.)
FIGURE 4-4: Dolley Payne Todd Madison.
Dolley was a very eligible young widow, and soon several young men pursued her. Her acquaintances included Aaron Burr who had stayed in her family’s boarding house. It was Burr who, instead of pursuing Dolley himself, introduced her to James Madison, who was a member of the House of Representatives and was already known nationwide as one of the founding fathers, having written parts of the Constitution. He was 18 years older than Dolley, but the two hit it off, and James’s close friends, George and Martha Washington, immediately liked her. Dolley was friendly and fashionable and loved music and dancing. In other words, everybody liked her because she was fun to be around.
The two married on September 15, 1794. After James retired from Congress in 1797, the couple moved to Virginia where James owned a large plantation known as Montpelier.
Moving forward with charm and popularity
James Madison’s retirement didn’t last long. In 1801, the new President Thomas Jefferson called him back to the capital to serve as his Secretary of State. Dolley was delighted to return to the national scene, and with Thomas Jefferson being a widower, she would occasionally serve as his hostess for social functions at the White House.
In addition, Dolley started to entertain in her own home. Politicians and foreign diplomats couldn’t wait to get an invitation to her events. Soon her home became the place to be in Washington, D.C. She would organize regular Wednesday afternoon parties, and everyone wanted to be invited.
Source: Unknown Source / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain
FIGURE 4-5: Dolley Madison wearing her signature turban.
By 1808, Dolley had become one of the most popular women in the United States, well known and beloved by the American people. Her popularity helped get her husband elected in the 1808 presidential election, and by 1809, Dolley Madison was the new First Lady of the United States.
Dolley proved to be a major asset in James Madison’s campaign for the presidency. After he won the presidency, his opponent Federalist Charles C. Pickney stated, “I might have had a better chance had I faced Mr. Madison alone.”
Blazing the trail for future First Ladies
After Dolley Madison became First Lady, she changed some traditions associated with the presidency. She organized the first inaugural ball for her husband, a tradition that lives on to this day. Second, she was able to secure more money from Congress for the presidential mansion. Therefore, she was able to hire a chef, increasing the number of guests invited to the White House for parties and expanding the guest list. Suddenly, not only members of Congress or foreign diplomats could attend but also well-known artists, writers, and even newsmakers were invited.
Because presidents brought their own furniture and took it back with them, the White House was basically empty every time a president left office. Therefore, Dolley spent a quarter of Congress’s money to create and furnish the East Room in the White House to host more social events. In addition, Dolley went out and visited all of the Congressmen’s families who had moved to Washington and invited them to the White House.
Dolley’s get-togethers were informal and nonpartisan; everybody had access to her and the president and could freely talk and discuss the issues of the day. Dolley treated everybody the same, be they political enemies or friends. Through her use of the drawing rooms, Dolley created networks with politicians, foreign dignitaries, and high society in Washington, D.C. Her use of social settings allowed for opposing sides to come together, which in turn helped her husband’s political agenda. As an added benefit, Dolley was able to lower tensions in Congress, because members of Congress could meet in her drawing rooms, discuss issues outside the halls of Congress, and, after good food and wine, settle issues amicably.
Saving a painting
In 1812, war with Great Britain broke out. President Madison fled the city, but Dolley remained in the White House to evacuate it. She remained there until the last possible minute, evacuating many precious items, including a famous painting of George Washington by Gilbert Stuart (see Figure 4-6). She even saved notes on the Constitutional Convention, cabinet papers, and the White House silver. This act saved many irreplaceable items in U.S. history, because as soon as the British arrived in Washington, D.C., they burned down the White House and the Library of Congress. The White House was totally destroyed by the British and had to be rebuilt. The Madison’s never moved back in. Instead, they leased a large house a few blocks away, and Dolley started entertaining right away.
Source: Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Reproduction number LC-DIG-pga-03226 (digital file from original print)LC-USZ62-7585 (b&w film copy neg.)