Dolley Madison

Dolley Madison initiated Washington society’s “parlor politics” scene – a previously untapped female-led soft power system. Dolley learned the skill of bringing differing and bickering politicians together within the White House as a hostess for Thomas Jefferson, and she finessed soothing political differences during her husband’s administration. Her most famous act was demanding the removal of George Washington’s portrait from falling into British hands during the War of 1812. After the death of her husband, the acute debts acquired by her son forced her to sell the Madison plantation, Montpelier, and all the enslaved families. Poverty-stricken “Queen Dolley” later returned to the capital as a beloved Washington matriarch.

Born: May 20, 1768, Guilford County, North Carolina

Died: July 12, 1849, Washington, D.C.

Early Life and Family Background

Dolley Payne was born on May 20, 1768, in Guilford County, North Carolina. She was the fourth of eight children born to John Payne, a planter and later a starch manufacturer, and Mary Coles Payne. Her father, originally an Episcopalian, joined the Quaker faith after marrying Mary. The family moved several times, first to North Carolina in 1766, then back to Virginia in 1769, and finally to Philadelphia in 1783. John Payne emancipated those he had enslaved and opened a starch business in Philadelphia, which eventually failed, leading to financial difficulties for the family. After John Payne’s death in 1792, Mary Payne briefly opened their home to boarders, including Congressman Aaron Burr. Burr introduced the widowed Dolley Todd to Congressman James Madison of Virginia, who would become her second husband.

Ancestry

Dolley Madison’s ancestry included Irish, Scottish, French, and English roots. Her maternal grandfather, William Coles, was born in Ireland and immigrated to Virginia. Her paternal ancestors included Scottish and English immigrants to Virginia.

Birth Order and Siblings

Dolley was the fourth of eight children. Her siblings included Walter Payne, William Temple Payne, Isaac Payne, Lucy Payne Washington Todd, Anna Payne Cutts, Mary “Polly” Payne Jackson, and John C. Payne. Her sister Lucy was married to George Steptoe Washington, a nephew of President George Washington, and later to U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Thomas Todd. Her sister Anna was married to Richard Cutts, a U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts.

Education

There is no record of Dolley’s formal education, but she likely received informal instruction at home. Despite the lack of formal schooling, she became well-read and articulate, qualities that served her well in her later public life.

First Marriage and Widowhood

At 21, Dolley married John Todd, a lawyer, on January 7, 1790, at the Pine Street Meeting House in Philadelphia. They lived in a modest brick house in Philadelphia and had two sons: John Payne Todd and William Isaac Todd. John Todd and their youngest son died in a yellow fever epidemic in 1793, leaving Dolley a widow with a young son to care for.

Marriage to James Madison

Dolley married James Madison on September 15, 1794, at “Harewood” estate in West Virginia. After their wedding, they lived in Madison’s elegant home in Philadelphia until his retirement in 1797, when they moved to the Madison family plantation, Montpelier, in Orange, Virginia.

Occupation After Marriage

Following her second marriage, Dolley managed the household at Montpelier and cared for her elderly mother-in-law. When James Madison became Secretary of State under President Thomas Jefferson, the Madisons moved to Washington, D.C. Because Thomas Jefferson’s wife had already passed away, Dolley served as his hostess at official functions, gaining valuable experience that she would later use as First Lady.

Presidential Campaign and Inauguration

Dolley’s popularity as a hostess contributed to James Madison’s recognition and success in the presidential elections of 1808 and 1812. Despite attempts to tarnish her reputation, she remained widely admired. On March 4, 1809, the first inaugural ball was held in her honor, setting a precedent for future inaugurations.

First Lady

Dolley Madison served as First Lady from March 4, 1809, to March 3, 1817. With more conscious effort than either of her two predecessors and with an enthusiasm for public life that neither of them had, Dolley Madison forged the highly public role as a President’s wife, believing that the citizenry was her constituency as well as that of her husband’s. This would establish her as the standard against which all her successors would be held, well into the mid-20th century. This persona was specifically created to serve the political fortunes of not only the President but also of the United States. She would steer conversation with political figures, including their spouses, in a way that revealed their positions on issues facing the Madison Administration or sought to convince them to consider the viewpoint of her husband.

She fortified her role of hostess by the visual effect of both the executive mansion and her own person, redecorating the public rooms in a style grand enough to impress foreign diplomats and dressing in a regal, yet simple manner. She used her clothing style to make herself visibly distinct and define her own public identity, most notably by her trademark turban.

Her ebullient personality, although often masking deep-seated worry, had the effect of relaxing her guests, regardless of their political views. Dolley Madison also exercised political influence by utilizing all the acceptable forms of behavior for women at the time, through correspondence, entertaining and cultivating personal alliances with the spouses of important political figures. On numerous occasions, she sought to place supporters, friends and family members into official government positions.

Dolley Madison was the first First Lady to formally associate herself with a specific public project; as a fundraiser, supporter and board member, she helped to found a Washington, D.C. home for young orphaned girls, which still exists to this day. She also befriended nuns from a local Catholic school and began a lifelong association with the organization.

To a degree larger than even Martha Washington, with whom the public had been familiar since the American Revolution, Dolley Madison became a genuinely public celebrity. She was often referred to as “Lady Madison,” honored by having a ship named for her, being solicited by authors to help promote new books, and even depicted on a magazine cover.

Her legend was made lasting, however, by her conscious act of symbolic patriotism in the hours preceding the burning of Washington by British troops during the War of 1812. She famously refused to leave the White House before being assured that the large portrait of George Washington was removed from the walls and taken safely away from potential destruction or defacing by the encroaching enemy.

Best Known For

Dolley Madison is best known for her heroic actions during the War of 1812, particularly her efforts to save the portrait of George Washington from the White House before it was burned by British troops. She was also known for her contributions to the social and political life of the capital, her role in establishing the First Lady as a significant public figure, and her efforts in founding a home for orphaned girls in Washington, D.C.

Post-Presidential Life

While it was with great regret that Dolley Madison left Washington, D.C., she was also eager to enjoy the company of her husband at his Virginia plantation, Montpelier. At Montpelier, Dolley Madison took an increased role as the predominant family member, caring for her increasingly infirm husband, while managing household improvements, the cultivation of foods by enslaved people which made the plantation self-sufficient, and welcoming both distinguished visitors and strangers who called there.

During their post-presidential years, she also aided her husband in the organization and preparation for public release of the papers he used in drafting the U.S. Constitution. Following his 1836 death and the increasing burden of vast debt accumulated by her irresponsible son, she was forced to sell their Virginia properties, including Montpelier. In 1844, she returned permanently to Washington, D.C., living across from the White House in a row house owned by her former husband. Her near-poverty was alleviated only when Congress agreed to purchase part of her husband’s papers.

She was also awarded an honorary seat in Congress, permitting her to watch congressional debates from the floor, where members sat at their desks. She was, in addition, the first private citizen to transmit a message via telegraph, an honor given her by its inventor Samuel F. B. Morse.

Even as a former First Lady, Dolley Madison continued to influence the evolving public role played by a presidential wife or official hostess. Incumbent First Ladies Julia Tyler and Sarah Polk, as well as the hostess for the disabled. first Mrs. Tyler, her daughter-in-law Priscilla Cooper Tyler, all drew upon Mrs. Madison’s advice on how to conduct their public role. Her last public appearance was on the arm of President James K. Polk at his last White House reception.

In this first image of multiple First Ladies, Dolley Madison is at far right, incumbent President James Polk and First Lady Sarah Polk at center, and future President James Buchanan at far left, next to his niece and future First Lady Harriet Lane. (Eastman House)

It was she who introduced Angelica Singleton, the daughter of a maternal first cousin, Rebecca Coles, to Abraham Van Buren, the son of widower President Martin Van Buren. The younger cousin thus became the First Lady for the Van Buren Administration. She maintained a close personal friendship with former First Lady Louisa Adams, also then living in Washington.

As one who personally knew figures like Washington and Jefferson, Dolley Madison became a symbol of the Founding Era as the nation moved into the antebellum period. She would often be called on to recollect the lives of the founders and her personal collection of portraits, autograph letters and other associated objects became something of a private museum. She was also nevertheless insistent on having her own role during the War of 1812 remembered.

Years after the fact, Dolley Madison wrote a copy of what she claimed to be her original 1814 letter to her sister describing the burning of the White House. (Library of Congress)

Only in the latter 20th century would questions be raised about the validity of her specific account of how the Washington portrait was saved. The original letter in which she claimed to write her sister a detailed telling of her patriotic acts as they were unfolding in 1814 was somehow lost. It was her effort to reconstruct her alleged recollections some three decades later after the fact which remains the primary basis for the claim. It was later proven that although the George Washington portrait was a copy, it was an enslaved member of the household who rescued it at Dolley Madison’s insistence. 

Death

Dolley Madison died on July 12, 1849, in Washington, D.C. She was initially buried in the Congressional Cemetery, but her remains were later re-interred at the Madison family estate, Montpelier, in Orange, Virginia. Her death was widely mourned, and her obituary signified the important symbol of the Founding Era she had become.

Legacy and Influence

Dolley Madison’s legacy is deeply intertwined with her role as First Lady and her influence on the position of the President’s wife. She set the standard for the role, transforming it into a position of public significance and establishing precedents that would be followed by her successors. Her ability to navigate the political landscape, combined with her charm and social skills, made her a beloved figure in American history.

Her actions during the War of 1812, particularly her efforts to save the portrait of George Washington, cemented her reputation as a symbol of patriotism. Dolley Madison’s contributions to the social and political life of Washington, D.C., her efforts in founding a home for orphaned girls, and her establishment of the First Lady as a public figure are all parts of her enduring legacy.

Her influence extended beyond her lifetime, as she continued to play a significant role in the lives of future First Ladies and political figures. Dolley Madison’s life reflects the evolving role of women in American society and the importance of the First Lady in shaping the public and private aspects of the presidency.

Final Years and Historical Significance

In her final years, Dolley Madison continued to be a respected and influential figure in Washington, D.C. Her home across from the White House became a social hub, and she remained involved in public life until her death. As a former First Lady, she maintained her popularity and influence, advising subsequent First Ladies and continuing to shape the role.