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Dolley Payne Todd Madison (20 May 1768 –12 July 1849) was the wife of James Madison, President of the United States from 1809 to 1817. She was noted for her social gifts, which boosted her husband’s popularity as President. In this way, she did much to define the role of the President’s spouse, known only much later by the title First Lady—a function she had sometimes performed earlier for the widowed Jefferson.
Dolley Madison also helped to furnish the newly constructed White House. When the British set fire to it in 1814, she was credited with saving the classic portrait of George Washington. In widowhood, she often lived in poverty, partially relieved by the sale of her late husband’s papers.[1]
Dolley Madison was a US First Lady, the wife of the fourth President of the United States, James Madison. [2] She was born in 20 May 1768 in a Quaker community called New Garden - now known as Guilford County, North Carolina. Her father, John Payne, was a farmer and starch manufacturer and her mother, Mary Coles, was like most women of the era, a homemaker and primary caregiver. [3] [4]
There is much controversy and confusion over her name: Dolly, Dolley, even Dorothy and Dorothea. If you go to your local library you will find books on both Dolly Madison and Dolley Madison. Some of her biographers insisted that her given name was Dorothea, others wrote that it was really Dorothy - although generally in their book titles they bowed to the convention of Dolly.
In the past, biographers and others stated that her given name was Dorothea, after her aunt, or Dorothy, and that Dolley was a nickname. But her birth was registered with the New Garden Friends Meeting as Dolley, and her will of 1841 states "I, Dolly P. Madison". Her original name was Dolley Payne, then Dolley Payne Todd, and finally Dolley Payne Madison.[5] [6] [7]
Dolly was the fourth of eight children. She had four brothers and three sisters.[8]
- Walter Payne (early 1760s -1784)
- William Temple Payne (mid-1760s - 1795)
- Isaac Payne (mid-1760s - 1795)
- Lucy Payne Washington Todd (1777 - 1846)--Lucy m.1 George Steptoe Washington (nephew of the first President); m.2 Thomas Todd, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice.
- Anna Payne Cutts (1779 - 1832)--Anna m. Congressman Richard Cutts (MA).
- Mary " Polly " Payne Jackson (1781 - 1808)--Mary m. Congressman John George Jackson (VA).
- John C. Payne (b.1782)--Date of death unknown.
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Colonel James Steptoe arose in military rank from the militia of his colony, and his career in the profession of arms began with his appointment as captain of a company of horse in 1734, from which position he was promoted to the office of colonel. He was twice married, and there were born to him six children. One of his daughters, Elizabeth, became the wife of Samuel Washing ton, only full brother of General George Washing ton, To them was born George Steptoe Washington, who became an officer in the army, and one of the five nephews mentioned in the will of General Washington as his executors. He married the beautiful Lucy Payne, sister of the renowned Dolly Madison.
Dolley is 24 degrees from Zendaya Coleman, 24 degrees from Sting Sumner, 15 degrees from Josh Brolin, 22 degrees from Timothée Chalamet, 16 degrees from José Ferrer, 17 degrees from Frank Herbert, 13 degrees from Richard Jordan, 20 degrees from David Lynch, 15 degrees from Virginia Madsen, 16 degrees from Charlotte Rampling, 26 degrees from Patrick Stewart and 19 degrees from Denis Villeneuve on our single family tree. Login to find your connection.
P > Payne | M > Madison > Dolley (Payne) Madison
Categories: Spouses of US Presidents | First Ladies of the United States | North Carolina, Notables | Women in the War of 1812 | Nominated Profiles | This Day In History May 20 | Montpelier Estate National Historic Site, Montpelier Station, Orange County, Virginia