Dolley Madison
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Dolley Payne Todd Madison (May 20, 1768 – July 12, 1849) was the wife of US President James Madison. Madison was president from 1809 until 1817. During this period, Dolley acted as the First Lady of the United States. At that time, wife of the president was not called the First Lady. So the term, the First Lady, was applied to her later on. Thomas Jefferson, another US president was a widower. During his term as the president, Dolley had also acted as the First Lady on some occasions. Many persons write her nickname as “Dolly”. The correct spelling is Dolley.
Dolley was born in New Garden. Now the place is known as Guilford County. It is located in North Carolina. Some other account tells that she was born in a village named Payne’s Tavern. It is located in Person County of North Carolina.
Her father’s name was John Payne. He was a farmer. But, he was not very successful as a farmer. He always faced shortage of money. Dolley’s mother was Mary Coles.
Dolley spent her teenage years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She studied in Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. On 7th January 1790, she married John Todd, Jr. (1764-1793). Todd was a lawyer. She bore him two sons. Their names were John Payne (1792-1852) and William Temple (born and died of yellow fever in 1793). William died in a yellow fever epidemic. In the same year, her husband also died of the same yellow fever epidemic.
Dolley Todd married James Madison on September 14, 1794. They had no children. But, they raised Dolley's son from her first marriage, John Payne Todd. John Payne Todd did not grow as a good man. He had habit of gambling. This caused her mother many problems.
In 1814, the British army had burnt the White House. At that time, Dolley saved many records and papers. She could also save a painting of George Washington. People of her time also remembered Dolley as a polite and cheerful First Lady. She was a very beautiful First Lady,on the National First Lady Library she says "There is one secret,and that is the power we have in forming our own destinies."
