Category Archives: Nifty History People

The Madisons: His Hat and Her Cushion

The War of 1812 was seminal for James and Dolley Madison. The Unlikely Commander-in-Chief James Madison (1751-1836) was one of the most unwarlike men to serve as President of the United States, and thus Commander-in-Chief of the military. Following in … Continue reading

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Julia Tyler and the Princeton Tragedy

The freakish tragedy on the USS Princeton in 1844 claimed dozens of deaths and injuries. The Pride of the Navy It had become a fact of government: a strong, well trained and well equipped fleet is essential to maintaining peace … Continue reading

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Andrew Jackson: The Big Cheese

General/President Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (1767-1845) was a wild boy, devoid of blood relatives by his teens, self made into a frontier attorney, further self made into a gambler, speculator, planter, brawler, duelist, legislator, and finally soldier, became a household … Continue reading

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The Merrimac: The Two Incarnations

The USS Merrimac of Civil War history is sometimes spelled with a “k”. But I live in the Tidewater Virginia area, where it is always spelled with the “c”. The Best of Its Kind When the USS Merrimac was built … Continue reading

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Thomas Jefferson: The Honeymoon Trip

And their conclusion is… Some have claimed he was infuriating, evasive, elusive, complicated, deceptive, double-dealing, inconsistent, disingenuous, close-mouthed, and similar adjectives. And those were his biggest fans! Thomas Jefferson’s intellectual prowess and happy facility with words are generally unquestioned. But … Continue reading

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James Monroe, The Decorator

Nothing in James Monroe’s upbringing indicated his latent taste in the decorative arts. JM: Orphaned Boy James Monroe (1758-1831), Virginia born to a middle class planting family, was orphaned by the time he was 16. Into that parentless breach stepped … Continue reading

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John Tyler: Entitlements

The Whig Party was a brand new national entity in 1840. …And Tyler Who? The Whig Party, originally formed around 1836, was an amalgam of sectional and factional differences, basically centered on their dislike for President Andrew Jackson, whether it … Continue reading

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Zachary Taylor: Surprisingly Electable

  ZT: A Brief Background Zachary Taylor (1784-1850) was born to a fine old Virginia family, but the rugged individual type. They moved to the western part of Kentucky when Zachary was still a boy. Independence and ruggedness was a … Continue reading

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Abigail Adams: Tea With the General

Mrs. A. The Outspoken Most historians concur that Abigail Smith Adams (1744-1818) was a woman far ahead of her time. Born to a Congregationalist minister and his better-pedigreed wife, the Smiths were well regarded and middle class; certainly not wealthy … Continue reading

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The Death of Jack Custis

Martha’s Kids In 1750, eighteen year old Martha Dandridge married Daniel Parke Custis, twice her age, and one of the wealthiest planters in Virginia. They had sincerely liked each other, and the marriage was happy for seven years. Then Daniel … Continue reading

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