Tag Archives: Dolley Madison

James Monroe, The Decorator

Posted on May 15, 2023 by Feather Foster

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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Dolley Madison: Decorating the White House

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Feather Foster

Dolley Madison was 41 years old when she became First Lady in 1809… But… For eight years prior to 1809, she served frequently as de facto FLOTUS for President Thomas Jefferson, a widower. Even prior to the Jefferson Administration, Dolley … Continue reading →

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Dolley Madison and the War of 1812: A Book Review

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Feather Foster

This is a book for middle-school readers. Eons ago, when old-me was a very very young-me, Scribner’s published as “Scribner’s Junior” – a series of biographies geared to perhaps second through sixth grades, depending on reading skills. (Mine were excellent!) … Continue reading →

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Maria Hester Monroe: The First Daughter Wedding

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Feather Foster

Maria Hester Monroe was the first daughter of a President to be married in the White House. Maria Hester Maria (pronounced Mar-IAH) Hester was born in 1803, seventeen years after her only sibling, Eliza. Due to the difference in their … Continue reading →

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Dolley Madison: Some Evicted Evening

Posted on January 20, 2020 by Feather Foster

Dolley Madison’s reputation as the most popular First Lady is enshrined for all times…except Washington: The Summer of 1814 Whether he wanted it or not, President James Madison found himself embroiled in the War of 1812, in essence, the “second” … Continue reading →

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Dolley Madison: The Recipe Swap

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Feather Foster

  Just as the Madison parlor was always full, so was their dining table. The Early Madison Years When the young widow Dolley Payne Todd became Mrs. James Madison in 1794, their first two years were spent in Philadelphia, then … Continue reading →

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The Monroe Plateau

Posted on September 16, 2019 by Feather Foster

…Arguably the second oldest permanent possession of the White House… The Return of the White House Shortly after Dolley Madison “rescued” the Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington (the oldest possession)  in 1814, British soldiers torched the White House, as … Continue reading →

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, Andrew Jackson, George Washington, James Monroe, Martin Van Buren | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Washington Monument and The Pope’s Stone

Posted on September 9, 2019 by Feather Foster

The Washington Monument took more than 40 years to build. Planning the Monument As one might expect, circa 1832 Congress planned to commemorate the man whose name became the nation’s capital. Dozens of ideas were proposed and debated. The arguments … Continue reading →

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, Chester Arthur, George Washington, James K. Polk, Presidential Sites, Ulysses S. Grant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dolley Madison’s Son Payne Todd: The Final Blow

Posted on April 15, 2019 by Feather Foster

Dolley Madison’s son, Payne Todd, had always been a disappointment. Payne Todd in Brief Dolley Madison (1768-1849) had been married to John Todd, a Quaker lawyer, for three years. Then he died, leaving her with a two-year-old son. When she … Continue reading →

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The Funeral of Dolley Madison: End of an Era

Posted on December 28, 2018 by Feather Schwartz Foster

On July 19, 1849, the largest funeral procession ever held in Washington DC till that time, commemorated the life and death of its most popular resident. The Venerable Mrs. Madison Dolley Payne Madison was 81 when she died on July … Continue reading →

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