Tag Archives: MArtha Washington

Dolley Madison’s Wednesday Squeezes

It did not start out to be a major event – but it became the benchmark of Washington society for nearly two decades. Washington 1801: Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, were both in their late fifties when they became First … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, James Madison | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Martha Washington: The White House Portrait

The huge portrait of Martha Washington that balances the famous Gilbert Stuart painting of her husband, was painted more than seventy five years after her death. White House Portraits Before photography had advanced sufficiently to achieve artistic popularity, a portrait … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, George Washington, Nifty History People, Rutherford Hayes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tom and Dolley: The Original Ben and Jerry

Ice cream has always been one of America’s favorite desserts. But was it Thomas Jefferson or Dolley Madison who deserves the credit? Many people believe that “Dolly Madison” ice cream is named for the First Lady because she invented ice … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Martha Washington’s “Disposition”

Martha Washington had very few memorable “quotes” – but one of them bears repeating. Often. Martha Washington: Correspondent When George Washington died in 1799, his distraught widow of more than 40 years systematically burned most of their correspondence. George Washington … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, George Washington | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Washington Dancing Classes

Dancing was a vital social skill in colonial times.   Children were taught at an early age. Martha and George Washington: Dancers George Washington was considered an excellent dancer by all who knew him, and he enjoyed it even into his … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, George Washington | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

George Washington’s Losing Battle: Educating Jack Custis

No matter how hard he tried, George Washington was never going to make a scholar out of his stepson.  George Washington’s Inherited Family When George Washington met and married the widow Martha Dandridge Custis in January, 1759, he inherited her … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, George Washington | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Martha Washington’s Dinner Table

Martha Washington’s dining room table was her pride and joy. Martha Washington: Plantation Mistress Martha was a twenty-seven year old widow whose late husband had a vast fortune in land and property, along with that rarest of all Colonial commodities: … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, George Washington | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Dolley Madison in Plain Clothes

For the first twenty-five years of her life, Dolley Payne Todd Madison wore Quaker gray gowns and bonnets. Dolley:  A Strict Upbringing Dolley Payne (1768-1849) was born and raised into a strict Quaker family.  Her father, John Payne, was a … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, James Madison | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

George Washington: An All-American Uncle

The Father of our Country, George Washington was step-father to Martha’s children and always a concerned and affectionate uncle to his numerous nephews and nieces.  The Washington-Dandridge Connections George Washington was the oldest of five children born to Augustine Washington … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, George Washington | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Washington Courtship

Was it a love match?  Or merely a partnership of mutual convenience? The Wealthy Widow Custis Martha Dandridge had married an old man.  She was seventeen; Daniel Parke Custis was past thirty-five.  But it had been a marriage of true … Continue reading

Posted in A POTUS-FLOTUS Blog, George Washington | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments