The Newtown bee., 1879-11-26
AMERICAN WOMEN.
Facts Connected with the wives Of Some
OF the Presidents.

Facts Connected with the wives OF Some
OF the Presidents.
European queens all live in history,
but the wives of American statesmen
pass away almost without record. I'M
like female rulers in foreign countries,
they have no political rights, and only
govern by their graces in social and do
nestle life. Mrs. Martha Washington
was plump, pretty, sprighty little
woman in her youth, but settled down
into plain, domestic wife, who looked
sharply after the servants; she was far
from an educated woman, and though
she kept her own accounts, was very
poor speller. Parton quotes Mrs. Bre-
mer, the authoress, who relates g cur
tain lecture" of the great man by
Martha, which she overheard in the
sleeping-room. Martha was angry, and
scolded long time. The general lis
tened in silence till she was done, and
then mildly closed the scene with :" Now,
good sleep to you, my dear" General
Washington was very rich; Mrs. WASH
ington was very rich, and her three
children by her first husband were heirs
to great wealth. Washington's mother
was plain, illiterate, energetic. strong
willed lady, who preferred her own
broad acres, and declined to go and live
with her great son. :" / thank you,
George" she said, "but / desire to be
independent" And when General La
| fayette called she was at work in her
garden with her old sunbonnet on; SO
she came to him, saying: could not
pay you so poor compliment, marquis,
as to stay to change my dress" Thomas
Jefferson, like Washington, married a
widow, Mrs. Maria Shelton, who had
considerable property; but that did not
save her great husband, who died deeply
in debt, owing to his slavish devotion to
his country. She was lady OF extra
ordinary beauty of face and form, and
singularly competent to adorn and con-
duct n great household. A little above
the medium height, fair complexion
eyes large, dark and expressive, auburn
hair, and daring horsewoman, and full
Cftalent. She played, danced and sung
Well, aud had literary tastes. Wner
Jefferson courted her he was twenty
eight and sue nineteen. He played thu
violin and sung well, and as he haC
money then, and a high position, he dis
tanced all rivals. They had a grea
wedding. She had an immense respon
sibility managing her husbands grea
estate, had six children, of whom onl,
two survived, and died before he rose t,
his great renown, mourned by him t.
the last. He remained widower fc
forty-four years, down to his death. 0
course she never saw him in the whit
house.
Dolly Payne was a Quaker, and
widow when she married James Madi
son, and the daughter of a Virgini
planter, born in North Carolina. He
father and mother set their slaves free
and moved to Philadelphia, and ther
Dolly married a lawyer named Todc
She was twenty, and he died three year
after, leaving her with son and n
wealth. Her mother kept boarder
while Congress sat here, and she helpe
; her mother to keep the establishment
Among these boarders were Aaron Burr
then n Senator from New York, an
James Madison, n member of Congres
from Virginia. Dolly was very beaut
full and accomplished, and when sh
! married Madison he was forty-three an
she twenty five. They had no children
When he became President, in 1909, til
I white house received its lovely mis-
tresg. who enioyed its attractions fc
eight wears. She died in Washington
n 1919, aged eight 1.-TWO, surviving ht
husband thirteen years. l have spoke
of Mrs. Andrew Jackson more tina
: once. She was the wife of anoth
Il man, Lewis Richards, CT Kentuck
; when young Jackson saw and love
} her. Her mother, Mrs. Donelson, WI
. keeping clearinghouse at the tim
having returned to Tennessee with M
and Mrs. Richards. and Jackson live
in her house. Result, a jealous hu
IL band, and separation. A rumor can
4 once that divorce had been granite
e and then jackson married the 'gra
IL widows" but the rumor proving falls
y they lived together two years before
divorce could be really granted, al
d. then they were married again. The til
husband left early, and these peculi
10 circumstances led to many bitter qua
M rels between Jackson, who grew into
70 great reputation, and his many enenniN
., She was short and stout, a great houf
ID keeper, very religious, very illitera
he kind to her slaves, and full of anecdc
T. and fun She had no children, and di
n in December, 1928, just after her gre
al husband was elected president.-Phi
u de pti7 Pro. Tess.