The Osceola times., 1879-11-08

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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, illiterato, energetic, strong
willed lady, who preferred her own
broad acres, and declined to 60 and live
George" said she, "but ] desire TO be
Independent" And when General La
fayette called, she was at work in her
garden, with her old sun bonnet on; 30
she came to him, saying, Il could not
pay you 80 poor compliment, marquis,
as TO stay 10 change my dress"
Thomas Jefferson, like Washington,
married 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 de-
votion to his country. She was O lady
OF extraordinary beauty of face and
form, and singularly competent to adorn
and conduct great household. A little
above the medium height, fair COM
plexion, eyes large, dark and expressive,
auburn hair, and daring horsewoman,
and full of talent. She played, danced
and sang well, and had literary tastes.
When Jefferson courted her he was
twenty-eight and she was nineteen. He
played the violin and sang well, and, as
he had money then, and high position,
he distanced all rivals. They had q
great wedding. She had an immense
responsibility managing her husbands
great estate. had six children, of whom
only two survived, and died before he
rose to his great renown, mourned by
him to the last. He remained widower
forty-four years, down to his death. Or
course she never saw him in the White
House.
Dolly Payne was Quaker, and Wild
ow when she married James Madison,
and the daughter of Virginia planter,
born in North Carolina. Her father and
mother set their slaves free and moved
to Philadelphia, and there Dolly married
a lawyer named Todd. She was twenty,
and he died three years a.ter, leaving
her with son and no wealth. Her
mother kept boarders while Congress sat
here, and she helped her mother to keep
the establishment. Among these board
ers were Aaron Burr, then a Senator
from New York, and James Madison,
member Of Congress from Virginia.
Dolly was very beautiful and accom-
plished, and when she married Madison
he was forty-three and she twenty-five.
They had no children. When he be-
came President in 1909 the White House
received its lovely mistress, who enjoyed
its attractions for eight years. She died
in Washington in ls49, aged eighty-two
years, surviving her husband thirteen
years.
Daniel Webster was twice married, but
his first wife was the mother of all his
children. She was clergyman's daugh.
ter, one year older than himself, quite
accomplished, not beautiful, but much
esteemed; and when she came to WASH
ington more than fifty years ago, made
friends. She died in New York. In 1927,
whittier she had been taken from the
national capital by her husband. II she
never saw him In his splendid prime,
she did not witness his sad decline.
have spoken of Mrs. Andrew Jack
son more than once. She was the wife
of fanother man, Lewis Robards, of Ken
lucky. When young Jackson saw and
loved her. Her mother, Mrs. Donelson,
was keeping boarding house at the
time, having returned to Tennessee with
Mr.. and Mrs. Robards, and Jackson lived
in her house. Result, a jealous husband
and separation. A rumor came that a
divorce had been granted, and then
Jackson married the ''grass-widow;" but
the rumor proving false, they lived to.
gether two years before divorce could
be really granted, and then they were
married again. The first husband left
early, and these peculiar circumstances
led to many bitter quarrels between
Jackson, who grew into great reputa-
ton, and his enemies. She was short
and stout, great housekeeper and man
ager, very religious, very illiterate, kind
to her slaves, and full Of anecdote and
fun. She had no children, and died In
December, 1928, just after her great hus-
band was elected President. She was
the "aunt Rachel" of Nashville, and
regularly smoked pipe with the Gen.
eral. When the news of his election as
President came to her dying couch, she
simply said: "Well, for Mr.. Jackson's
sake (she always called him Mr.. Jack
SOM am glad; for my part | never
wished it."