Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-10-22
Eminent American Women.

the wives of our American presidents or
statesmen pass away almost without roe.
Ord Unlike female rulers in FOREIGN
countries they bave no political rights. and
only govern by their graccs in social and
domestic life.
James Parton has done more than any
man living to freshen the fading lines in
the lives of our lady presidents. That in
comparable biographer, in volume not
often read nova days, though printed in
1868, 1.-The Peoples Book of Biography, :"
tells us that Mrs Martha Washing Ston was
a plump, pretty, sprightly little woman in
her youth, but settled down into plain,
domestic wife, who looked sharply after
the servants; she was far from an oducnt-
ed woman, and though she kept her own
accounts was very pooc speller. Parton
quotes Miss Bremen, the authoress, who
relates q " curtain lecture " of the great
man by Martha, which she overheard in
the sleepngroom. Martha was angry.
and scolded a long time. The general
listened 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
ln2ton was very rich, and her three child
rem by her first husband were heirs to
great wealth. Washington's mother was
a plain, illiterate energetic, strong-willed
lady, who preferred her own broad acres,
and declined to 60 and live with her great
son. =" thank you, George" said she,
" but desire to be independent And
when Gen. Lafayette called, she was at
work in her garden, with her old sun bon
net on; so she came to him saying. 81
could not pay you so poor u compliment,
Marquis, as TO stay to change my dress"
Thomas Jefferson, like Washington,
married a widow, Mrs. Maria Skelton who
had considerable property; but that did
not save her great husband, who died
deeply in debt, owing to his slavish devo-
tion 10 his country. She was lady of
extraordinary beauty of face and form, and
singularly competent to adorn and con.
duct great household. A little above the
medium height, fair complexion, eyes
large, dark and expressive, auburn hair,
and daring horsewoman, and full of
talent. She played, danced and sung well,
and had literary tastes. When jefferson
courted her he was 28 and she 49, He
played the violin and sung well, and as he
had money then, and a high position, he
distanced all rivals. They had great
wedding. She had an immense response
bility managing her husbands great es-
tate, 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 q wdower Al wears
down to his death. OF course she never
SAW him in the White House.
Daily papne wac a Ouakor onJ Z, ,,;l
ow when she married james Madison, and
the daughter of a Virginia planter, born
in North Carolina. Her father and moth
er set their slaves free, and moved to Phil-
adelpha and there Dolly married IL law
yer named Todd. She was 20 and he died
three years after, leaving her with son
and no wealth. Her mother kept board
ers while congress sat here and she helped
her mother 10 keep the establishment.
Among these boarders were Aaron Burr,
then senator from New York, and James
Madison, n member of congress from Vir-
gina. Dolly was very beautiful and ac.
complished, and when she married Madi
son he was 43 and she 25 They had no
children. When he became president, in
l809 the White House received its lovely
mistress, who enjoyed its attractions for
eight years. She died in Washington, in
lS49, aged 80 years surviving her husband
13 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 ac-
complished, not beautiful, but much es-
teemed; and when she came to Washing
ton more t1an fifty years ago made many
friends. She died in New York, aged 4G.
in 1927, whittier she had been taken from
the national capitol by her husband. If
she never saw him in his splendid prime,
she did not witness his sad decline.
have spoken of Mrs. Andrew jackson
more than once. She was the wife of
another man, Lewis Robards of Kentucky,
when young Jackson saw and loved her,
Her mother, Mrs. Donelson, was keeping
a boarding house at the time, having re.
turned to Tennessee with Mr.. and Mrs
Robards. and jackson lived in her house.
Result, a jealous husband, and separa-
tion. A rumor came that divorce had
been granted. and then Jackson married
the grass widow" but the rumor prov
ing false, they lived together two years be-
fore divorce could be really granted, and
then they were married again. The first
husband left early, and these peculiar cir
cumstances led to many bitter quarrels
between Jackson, who grew into great
reputation, and his many enemies. She
was short and stout, a great housekeeper
and manager, very religious, very illiler-
ate, kind to her slaves, and full of anec.
dote and fun. She had no children, and
died in December, 1928, just after her
great husband was elected president. She
was the Aunt Rachel " OF Nashville, and
regularly smoked a pipe with the gener-
al. 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
Son] am glad; for my own part never
wished it. From Foywey'S Progress.