The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-05-12
A CENTURY OF BRIGHT WOMEN,
FROM MARTHA WASHINGTON TO ROSE
ELIZABETH CLEVELAND.

ELIZABETH CLEVELAND.
An Interesting sketch Of the Women Vac
Have Been Mistre..es of the White House.
(Fron the Philadelphia Times)
The announcement that the President
will marry Miss Frances Folsom in June
recalls the historic series of White House
nuptials. Washington, it is well known,
married long before he became jreSl-
dent, OF even general Of the army. He
met the lovely Widow Gusts at vii
Gamsburg during his service as mem
Der of the Virginia Legislature. Mrs.
Washington presided over the Executive
household at the seat Of government,
first in New York, then in this city, with
a good deal of formaity. Their house
in this city was one rented from Robert
Morris, on Market street, between Fifth
and Sixth. It was here the Friday levees
were held, and the rules were very rgor-
Gus.
The first Presidents wife was born a
Jones, that of the second a Smith-Abl-
gail Smith-so the Republic, so far as
the domestic head of it was concerned,
was ushered in with certain democratic
simplicity. John Adams married his
wife when she was twenty, and her faith
er, who was a clergyman, preached a
sermon on the Sunday after the wedding
so historic old chestnut relates-from
the text, John came neither eating
bread nor drinking wine, and We say he
hath devil" During Adams's term Of
Office, in 1900, the Government was re-
moved to Washington. Mrs. Adams was
the first lady of the White House, but
she never liked it and lived there alto
gether but four months. Her picture,
by Gilbert Stuart, represents her as a
cheerful and not Jmhandsome looking
woman Of fifty, with cap, and ringlets Of
cuuls wreathing the edge.
Jefferson went into the White House a
widower of nineteen years standing, and
his diary lately published by John Bige-
low shows he understood thoroughly the
domestic economies which were necessa-
ry in the matter of providing for the
wants of the mansion and its lospital-
ties. His wife was the widow of Bathurst
Skelton, Virginia gentleman. and the
daughter of John Wayles, Ct Charles
City County, Virginia. She was said to
be a beautiful woman, and Jefferson to
have won her over other suffers through
his musical voice and ability to play the
violin.
Dolly Madison was one of the most
popular Of the White House women, if
we believe tradition, and yet she certain
ly was not pretty, if Prudhomme's en-
craving from the picture of Herring is to
be accepted, with the queer t,lrban, pro-
fusion OF ringlets, large nose and positive
mouth. There is, however, glimpse
of a prettily rounded arm and a classic
neck through the lace and dlapery, that
perhaps may have combined with her
wel-attested tact and vivacity to have
given her the reputation she certainly
enjoys among the Presidents wives. She
was an F. F. V, Dorothy Payne, al
though born in the Pine Tree State, and
in early life her parents lived here and
Dolly actually joined the Society of
Friends in this city, although no doubt
rising young Quaker lawyer, one John
Todd, whom she afterward married, had
something to do with this Todd died
and left her widow with one son, SO
Dolly set her cap for some Of the fine
looking young members of the Congress
then wont to come to Philadelphia to
transact the public business, and in 1874
married James Madison, one Of the most
talented OF the body.
Mrs. Monroe was the daughter OF a
British army officer named Cartwright,
distant relations Of the Philadelphia
Cartwrights, who settled in New York
after the peace Of 1888. She was one of
four girls One Of these married Mr..
Heyiger, Grand Chamberlain to the
King of Denmark; another Mr.. Knox,
of New York City, whose only daughter
was the wife of the late Alexander Hamil-
ton, son of Alexander Hamilton, the
first secretary OF the treasury; a third
married Nicholas Gouverneur, of New
York, and the fourth Senator James
Monroe, OF Virginia, afterward Presi-
dent.
The first White House wedding was
that of President Monroe's Youngest
daughter, who married her cousin Samu-
el L. Gcuverneur, in 1920. It took
place in the East room, and was q knick-
erbocker affair, stylish and hightoned for
the day. A number of brilliant recep-
tions in Washington were rendered to
the bridal couple, and the cards We're
out for very swell one by Commodore
Essex Porter and wife, when it had to
be given up, owing to the untimely
death of Commodore Decatur, killed by
Barron in duel. The dead officer had
given the young couple brilliant party
but few days before at his own home.
An older daughter of President Madison
married Judge Geo. Hay, of Richmond.
Ho1tensia Hay, a beautiful girl, daugh-
ter of this match, was the wife Of Lord
Rogers, of Baltimore, whom old society
people of this city remember. Lady