resting_place death_place death_date predecessor birth_place successor children religion article_title birth_date order term_start spouse image signature term_end occupation
montpelier estate national historic site , montpelier , va washington , d.c. , u.s. 12 july 1849 none -lrb- jefferson was widowed -rrb- abigail adams guilford america county , province of north carolina , british elizabeth monroe john payne todd william temple todd quaker dolley madison
 20 may 1768 first lady of the united states march 4 , 1809 john -rrb- james madison -lrb- 1794 -- 1836 ; his death todd -rrb- -lrb- 1790 -- 93 ; his death dolley madison.jpg dolley todd madison signature.svg march 4 , 1817 homemaker america , first lady of the united states of
dolley madison

dolley payne todd madison -lrb- may 20 , 1768 -- july 12 , 1849 -rrb- was the wife of james madison , president of the united states from 1809 to 1817 .
she was noted for her social gifts , which boosted her husband 's popularity as president .
in this way , she did much to define the role of the president 's spouse , known only much later by the title first lady -- a function she had sometimes performed earlier for the widowed jefferson .
dolley madison also helped to furnish the newly constructed white house .
when the british set fire to it in 1814 , she was credited with saving the classic portrait of george washington .
in widowhood , she often lived in poverty , partially relieved by the sale of her late husband 's papers .
