Charming and fashionable, Dolley Madison was an energetic first lady with a flair for entertaining. Her service as first lady expanded beyond the eight years (1809-17) in which her husband, James Madison (1751-1836; see entry in volume 1), was president. She also counseled and helped host social functions for three other presidents: Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826; see entry in volume 1), Martin Van Buren (1782-1862; see entry in volume 1), and John Tyler (1790-1862; see entry in volume 2).

Modest beginnings

Dolley was born in Guilford County, North Carolina, on May 20, 1768, to John and Mary Payne, settlers from Virginia. Raised in a devout (deeply religious) Quaker household, Dolley was taught to dress plainly and behave humbly. Though sometimes referred to in biographies as Dorothy or Dorothea, Dolley was the name she always used. That name was recorded in her birth record by the Quaker community (also called the Society of Friends...