Dolly_Madison

Dolly Madison Dolly Payne Madison was born in Guilford County, North Carolina on May 20, 1768. Dolly was born the first girl in a family of several children to Quaker parents, John Payne and Mary Coles. She spent her childhood in Scotchtown, Virginia. "The Paynes were well connected and sufficiently prosperous, small planters in Hanover County."1 The Quaker house forbade festivity, shunned amusement and frowned upon the world's vanities. After a preliminary visit to Philadelphia, John Payne returned to Hanover County to dispose of his property and free his slaves and in July 1783 he settled with his family in the pleasant city of Philadelphia. In Philadelphia Dolly brought loveliness and charm to the Quaker Evening Meetings. In her mind, however, there were other things in Philadelphia more engrossing than the routine of meetings. Under her Quaker gown Dolly's heart yearned, frankly and without any shame, for these things. Yet, when her family told her to marry John Todd, she stood up dutifully at first and second meeting and proclaimed her willingness to do so. His father was an eminent Quaker schoolteacher; John was a prominent young lawyer, twenty-seven years old. She did not contend against John Todd. "Dolly had the ability dolly, mr, madison, washington, john, house, british, philadelphia, todd, quaker, mrs, years, now, new, montpellier, herself, after, told, state, president, jefferson, james, however, first, family, dolly's, castle, came, became, winter, widow, town, through, things, secretary, returned