We’ve had so much fun discovering fascinating incidents in the life of Dolley Madison, I went on longer than I had originally intended.
Just a few more items of interest. Molly Payne, Dolley’s mother, had a cousin named Patrick Henry. Patrick was a valiant Founding Father in his own right. Patrick had purchased a two story house which he, and the land title, referred to as Scotchtown. Probably because many of the immigrant workers on the nearby tin mines were from Scotland.
This home is where the Henry’s lived when Sallie Henry, Patrick’s first wife, became ill and eventually died. She died about 5 weeks before Patrick gave his immortal speech “Give Me Liberty.” Patrick had to ride horse-back from Scotchtown to Richmond, Virginia, a distance of about 28 miles, (just over a half hour by car—but Patrick went on his horse!) to attend the meeting where this speech was given.
John and Dolley Todd were married with two young sons. John was a successful lawyer. In 1793 that terrible yellow fever epidemic struck Philadelphia. Congress itself nearly was driven out of town by the illness.
For years I have presented classes, speeches, and presentations about the Founding Fathers of our United States of America. I love to do it. I suppose during one of my speeches, I had become a little too enthusiastic and bombastic. One attendee came up to me afterwards to tell me as much!
The U.S. Constitution is an amazing document. It is an agreement between the States, yes, the States. Not the individuals. The Founding Fathers came up with a wise method for such transitions of power. They had to please the large States as well as the small States in their method. That’s one reason we are not a true democracy. We are a Republic—if you can keep it, as Benjamin Franklin declared.