There is a touching and even heart-rending irony in that neither George Washington, the “Father of our Country” nor James Madison, the “Father of the Constitution” had any children of their own. However, they both married widows and raised step-children.

George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis, the lovliest and perhaps the wealthiest widow in Virginia. Martha had two children with her previous husband, Daniel Custis. Martha was very beautiful, as science has now confirmed with the new methods of reproducing what someone would have looked like at a certain age. (Click here to see a picture). At barely 5’, Martha stood only as tall as Washington’s chest. George was nearly 6’4” tall.

George was very devoted to Martha, and always wore a “miniature painting of her under his shirt.”

In 1797, James Madison gave up his long-held bachelorhood when he married the lovely Dorothy Paine, better known in history as Dolley Madison. Dolley had been married to John Todd, a young Quaker lawyer, who died in the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793.

Dolley and John had two children, one of which died in that same epidemic. The next year Dolley became the center of attention as one of the most eligible women of Philadelphia. She was fun, vivacious, beautiful, and intelligent. James married Dolley on September 15, 1794.

Dolley acted as hostess for their friend, Thomas Jefferson, who was a widower in the White House. And then she became the sparkling and vibrant hostess in her own right, when her husband became the fourth President of the United States. They made a great team.

Both of these exceptional ladies became the unconquerable and wholehearted supporters of their husbands through all their difficulties. Martha supported George throughout the Revolutionary War. Dolley supported James throughout the War of 1812.