HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOLLEY MADISON

There are 2 Presidents' homes close to the area I am visiting.  Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home, and Montpelier, James Madison's home.  I knew I wanted to visit one but I couldn't make up my mind which one.  After checking both web sites again to see what all was included in each tour, I saw that today was Dolley Madison's birthday and Montpelier was going to have special tours and cupcakes to celebrate her birthday! Who can resist cupcakes? So, I went to celebrate Dolley's birthday.

I had a great tour guide named Bob Jones.  A tour guide can make or break a place and Bob made it. James Madison's grandfather, Ambrose Madison, received a patent for 4,675 acres in Orange county Virginia.  He moved there with his wife and children and named the plantation Mount Pleasant. Ambrose died 6 months later, poisoned by 3 of his slaves.  His wife took over the management of the plantation with the help of her son, James Madison, Sr.

James Madison, Sr., built a larger home about 1/2 miles from the original home and moved his wife and their 12 children to that home.  James Madison, Jr., the 4th President of the United States was 13 years old when his family moved to the new house.  Madison attended what is now Princeton University and graduated in 2 1/2 years. He was 5'4", was sickly, never weighed more than 100 lbs., and had a squeaky voice. Goes to show that anyone can do anything they set their mind to.

He is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for being instrumental in the drafting of the United States Constitution and as the key champion and author of the United States Bill of Rights. He served as a politician much of his adult life. In May, 1794, he asked their mutual friend, Aaron Burr, to arrange for him to meet a young Quaker widow by the name of Dolley Payne. They were married in September. Because she married a man who was not Quaker, Dolley was disowned by her family and friends. She however was the toast of Washington, D.C. One of Madison's opponents made the statement after his defeat that he lost the election to Mr. and Mrs. Madison and had he only had to run against Mr. Madison, he might would have won.

When restoration started on the house, the historical society was able to find letters and records of details of furnishings and materials used in the building of the house.  So, the rooms that you tour have been restored to look like they did when the Madisons moved back to Montpelier after his presidency.  They would love to find the Madisons' furniture but Dolley sold all the furnishings after James died and she kept no records of who she sold the furnishings to. So, the historical society are still searching for any of the original furnishings, but it is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Again, this is a home that no photos allowed inside.  The grounds are beautiful.

As you drive up the drive to the house. Can't you just imagine coming up the road in a horse and buggy?

The house

This is called The Temple. James Madison, Jr. built this on the property.

Thanks to an archeologist dig and written records, these frames show where the original buildings stood.  One was a kitchen, one was a smokehouse, one was a slave family's house.

James Madison was afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis and eventually became bedridden and died at home.  He is buried in the Madison family cemetery that is on the property. Dolley was given an honorary seat in Congress and she moved to Washington, D.C.  She eventually sold Montpelier because of financial problems.  She was originally buried in D.C. but was eventually moved to the family cemetery.

There are gardens on the property that are beautiful this time of year.

I love American history and I could go on for a long time with all the things I learned about the Madisons. I visited Washington, D.C. many years ago and was in total awe of all the history of amazing and courageous men who dreamed of being free from Great Britain's rule and they acted on that dream.  While we were standing in Madison's library, our guide talked to us about how many hours he had spent in that library reading about other countries who ruled themselves and going over what worked and didn't work in those governments.  He took all that research and drew up a plan for a form of government that would make us the United States of America.  Thomas Jefferson was his friend and visited there. James Monroe was his friend and visited there.  Alexander Hamilton was his friend and visited there. Can you imagine the conversations and planning that went on in that room and in that house? In a note opened after his death, Madison stated, "The advice nearest to my heart and deepest in my convictions is that the Union of the States be cherished and perpetuated." Probably a good conviction to still have.  Go take the tour if you are ever in the area.