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Dolley Payne is born in Guilford County, North Carolina. She is born a Quaker. There were eight children in her family.
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Dolley Payne marries John Todd in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. John Todd was a lawyer. Dolley's father arranged the marriage.
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Dolley's first child is born. Her and John Todd name him John Payne Todd. Their child was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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Dolley's father passes away. His wife establishes herself as manager of the boarding house. This is so she is able to take care of her family.
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John Todd dies from yellow fever. Dolley is left a widower. Some historians believe Dolley and John Payne Todd had it but survived. Her second child, William Isaac Todd, dies as well. He was three months old.
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Dolley Payne marries James Madison in Charleston, West Virginia. At this time, James Madison was a congressman. Dolley is no longer a Quaker because he was not.
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Dolley begins writing letters to family and friends. She writes to her husband about her ideas in Congress and personal opinions. This was uncommon for women back then.
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James Madison becomes the fourth president of the United States. Dolley hosts the inaugural ball. They move into the White House.
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During the War of 1812, the White House was burned. Dolley Madison would not leave until the famous painting of George Washington was saved. This made her a famous woman in history.
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Thomas Jefferson dies along with John Adams. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were close friends. This had an impact on their lives.
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Dolley's son is put in Debtor's prison. He had gambled and couldn't pay off his debt. This caused a lot of trouble for his mom.
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Dolley Madison's husband dies. He was buried in Montpelier. Now, Dolley is the widow of two men. She goes to live where he was buried.
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Dolley has to sell Montpelier. This is because her son, John Payne Todd, got them into too much debt. She moves back to Washington, DC in order to make more money.
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Dolley gets a lifetime chair on the house floor. She was able to see all debates where the members sat. This was a huge step for a woman.
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Dolley Madison dies in her home in Washington, DC. She was eighty-one years old. At first, she was buried in the Congressional Cemetery, but moved to Montpelier Estate where her husband was.
