Martha Washington :: essays research papers

In 1633, the Reverend Rowland Jones came from England to the colony of Virginia. He had graduated from Oxford University and in Williamsburg had served as minister for fourteen years. Two generations later Martha Dandridge, his great-granddaughter, was born on June 2, 1731 on a woodlet near Williamsburg. She grew up in the Dandridge home, Chestnut Grove. She enjoyed locomote horses, gardening, sewing, playing the spinet and dancing. Her father made sure that she got a fair rearing in basic math, reading and writing...something girls didnt receive at the time. At the age of eighteen, Martha married to Daniel Parke Custis. He was wealthy, handsome and twenty years sometime(a) than her. Martha set up housekeeping on his plantation, while her hubby managed the estate, which cover over 17,000 acres. Her husband adored his young, pretty bride and pampered her with the finest clothes and gifts imported on the whole the way from England. They had four children, two who died before thei r first birthday. Their two living(a) children John Parke, called "Jacky" and Martha, called "Patsy". In 1757, when Martha was twenty-six, Daniel Custis died after a brief illness. Jacky was troika and Patsy was less than a year old. Dying without a will, Martha was remaining with the duties of running the household, the estate and raising her children. (Fatherless children were usually "raised" under the apprehension of a guardian, even if the mother survived--which meant that another male, primarily a relative, took dispense of the estates of the children). Her early education proved very helpful in the task. Her husbands former business manager stayed to help with the operation of the plantation and she consulted with lawyers when she felt she needed it. Sometime later, Martha met a young colonel (several months younger than her) in the Virginia Militia at a cotillion in Williamsburg. His name was George Washington. Martha hide in love and George fou nd her quite attractive. (That she had a good zest and inherited wealth was an added bonus to the relationship). Martha married George on January 6, 1759. The marriage changed George from an universal planter to a substantially wealthy landowner. He had resigned his commission in the militia and so, George, Martha, Jacky who was 4, and Patsy who was about 2 moved into the remodeled Mt. Vernon. Martha was careful in running her home, although she and her husband did not pinch pennies when it came to caring for their home.