Martha Washington Essay Example For Students

Martha Washington Essay 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 plantation near Williamsburg. She grew up in the Dandridge home, Chestnut Grove. She enjoyed riding horses, gardening, sewing, playing the spinet and dancing. Her father made sure that she got a fair education 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 older than her. Martha set up housekeeping on his plantation, while her husband managed the estate, which covered over 17,000 acres. Her husband adored his young, pretty bride and pampered her with the finest clothes and gifts imported all the way from England. They had four children, two who died before their first birthday. Their two surviving 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 three and Patsy was less than a year old. Dying without a will, Martha was left with the duties of running the household, the estate and raising her children. (Fatherless children were usually raised under the care of a guardian, even if the mother survivedwhich meant that another male, primarily a relative, took care 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 fell in love and George found her quite attractive. (That she had a good disposition and inherited wealth was an added bonus to the relationship). Martha married George on January 6, 1759. The marriage changed George from an ordinary 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. Her children were denied nothing. She pampered and lavished attention and expensive gifts on them. They lived well at first, but subsequent bad crop returns over a number of years began to take their toll on their finances. When the children were eight years old and six years old, Mr. Walter Magowen was hired as their tutor. At the age of twelve, Patsy had an epileptic seizure, and as her condition worsened, she could no longer study. Then Mr. Magowen left for England soon after Patsy became ill and Jacky was sent to Boucher School in Caroline County (Boucher was moved to Annapolis in 1770). Jacky was an indifferent student, interested more in having fun than being studious. A proposed trip for Jacky was refused by his stepfather because he felt Jacky was too immature, and their finances couldnt handle the expense. While there, he met Eleanor Nelly Calvert and they were engaged. Soon after he had left for New York, Patsy died at the age of 17. Martha was devastated, but told Jacky to remain in school. By December, Jacky wanted to come back to Mt. Vernon, and on the way, on February 3, 1774, Jacky and Nelly were married at Nellys home, Mt. Airy in Maryland, before heading further south. About the same time, the political conflict in the colonies was becoming more spoken. Wilt Chamberlain Essay Martha had her own receptions on Fridays open to both men and women. Sundays were family days, first going to church at St. Pauls and various outings with the grandchildren in the afternoons. Martha loved Philadelphia, along with her grandchildren. She had a number of old friends there with whom she could go to parties with and to go to the theater with. George Washington was elected to a second term, which was hard for him when war broke out between France and England. His desire was for the United States to stay neutral but others in the government felt that the help should be given to France. As a result, Thomas Jefferson resigned as Secretary of State and Alexander Hamilton threatened to also resign. By August, a severe epidemic of Yellow Fever spread over Philadelphia. The First Family traveled to Mt. Vernon until cold weather hit the city and ended the disease. March 4, 1797 was the day that George Washington left Congress and the Washingtons soon returned home to Mt. Vernon. They celebrated Georges sixty-seventh birthday with a wedding ceremony. Young Nelly married his nephew, Lawrence Lewis. They lived at Mt. Vernon until they were given a piece of land of Mt. Vernon and their home, Woodlawn. After riding the grounds of Mt. Vernon one day, George came back home with a bad cold. He died December 14, 1799. Martha was too depressed to attend the funeral. Upon his death, she closed the door to their bedroom and moved herself to a tiny, plain loft room on the third floor of the mansion, directly over Nellys bedroom. Twenty days before her grandfather died, Nelly had given birth to her first child, Frances Parke Lewis. The baby brought Martha a lot of happiness, and lessened her pain a little. George Washingtons will ordered the freedom of half of his slaves, leaving the old and the young to remain. Martha freed the rest in 1800. Her own health was fading and in March of 1802, sensing her death, she made a will. May 22, 1802, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington breathed her last breath with her beloved granddaughter Nelly nearby. She was entombed next to her husband at Mt. Vernon. Martha Dandridge Custis Washington was an amazing person. She was independent, intelligent, sociable and an overall good person. She influenced the modern day in many ways. She has inspired many women to become more independent. Just look at the way she handled the death of her first husband, Daniel Parke Custis. In her time of need after her husband died instead of giving up and marrying again or handing over the care of the estate, home and the children to someone else she managed it all on her own. When her second husband, George Washington, was off at war, she made as many visits as she could that inspired him and brought up his moral. While she visited him, she entertained the other wives and families that were visiting also all on her own. These things were good examples of her kindness, sociability, and again of her independence. She was, and is a role model for people everywhere.