Martha Washington, the first woman to ever be First Lady of the United States, was a woman of high station and possessed the standard level of education for the time—she had no formal education but could read and write. She is a compelling historical figure, and one who set the standard for First Ladies in the United States. Her story is one of loss and monumental achievement, and one I knew little about despite her significant contributions to American history. Her place in the world was one that had never been seen before—she had to pave the way for all of the women who would come after her in her position.
Martha Washington was born on June 13, 1731 in New Kent, Virginia, to parents John Dandridge and Frances Jones Dandridge. She was the oldest of the daughters and had a brother. Martha was raised in high society and had “every advantage that comes from good birth, high position, and intercourse with refined society, and she was commonly trained in all the accomplishments common to young ladies of the time” (National Cyclopedia of American Biography). Although she received very little formal schooling, she joined her brother for a few tutoring sessions. The majority of her education was directed toward what was appropriate for the women of the time. Martha was taught to “embroider and spin wool, cook and preserve foods, paint, and dance” (Stevenson, 1). She was taught to read and write; however, she could not write as well as many might expect. Martha’s lack of education was reportedly a major insecurity in her later years and influenced how she wrote letters to others. At the age of seventeen, Martha married Daniel Parke Custis, the heir to one of the largest fortunes in Virginia. The couple had four children, though only two of them made it past infancy. Martha’s husband died in 1757, and she and her children inherited Daniel’s large fortune. Her experience with losing her first husband and two of her children most likely had a heart-wrenching effect on her life and her future. However, she was able to overcome her struggles and become a prominent figure in history.
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After the unfortunate loss of her first husband nine months prior, Martha married one of the most well known American historical figures, George Washington. Her marriage to George had an impact on his life that most people probably would not think of when examining their relationship. If not for their marriage, George would not have been nearly as wealthy or as high in social status as he was. Upon their marriage, George gained control of the large fortune Martha’s late husband left behind. On a similar monetary note, Martha ran a “campaign to garner public support and funding” for the revolution (Lamoureux 15). She handled all money gathered from this effort until it was passed on to George. Not only did Martha have a role in the public support system of the revolution, she also spent winters with George and the army where they were stationed. Martha’s company reportedly “cheered and comforted the tired soldiers and her handmade socks and shirts warmed them” (Stevenson 1). It is also arguable that Martha and her societal position had a major impact on George’s position in the young American government, not just the revolutionary effort. Her treatment of the Continental Army impacted her ability to influence the opinion of the public in a positive way; it was a “training ground” of sorts and allowed her to learn the art of public influencing (Lamoureux 15).
Interestingly, Martha decided to destroy her personal correspondence with George after his death in 1799, so there is very little first hand information on her relationship with George still around today. However, George’s last will and testament can be examined as a compelling account of how sincere their relationship was. In his will, Washington writes, “To my dearl⟨y be⟩loved wife Martha Washington ⟨I⟩ give and bequeath the use, profit ⟨an⟩d benefit of my whole Estate, real and p⟨er⟩sonal, for the term of her natural li⟨fe⟩” (Washington). It can be argued that the language with which he describes Martha in his will, and the power he gives her over his remaining belongings, would have had a major impact on her after his death. Having already lost her first husband, Martha likely understood how to cope with George’s death. However, being tasked with carrying out the will and wishes of the late first president would have been undoubtedly stressful if not because of her own feelings, then because of how his will affected others in their lives. A clause in George’s will states, “Upon the decease ⟨of⟩ my wife, it is my Will & desire th⟨at⟩ all the Slaves which I hold in ⟨my⟩ own right, shall receive their free⟨dom⟩. To emancipate them during ⟨her⟩ life, would, tho’ earnestly wish⟨ed by⟩ me, be attended with such insu⟨pera⟩ble difficulties on account of thei⟨r interm⟩ixture by Marriages with the ⟨dow⟩er Negroes, as to excite the most pa⟨in⟩ful sensations, if not disagreeabl⟨e c⟩onsequences from the latter, while ⟨both⟩ descriptions are in the occupancy ⟨of⟩ the same Proprietor; it not being ⟨in⟩ my power, under the tenure by which ⟨th⟩e Dower Negroes are held, to man⟨umi⟩t them” (Washington). Despite Washington’s clear wishes to free his slaves after his death, many people advised Martha against it for fear that the slaves would try to free themselves and relatiate, but she eventually made the decision to free them herself (Lamoureux 25). While George’s will was written by Martha or necessarily directed at her, it did have a profound effect on her life and the lives of those around her. The enactment of his will by Martha became a key point in her later life.
Martha Washington’s impacts on events today are numerous, but also subtle. Her role as the first, First Lady was interesting for a myriad of reasons. Her role was interesting in that it was something the world had never seen before. In fact, the title “First Lady” did not actually exist until decades after her death. In her new position, Martha was able to set a precedent for all spouses of future presidents. She set an example in the sense that she was involved in her husband’s efforts, especially during the war. As mentioned in a previous section, Martha spent quite a bit of time around and helping her husband’s troops. She spent, on average, “about six months per year traveling with the army” (Lamoureux 16). Martha, like a lot of high society women of the time, had a direct impact on the future of politics in a way most people would not think of. She was tasked with raising her sons, as were many women of the time, and had to possess extensive political knowledge in order to teach their sons the ways of the world. We would not have the political society we have today if her generation of women had not taught themselves in order to educate their children, so while she was not alone in this particular instance of affecting the American future, Martha had a profound positive impact on the future of America—or rather, our present America.
Martha Washington, a compelling historical figure, and a woman who had a profound impact on American history, is someone whose story I found incredibly interesting. Throughout this process, I was presented with information I never would have searched for on my own—information that surprised me. I did not realize before researching Martha that she had been married once before George, or that she was actively involved in the Revolutionary War. I’ll admit, the latter intrigued me more, but that is not to say that other aspects of her life are not interesting. The fact that she made an effort to raise army morale and went out of her way to spend time with her husband during the war made me think of her role in the world in a completely different way. I began to think of her as less of a figurehead of high society and politics of early America and more of a real person who had a life worth learning about. Martha Washington will forever be a historical figure in America, and for good reason. The country would be undoubtedly different if not for her involvement in its early years.
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