Martha Washington was born on June 2, 1731, at Chestnut Grove Plantation in New Kent Country, Virginia. She was the eldest of eight children born to John Dandridge (1700-1756), the son of an English merchant, and Frances Jones (1710 - 1785), whose father was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. Her education was fairly typical for a girl of her class, stressing housekeeping, religion, music, and dancing: skills necessary for the wife of a Virginia gentleman and planter.

Martha Washington was about 5 feet tall, with brown hair and hazel eyes. In her late teens, she married Daniel Parke Custis (1711 - 1757), who though twenty years her senior, was one of the most eligible bachelors in Virginia. Daniel's father, John Custis, the wealthiest man in the colony, initially opposed the marriage, because the prospective bride was from a second tier family. He finally gave his consent, however, telling friends that he was "as much enamored with her character as (his son was) with her person." In their seven years together, the couple had four children, two of whom died as toddlers. Daniel's sudden death in 1757 left Martha the wealthiest widow in Virginia. At that time, she was 26 years old, had two young children and was responsible for managing a 17,500-acre estate. Several men began courting her the year after her mourning period ended. She met George Washington while he was on leave from the French and Indian War. They were married at her home, The White House, on January 6, 1759.