The Life of Martha Washington
This is the story of Martha Washington, the worthiest of partners to the worthiest of men.
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Martha Washington served as the nation's first first lady and spent about half of the Revolutionary War at the front. She helped manage and run her husbands' estates. She raised her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews; and for almost 40 years she was George Washington's "worthy partner".
Birth Date June 2, 1731 |
Birth Place New Kent County, Virginia |
Father John Dandridge (1700-1756) |
Mother Frances Jones (1710-1785) |
Brothers John Dandridge (1732-1749) William Dandridge (1734-1776) Bartholomew Dandridge (1737-1785) |
Sisters Anna Maria Dandridge Bassett (1739-1777) Frances Dandridge (1744-1758) Elizabeth Dandridge Henley (1749-ca1800) Mary Dandridge (1756-1763) |
Formal Education None |
Religion Anglican/Episcopalian |
Portrait of Martha Dandridge Custis, John Wollaston, oil on canvas, 1757. Washington-Custis-Lee Collection, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA. [U1918.1.1].
This is the story of Martha Washington, the worthiest of partners to the worthiest of men.
Martha Washington is believed to have embroidered this elegant pincushion during the winter encampment at Valley Forge , 1777-1778, W-2738/B, MVLA.
Miniature depicting two children believed to be George Washington Parke Custis and Eleanor Parke Custis, c. 1789, W-487/A-B, MVLA.
Martha Washington made many quilts, including this one, from scraps of fabric.
While first lady, Martha Washington actively supported American manufacturing, including with this shawl originally made in Massachusetts.
An artist's depiction of George Washington's final moments. - Life of George Washington: The Christian, lithograph by Claude Regnier, after Junius Brutus Stearns,1853, WB-55/A1, MVLA.
Martha Washington painted in 1801 by Robert Field is perhaps the most accurate record of Martha Washington's appearance in her final years, W-2137/A-B, MVLA.
This is one of four lists that recorded the division of the Custis slaves among Martha Washington’s grandchildren. Each enslaved person was assigned a monetary value.
Take an in-depth look at the will of Martha Washington, who died on May 22, 1802.