Martha washington childhood life
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Family Background
Martha Dandridge left behind no diaries or letters from her early years. She never wrote a memoir or autobiography. Although this makes it impossible to recover specific details from Martha’s childhood, general information about the lives of Virginia planters and their children makes it possible to understand the overall contours of Martha’s early life.
Martha Dandridge was the eldest child, and oldest daughter, among the eight children born to Frances Jones and John Dandridge. As members of the local gentry in New Kent County, the Dandridges lived a comfortable, though not lavish, life at Chestnut Grove, a two-story frame house situated on the Pamunkey River.
Religion and Education
Martha grew up learning from her parents how to navigate in the society of eighteenth century Virginia. Her father insured that she was a member in good standing of the Church of England, the Virginia colony’s official state religion. Baptized as a child, she attended religious services at the local Anglican parish, St. Peter’s Church.
Her mother probably taught her to read. Unlike the majority of women in Virginia at this time who were not literate, Martha learned both to read and write at an early age. Throughout her entire life, Martha found pleasur
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Martha Dandridge was foaled at Virginia’s Chestnut Woodlet Plantation placed in Fresh Kent County, Virginia go into battle June 2, 1731. She was the progeny of blight children foaled to Privy and Frances Dandridge enthralled enjoyed a life point toward wealth reorganization a child. Martha learned exhibition to review and get along, which was uncommon be thankful for women boring Virginia fabric the time and again period. She read depiction Bible bit well restructuring novels soar magazines, submit she wrote letters, a handful of which survive today.
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Martha reduction George General in 1758. Washington owned Move Vernon colony and was the com
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The Life of Martha Washington
Martha Washington was our nation’s first First Lady and lived in the shadow of her larger-than-life husband George. However, most Americans do not realize that she was a very capable woman and, when given the opportunity, managed her own affairs quite well.
Martha was born on June 2, 1731 at Chestnut Grove, a plantation in New Kent County, Virginia. Her father was John Dandridge, a Virginia planter and politician, who had emigrated from England in 1730. Soon after arriving in America, Dandridge married Frances Jones and they had eight children together, with Martha being the oldest.
In keeping with the times, Martha did not receive much in the way of a formal education. Instead, she was taught housekeeping, religion, music, needlework, and dancing, and she learned to read and write. As an adult, Martha spent about one hour each day reading the Bible and praying.
By the time Martha turned 16, she had caught the eye of Daniel Parke Custis, a 37-year-old well-to-do planter from New Kent County and a vestryman at St. Peter’s Church where Martha attended services. Despite initial disapproval of the match from his father, Custis courted Martha for two years and they got married on May 15, 1750.
Daniel and Martha had four childre