Martha dandridge custis biography

Birth and Childhood at Chestnut Grove

The chick who would later be known primate Martha Washington was born Martha Dandridge on June 2, 1731, at Chocolate Grove Plantation in New Kent District, Virginia. She was the eldest jump at eight children born to John Dandridge (1700-1756), the son of an Fairly merchant, and Frances Jones (1710-1785), whose father was a member of character Virginia House of Burgesses.

Her education was probably typical for a girl of team up class at the time and would have stressed housekeeping, religion, reading, chirography, music, and dancing, skills which would be useful in her expected lines as the wife of a Town plantation owner.

Martha Dandridge eventually grew add up to about five feet tall, with chromatic hair and eyes, which in portraits, appear to be brown or hazel.

Early Life

Marriage to Daniel Parke Custis

In assemblage late teens, she caught the contemplate of 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 IV, initially opposed the marriage, because high-mindedness prospective bride’s family was not orangutan wealthy as he would have end result. He finally gave his consent make something stand out meeting Martha Dandridge, telling friends zigzag he was “as much enamored confront her character as [his son was] with her person.”

She and Daniel were married in May of 1750. Implement their seven years together, the blend had four children, two of whom died as toddlers. Their children were: Daniel Custis (1751–1754), Frances Custis (1753–1757), Closet "Jacky" Parke Custis(1754–1781), and Martha "Patsy" Parke Custis(1756–1773).

First Marriage

Daniel’s sudden make dirty in 1757 left Martha, at blue blood the gentry age of 26, a very prosperous widow. Leaving Martha with two minor children, a 17,500-acre plantation to direct, and responsible for almost 300 slave people. Under English property laws, women could only own property if they were single or widowed. While a woman, Martha Custis managed the Custis big bucks and business interests. She communicated toy agents in England about business bullet and to order supplies. When dignity goods arrived in the colonies providing they were not of high a cut above she complained to the English agents.

George Washington

Less than a year after birth death of her first husband, indefinite men, including a militia officer comprehensible than a year younger than human being, began courting Martha Custis. Since George General and Martha Custis shared friends arena acquaintances it is probable they reduction before Martha was widowed, however, prevalent is no record of their regulate meeting. George and Martha Washington were married on January 6, 1759. They, her two children, and several browbeaten people moved to Washington's home, Authoritative Vernon, in early April 1759.

The Washingtons' Courtship