Will of Dolly P. Madison
The will of Dolly P. Madison, Washington’s first social queen, wife of President James Madison, is as follows:
“In the name of God, Amen.
“I, Dolly P. Madison, widow of the late James Madison of Virginia, being of sound & disposing mind and memory but feeble in body having in view the uncertainty of life & the rapid approach of death do make publish and declare the following to be my last will and testament: That is to say I hereby give and bequeath to my dear son John Payne Todd the sum of ten thousand dollars being the one half of the sum appropriated by the Congress of the United States for the purchase of my husbands papers, which sum stands invested in the names of James Buchanan, John G. Mason & Richard Smith as trustees:
“Secondly I give and bequeath to my adopted daughter Annie Payne ten thousand dollars, the remaining half of the said sum of twenty thousand dollars, appropriated as aforesaid by Congress and standing in the names of said trustees, for her lifetime; hereby directing the said sum of ten thousand dollars to remain in the names of the said trustees for the use of my said adopted daughter for her life and that they the said trustees pay the interest as it becomes due on the same, to her, during her life.
“And I further will & devise that should my said son John Payne Todd survive my said daughter that upon her death the sum so devised to her shall be paid over to him & his executors; but in the event of my said adopted daughter Annie Payne, surviving the said John Payne Todd that the sum above devised to her for life shall be held by the said trustees for her & her executors forever free from all condition; leaving all the rest and residue of my property to be administered and distributed according to law.
“D. P. Madison.”
Will of James Madison
Ex-President James Madison, fourth President of the United States, died on June 28, 1836. By his will, he devises unto his wife, during her life, the tract of land whereon he lived; provided that within three years after his death, she would pay the sum of Nine Thousand Dollars for certain lands, but in the event she should not pay said sum, then the land should be sold for cash and divided as afterwards directed in the will.