Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty - Hardcover

by Helen Bryan (Author)

A contempary anecdote not only confirms that Martha commanded respect in her own right during her lifetime, but also suggests an awkward truth later historians have preferred to ignore-that without Martha and her fortune, George might never have risen to social, military, and political prominence.Toward the end of his life, George Washington, war hero, retired president, and object of universal fame and veneration, was negotiating to purchase a plot of land in the new capital city, to be named in his honor. The seller, an aged veteran of the Revolution, was reluctant to part with the plot, even to so distinguished a purchaser. Washington persisted until the veteran's patience snapped: 'You think people take every grist that comes from you as the pure grain. What would you have been if you hadn't married the Widow Custis '
-from the Introduction to
Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty

From the glittering social life of Virginia's wealthiest plantations to the rigors of winter camps during the American Revolution, Martha Washington was a central figure in some of the most important events in American history. Her story is a saga of social conflict, forbidden love affairs, ambiguous wills, mysterious death, heartbreaking loss, and personal and political triumph. Every detail is brought to vivid life in this engaging and astonishing biography of one of the best known, least understood figures in early American life.

Front Jacket

The privileged daughter of an established Tidewater family, a teenage bride to a rich plantation owner more than twice her age, and at twenty-six, a fabulously wealthy widow managing one of the largest land holdings in Virginia, Martha Dandridge Custis could have no inkling that the greatest drama of her life was still decades away.

Prepare to meet one of the best known and least understood figures of the American Revolution as you've never seen her before. Traditionally portrayed as an amiable hostess and the loyal companion of America's greatest hero, Martha Washington emerges in this surprising biography as a complex, intelligent, fiercely capable woman who played a pivotal role in the founding of a nation.

This long overdue reappraisal of America's first first lady explores how "the Widow Custis" met the challenges of running a huge plantation, examines her whirlwind courtship with the young George Washington, and reveals that the status he gained through their marriage was key to his appointment as commander of the Continental Army. Richly flavored with detailed descriptions of the realities of colonial life, Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty also recounts Martha's ceaseless efforts to provide clothing and shelter for the army when the Continental Congress failed to do so.

Author Helen Bryan explores many rarely mentioned aspects of Martha's life, including the mysterious death of her mulatto brother-in-law, her frantic search for an effective treatment for her daughter's epilepsy, and her profound unhappiness during Washington's presidency.

Supplemented with numerous letters and other communications, vivid portraits of the lives of slaves on Virginia plantations, and first-hand accounts of the glittering social life enjoyed by the elite, Martha Washington is must reading for anyone interested in the American Revolution, colonial life, and the true story of one of the most important and remarkable women in American history.

Back Jacket

A contempary anecdote not only confirms that Martha commanded respect in her own right during her lifetime, but also suggests an awkward truth later historians have preferred to ignore-that without Martha and her fortune, George might never have risen to social, military, and political prominence.Toward the end of his life, George Washington, war hero, retired president, and object of universal fame and veneration, was negotiating to purchase a plot of land in the new capital city, to be named in his honor. The seller, an aged veteran of the Revolution, was reluctant to part with the plot, even to so distinguished a purchaser. Washington persisted until the veteran's patience snapped: 'You think people take every grist that comes from you as the pure grain. What would you have been if you hadn't married the Widow Custis!'
-from the Introduction to
Martha Washington: First Lady of Liberty

From the glittering social life of Virginia's wealthiest plantations to the rigors of winter camps during the American Revolution, Martha Washington was a central figure in some of the most important events in American history. Her story is a saga of social conflict, forbidden love affairs, ambiguous wills, mysterious death, heartbreaking loss, and personal and political triumph. Every detail is brought to vivid life in this engaging and astonishing biography of one of the best known, least understood figures in early American life.

Author Biography

HELEN BRYAN was born and has spent much of her life in Virginia; she traces her ancestry to the Revolutionary period, when Martha Washington lived there. She is currently a barrister in London and a member of the Inner Temple.