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Martha Dandridge Custis Washington

Martha in gown
Young Martha Dandridge Custis Washington in split blue gown with golden petticoat.

We had a wonderful talk today about George Washington. I think one of the saddest and strangest thing about the Washingtons, is that we see George as the hero on horseback, the man who won the Revolution for the Americans. A great rider, dancer… all around hero, married to a an old lady in a mop cap, although if you look, it is a pretty cap.

 

A-composite-image-of-Martha Washington

Some time ago it occurred to the historians at Mt. Vernon, the Washington home in Virginia, that they had no youthful portrait of Martha. Only the ones painted after her death from sketches. So, with the help of the forensics experts from the FBI, hair color from her daughter and the description of a dark blue gown in a letter and her over the top beautiful wedding shoes, an artist constructed this wonderful portrait. They wanted to rescue her from old-ladyhood, and they have.

Martha Dandridge Custis Washington
This is clearly a woman with whom a romantic hero could fall in love.