Description John Payne Todd, Dolley Madison s only surviving offspring from her brief first marriage, would always be a privileged and spoiled child.
For too long, countless numbers of historians and Madison biographers have hastily dismissed Payne Todd as a pathetic alcoholic, a petulant ingrate, and a greedy opportunist..
It is small wonder that he was destined to disappoint.
Indeed, Payne was forced to bear the incredible burden of being the only direct heir of two of the seminal figures of the early American republic.
It soon became apparent, though, that Todd could never live up to the Madison s high expectations and aspirations for him.
The 43-year old Virginia Congressman willingly served as a surrogate father to the boy and together they would forever refer to Payne as our son.
In 1794, the recently widowed Dolley married James Madison.
His doting mother appeared oblivious to her son s many faults and may have even been guilty of enabling and encouraging them.
Description John Payne Todd, Dolley Madison s only surviving offspring from her brief first marriage, would always be a privileged and spoiled child
