THOMASVILLE- The April meeting of the Thomasville Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) featured a visit by Martha Washington as portrayed by Carol Russell. She was introduced by Chapter Regent Shelba Sellers.

Russell has a BS degree from Georgia Southern University and a master’s degree from the University of Georgia. She taught high school math and science, served as a junior high school counselor and as a middle school administrator. Russell joined DAR in 2001 and served as Librarian and Regent of the Sukey Hart Chapter DAR in Warner Robins. After moving to Brunswick, she served as Past Regent and Regent of the Brunswick Chapter DAR. She has also served as State Librarian and participated in various state committees.

Dressed in period attire, Russell spoke in first person as Martha Washington and gave a captivating program about her early life, first marriage and transition to becoming the first ‘First Lady’ of the United States. Martha was born June 2, 1731 in New Kent County, Virginia on her parent’s small plantation. John and Frances Dandridge had eight children and Martha was the oldest. She learned to read and write at an early age and would read the Bible daily. At the age of 18, she met wealthy planter Daniel P. Custis at church. He was almost twice her age. About six months later, they married and moved to his large plantation called White House. They were very happy and had four children. She said that two of her children and her husband died within a few years of each other from a throat infection. She became a widow with two small children to care for. After a period of mourning, Martha decided that she could run the family plantation. The property was divided up with Martha and her two children each receiving one third of the estate.

She said that one day a young hero in the French and Indian War named George Washington came to her door. Martha and her children liked him. He asked her to marry him and this marriage made him a wealthy landowner. They lived at Martha’s White House plantation and George liked being a farmer. However, he wanted to move back to Mount Vernon, the home he owned with about 800 acres. It was much smaller than her White House so Martha asked George to make his home larger, to add a portico to the front and plant gardens for vegetables and herbs. He agreed to do that and they moved to Mount Vernon.

Washington was elected to the Virginia Assembly and was selected to represent Virginia at the Continental Congress. Then conversations began of a Revolutionary War because the citizens didn’t want to be part of the British Empire anymore. It was decided that an army was needed and the Congress selected George to be the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army since he had military experience. Martha split time between home and military camps with George. She asked the plantation workers to make woolen yarn and they made scarves, hats, gloves and socks. Martha would give these items to the soldiers in the Continental Army since the Continental Congress didn’t allocate money for their uniforms. She helped to prevent desertion by reading to the soldiers, writing letters, and mending. She even spent the dreaded winter at Valley Forge. The Revolutionary War lasted eight years.

After the war, George and Martha went home to Mount Vernon. Then Congress elected George as the first President for the next four years and they lived in New York City. Martha didn’t like New York since it was too far from her family in Virginia. George got reelected President and the seat of government was moved to Philadelphia.

Martha said when George was first elected President, she wondered what they would call her. She suggested ‘Lady Washington.’ She became the first ‘First Lady’ and said it was an interesting job. There were no rules set up to follow. She would entertain heads of state from other countries and also talk to people that visited, which she enjoyed.

George and Martha never had any children of their own. Martha said her daughter Martha ‘Patsy’ from her previous marriage developed epilepsy and died from a severe seizure. Her son John ‘Jacky’ was described as irresponsible by George. He was sent to boarding school and after Patsy’s death, he returned home with his new wife. They lived with George and Martha and had four children. John died of dysentery while serving as an aide to General Washington during the Siege of Yorktown. Martha and George adopted John’s two youngest children, daughter Nelly and son Washy (George Washington Custis) after his widow remarried and moved West of the Allegheny.

Martha said one day George decided to go out and survey their property and it started raining and then sleeting. He was dressed in wool clothes. When he returned home, he was almost a block of ice and developed the croup and died. She never went in their bedroom again after his death. Russell ended her program as Martha by saying, “But I want you to know, if you come to Northern Virginia, come to see us. We’re both there.”

The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 190,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world’s largest and most active service organizations. More than one million women have joined the DAR since it was founded. To learn more about today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org. For information about the Thomasville Chapter DAR, visit chapters.georgiastatedar.org/thomasville/ or facebook.com/ThomasvilleChapterNSDAR.