Bicentennial of the War of 1812 and Dolly Madison

Today is the bicentennial of the War of 1812. It seems like only yesterday it was the bicentennial of the Revolution! Has it only been 36 years? In 1812 James Madison was president and his wife remembered now for a brand of snack cakes was first lady.
Dolly has a great story though. She was raised a Quaker and married at the old maid age of 22 in 1790. Dolly was living a nice life in Philadelphia when her husband died. She was a widow with a young son. Dolly's sister had married well. She was married to George Washington's cousin. Dolly hung with a good crowd. In those days the Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia as it was the center of American civilization. There was Dolly. James Madison was a member of the Continental Congress from Virginia. He was a friend of man about town Aaron Burr (yes that Aaron Burr) who happened to know (?) Dolly. James Madison arranged an introduction to the dynamic Dolly and Bob's your uncle she is Dolly Madison. James, Dolly and her son who for one reason or another was called Todd even though his name was Payne were off to the Madison Plantation in Virginia. And in the course of human events James Madison was elected President of the United States of America. He and Dolly moved to Washington DC. Washington in those days was a dump not unlike it was in the 1976. Dolly was appalled but sallied forth. The White House was relatively new and more or less unfurnished. The previous presidents had brought their own gear and took it when they left. Dolly had a big house and no furniture. She needed chairs and stuff. Dolly was able to weedle a few bucks out of Congress and buy some bits and pieces. There were a bunch of good paintings too. Then all of a sudden Dolly's lovely life was altered a bit. The War of 1812 started on June 18, 1812. The next thing she knows the British were attacking Washington. The cheek! Not only did they attack Washington the went after the White House. Dolly got wind and had enough time to pack a few things including a painting of George Washington. Out the door Dolly and the father of the country ran. Dolly was the only First Lady to have to flee the White House if you don't count Pat Nixon.
Well we won and Dolly was left with a burned out presidential mansion. Dolly persevered.
Dolly's son "Todd" was her true cross to bear. He was one of the original spoiled White House kids. He never really did anything right and did most things wrong. He was a pill.
James Madison died and well Dolly thought they had money. Surprise Dolly you don't. You are 52 have no money and a putz of a son. All Dolly had was Madison's Plantation and a douche of a son. She did the logical illogical thing and let her son run the estate while she went back to her friends in Washington. I think you can see where we are going with this. Things just didn't go well. Todd squandered (drank) away his mother's livelihood. Dolly finally had to sell the land and house. All she had was the contents of the house and John Madison's papers. Well those also had to go.
Dolly was more or less destitute and lived the end of her years in Washington. She was a First Lady so she had respect and position. She went to all the parties but always wore the same dress as it was all she had. Dolly lived to be 81, dying in 1849.
Dolly was tough she deserves a snack cake to be named after her!