42:
166:(20 February 1778 – 7 June 1844) was an American writer and political commentator in the early Republic of the United States, a time when women generally lived within strict gender roles. Her writings and relationships shaped both politics and society in the capital of early Washington, DC. Her literary reputation is based primarily on a collection of her letters and notebooks written from 1800 to 1841, and published posthumously in 1906 as
327:'s history of Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet showed how important women were to political life in Washington. Most notably, the Smith couple became frequent guests at the Jefferson White House. Margaret Smith used her nearly unlimited access to political figures and inside knowledge of Washington to become an authority on Washington politics and the shaping of the new republic.
353:
in the summer of 1809, during the first year of his presidency. She was aware of the state of the nation and understood that the citizenry was in need of reassurance regarding the president's leadership. Her commentary during her summer trip firmly established
Jefferson's legacy as president, as well
241:
Her father's twin brother, Dr. James
Asheton Bayard (1738–1770), married her mother's sister, Ann Hodge. They had three children together, but both parents died when the children were young. The three orphans were raised by John and Margaret Bayard, and were part of their large household. One was
322:
As a woman, her role in the new republic was expected to be exclusively domestic. Margaret Smith used this expectation to her advantage by quickly immersing herself in
Washington life: befriending local families and politicians, and strengthening her relationships with previous acquaintances.
330:
She wrote numerous letters to her sisters, and sisters-in-law, which are considered insightful about the political landscape of
Washington. Her letters were the first step in establishing herself as a legitimate political thinker. The information in her letters was later published in the
258:(1772–1845), her second cousin, on 29 September 1800. That year they moved to Washington, DC, the new capital where the government had relocated. Soon after the birth of their first child in 1801, the family bought a farm, Turkey Thicket, three miles from town (land that is now part of
381:
Through her son, Margaret Bayard Smith was the grandmother of John Henley Smith (c. 1844–1907), who married
Rebecca Young; Samuel Harrison Smith, who married Alice Hall; and Bayard Thornton Smith (b. 1857), who married Eleanor J. Hyde (d. 1929) (the daughter of
219:(1797–1878). Her mother died in 1780, when Margaret was a toddler. Her father remarried to Mary (née Grant) Hodgson (d. 1785), a widow of John Hodgson of South Carolina. She died in 1785. John Bayard married again to Johannah White (d. 1834), sister of General
303:
After moving to
Washington in 1800, Margaret Smith and her husband became quickly part of the political and social elite, a political power couple. Samuel Smith established the first newspaper in Washington City, the
362:, Smith keenly observed Dolley's hospitality and her political performance as the wife of the President. The ease of Dolley's entertaining became her trademark, and Smith wrote about it in great detail.
335:
and finally collected in a 1906 memoir under her name, which was edited and published posthumously. It was more a political and social exploration of
Washington than a description of her own life.
758:
A History and
Genealogy of the Families of Bayard, Houstoun of Georgia: And the Descent of the Bolton Family from Assheton, Byron and Hulton of Hulton Park, by Joseph Gaston Baillie Bulloch ...
365:
Margaret Bayard Smith reassured the public through her writings that the government was in good hands. She accomplished this at a time when most women were confined to more domestic roles.
826:
American
Ancestry: Giving the Name and Descent, In The Male Line, of, Americans Whose Ancestors Settled in the United States Previous to the Declaration of Independence A.D. 1776., Vol. IX
976:
413:"The first forty years of Washington society, portrayed by the family letters of Mrs. Samuel Harrison Smith (Margaret Bayard) from the collection of her grandson, J. Henley Smith"
522:
383:
1039:
584:
The Life of George
Dashiell Bayard: Late Captain, U. S. A., and Brigadier-general of Volunteers, Killed in the Battle of Fredericksburg, Dec., 1862
784:
728:
272:
Jonathan Bayard Harrison Smith (1810–1889). He became a lawyer in the capital and married Henrietta Elizabeth Henley in 1842, daughter of Com.
824:
489:
207:(1738–1807) and the former Margaret Hodge (1740–1780). At the time of her birth during the Revolutionary War, her father was serving with
641:
311:
When Jefferson took office as president, his administration awarded Smith a government contract to print the House of Representatives'
259:
798:
705:
592:
555:
41:
695:
339:
I am a woman. And society says, 'Thus far and no further thou come'—Why then has nature given me a mind so active and enquiring?
886:(2012). "Margaret Bayard Smith's 1809 Journey to Monticello and Montpelier: The Politics of Performance in the Early Republic".
255:
99:
293:
315:
Margaret Smith's ability to write about her observations made her an ideal partner for her husband. She often wrote for the
545:
355:
582:
790:
756:
497:
852:
235:
1008:
243:
231:
149:
1034:
306:
234:. She later "read widely in the classics, sciences, and literature while living with a married sister in
204:
137:
1029:
1024:
786:
A Civil War Soldier of Christ and Country: The Selected Correspondence of John Rodgers Meigs, 1859-64
324:
220:
238:." Their father and stepmother had also settled in New Brunswick; he was elected as mayor in 1790.
968:
615:
911:
903:
349:
Her skill and enduring legacy is expressed in her writings on presidents Thomas Jefferson and on
1004:
794:
701:
649:
588:
551:
208:
48:
969:"Margaret Bayard Smith's Account of Madison's Inauguration and Ball, [4 March 1809]"
895:
883:
830:
616:"Margaret Bayard Smith's Account of Madison's Inauguration and Ball, [4 March 1809]"
289:
227:
181:(1825). She also wrote several biographical profiles, including one of her close friend
439:
359:
273:
182:
1018:
915:
350:
216:
154:
648:. University of Pennsylvania University Archives and Records Center. Archived from
642:"John Bubenheim Bayard (1738-1807), University of Pennsylvania University Archives"
297:
212:
200:
74:
464:
319:
and other publications, most often anonymously, but sometimes under her own name.
730:
Dictionary of American Biography: Including Men of the Time ... and a Supplement
17:
899:
288:
Samuel Smith was already a well-known editor and publisher who befriended
173:
Smith began writing books in the 1820s: a two-volume novel in 1824 called
929:
907:
387:
444:. New-York: E. Bliss and E. White | Clayton & Van Norden, Printers
697:
A Stitch in Time: The Needlework of Aging Women in Antebellum America
412:
262:). They renamed the farm Sidney. Together, they were the parents of:
354:
as shaping his image as "the Sage of Monticello." While visiting
490:"Margaret Bayard Smith (Smith, Margaret Bayard, 1778-1844)"
958:, ed. Hunt, Gailliard. New York: Scribner, 1906, page 10
441:
A Winter in Washington; Or, Memoirs of the Seymour Family
175:
A Winter in Washington, or Memoirs of the Seymour Family,
300:, Pennsylvania when it served as the temporary capital.
977:
National Historical Publications and Records Commission
853:"Margaret Bayard Smith | Thomas Jefferson's Monticello"
819:
817:
199:
Margaret Bayard was born on 20 February 1778 in rural
386:(1819–1890), an early settler elected in 1882 as the
187:
National Portrait Gallery of Distinguished Americans
547:
Princetonians, 1776-1783: A Biographical Dictionary
145:
133:
125:
93:
81:
56:
32:
203:, the seventh of eight children born to Colonel
337:
750:
748:
539:
537:
689:
687:
530:. New York City: New-York Historical Society.
8:
778:
776:
576:
574:
956:The First Forty Years of Washington Society
678:The First Forty Years of Washington Society
373:Margaret Bayard Smith died on 7 June 1844.
246:. He later became a lawyer and politician.
168:The First Forty Years of Washington Society
516:
514:
115:
40:
29:
680:. New York: Fredrick Ungar Publishing Co.
463:Smith, Margaret Bayard (1 January 1828).
671:
669:
667:
411:Gaillard, Hunt; Bayard Smith, Margaret.
292:when they both acted as officers of the
833:: Joel Munsell's Sons, Publishers. 1894
755:Bulloch, Joseph Gaston Baillie (1919).
403:
999:Mayo, Lida. "Smith, Margaret Bayard",
544:Harrison, Richard A. (July 14, 2014).
878:
876:
874:
465:"What is gentility? A moral tale ..."
7:
622:. National Archives. 18 January 2019
215:. One of her first cousins was Rev.
1040:19th-century American women writers
694:Newell, Aimee E. (March 15, 2014).
279:Anna Maria Harrison Smith (b. 1811)
254:At age 22, Margaret Bayard married
226:Margaret Bayard was educated at a
25:
358:, the Virginia home of James and
936:. Histories of the National Mall
676:Smith, Margaret Bayard (1965) .
859:. Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia
521:Smith, Margaret Bayard (2016).
438:Bayard Smith, Margaret (1824).
111:
550:. Princeton University Press.
294:American Philosophical Society
269:Susan Harrison Smith (b. 1804)
266:Julia Harrison Smith (b. 1801)
1:
494:onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu
791:University of Illinois Press
783:Meigs, John Rodgers (2006).
581:Bayard, Samuel John (1862).
524:Women and the American Story
170:, edited by Gaillard Hunt.
27:American writer (1778–1844)
1056:
498:University of Pennsylvania
700:. Ohio University Press.
419:. The Library of Congress
236:New Brunswick, New Jersey
39:
1009:Harvard University Press
954:Smith, Margaret Bayard.
733:. Houghton; Osgood. 1879
1001:Notable American Women.
930:"Margaret Bayard Smith"
232:Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
150:James Asheton Bayard II
888:Early American Studies
646:www.archives.upenn.edu
347:
47:Portrait of Smith, by
973:founders.archives.gov
900:10.1353/eam.2012.0004
344:Margaret Bayard Smith
274:John Dandridge Henley
256:Samuel Harrison Smith
205:John Bubenheim Bayard
164:Margaret Bayard Smith
138:John Bubenheim Bayard
100:Samuel Harrison Smith
34:Margaret Bayard Smith
325:Doris Kearns Goodwin
221:Anthony Walton White
189:, published in 1836.
761:J. H. Dony, Printer
390:of San Francisco).
307:Daily Intelligencer
260:Catholic University
250:Marriage and family
230:boarding school in
857:www.monticello.org
179:What is Gentility?
1005:The Belknap Press
1003:Vol. 3, 4th ed.,
884:Allgor, Catherine
333:Richmond Enquirer
209:George Washington
161:
160:
71:February 20, 1778
49:Charles Bird King
16:(Redirected from
1047:
988:
987:
985:
983:
965:
959:
952:
946:
945:
943:
941:
926:
920:
919:
880:
869:
868:
866:
864:
849:
843:
842:
840:
838:
831:Albany, New York
821:
812:
811:
809:
807:
780:
771:
770:
768:
766:
752:
743:
742:
740:
738:
725:
719:
718:
716:
714:
691:
682:
681:
673:
662:
661:
659:
657:
652:on 23 April 2018
638:
632:
631:
629:
627:
612:
606:
605:
603:
601:
578:
569:
568:
566:
564:
541:
532:
531:
529:
518:
509:
508:
506:
504:
486:
480:
479:
477:
475:
460:
454:
453:
451:
449:
435:
429:
428:
426:
424:
408:
345:
290:Thomas Jefferson
119:
117:
113:
88:
70:
68:
44:
30:
21:
1055:
1054:
1050:
1049:
1048:
1046:
1045:
1044:
1015:
1014:
991:
981:
979:
967:
966:
962:
953:
949:
939:
937:
934:mallhistory.org
928:
927:
923:
882:
881:
872:
862:
860:
851:
850:
846:
836:
834:
823:
822:
815:
805:
803:
801:
782:
781:
774:
764:
762:
754:
753:
746:
736:
734:
727:
726:
722:
712:
710:
708:
693:
692:
685:
675:
674:
665:
655:
653:
640:
639:
635:
625:
623:
620:Founders Online
614:
613:
609:
599:
597:
595:
580:
579:
572:
562:
560:
558:
543:
542:
535:
527:
520:
519:
512:
502:
500:
488:
487:
483:
473:
471:
462:
461:
457:
447:
445:
437:
436:
432:
422:
420:
410:
409:
405:
396:
379:
371:
346:
343:
286:
252:
244:James A. Bayard
197:
153:
140:
121:
109:
105:
102:
86:
77:
72:
66:
64:
63:
62:
61:Margaret Bayard
52:
35:
28:
23:
22:
18:Margaret Bayard
15:
12:
11:
5:
1053:
1051:
1043:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
1017:
1016:
1013:
1012:
996:
995:
990:
989:
960:
947:
921:
870:
844:
813:
799:
772:
744:
720:
706:
683:
663:
633:
607:
593:
570:
556:
533:
510:
481:
468:hathitrust.org
455:
430:
402:
401:
400:
395:
392:
378:
375:
370:
367:
360:Dolley Madison
341:
285:
282:
281:
280:
277:
270:
267:
251:
248:
196:
193:
183:Dolley Madison
159:
158:
147:
143:
142:
141:Margaret Hodge
135:
131:
130:
127:
123:
122:
107:
103:
98:
97:
95:
91:
90:
89:(aged 66)
83:
79:
78:
73:
60:
58:
54:
53:
45:
37:
36:
33:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1052:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1035:Bayard family
1033:
1031:
1028:
1026:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1010:
1006:
1002:
998:
997:
993:
992:
978:
974:
970:
964:
961:
957:
951:
948:
935:
931:
925:
922:
917:
913:
909:
905:
901:
897:
893:
889:
885:
879:
877:
875:
871:
858:
854:
848:
845:
832:
828:
827:
820:
818:
814:
802:
800:9780252030765
796:
792:
788:
787:
779:
777:
773:
760:
759:
751:
749:
745:
732:
731:
724:
721:
709:
707:9780821444757
703:
699:
698:
690:
688:
684:
679:
672:
670:
668:
664:
651:
647:
643:
637:
634:
621:
617:
611:
608:
596:
594:9780795005534
590:
586:
585:
577:
575:
571:
559:
557:9781400856534
553:
549:
548:
540:
538:
534:
526:
525:
517:
515:
511:
499:
495:
491:
485:
482:
470:. P. Thompson
469:
466:
459:
456:
443:
442:
434:
431:
418:
414:
407:
404:
398:
397:
393:
391:
389:
385:
376:
374:
368:
366:
363:
361:
357:
352:
351:James Madison
340:
336:
334:
328:
326:
320:
318:
317:Intelligencer
314:
310:
308:
301:
299:
295:
291:
283:
278:
275:
271:
268:
265:
264:
263:
261:
257:
249:
247:
245:
239:
237:
233:
229:
224:
223:(1750–1803).
222:
218:
217:Charles Hodge
214:
210:
206:
202:
194:
192:
191:
188:
184:
180:
176:
171:
169:
165:
156:
155:Charles Hodge
151:
148:
144:
139:
136:
132:
128:
124:
101:
96:
92:
84:
80:
76:
59:
55:
51:
50:
43:
38:
31:
19:
1000:
980:. Retrieved
972:
963:
955:
950:
938:. Retrieved
933:
924:
894:(1): 30–68.
891:
887:
861:. Retrieved
856:
847:
835:. Retrieved
825:
804:. Retrieved
785:
763:. Retrieved
757:
735:. Retrieved
729:
723:
711:. Retrieved
696:
677:
654:. Retrieved
650:the original
645:
636:
624:. Retrieved
619:
610:
598:. Retrieved
583:
561:. Retrieved
546:
523:
501:. Retrieved
493:
484:
472:. Retrieved
467:
458:
446:. Retrieved
440:
433:
421:. Retrieved
416:
406:
380:
372:
364:
348:
338:
332:
329:
321:
316:
312:
305:
302:
298:Philadelphia
287:
253:
240:
225:
213:Valley Forge
201:Pennsylvania
198:
190:
186:
178:
174:
172:
167:
163:
162:
87:(1844-06-07)
85:June 7, 1844
75:Pennsylvania
46:
1030:1844 deaths
1025:1778 births
384:George Hyde
377:Descendants
296:, based in
1019:Categories
587:. Putnam.
394:References
356:Montpelier
195:Early life
67:1778-02-20
916:144979358
146:Relatives
134:Parent(s)
982:17 March
940:17 March
908:23546681
863:17 March
837:17 March
806:17 March
765:16 March
737:17 March
713:17 March
656:17 March
600:17 March
563:16 March
503:17 March
474:17 March
448:17 March
423:17 March
342:—
313:Journal.
228:Moravian
185:for the
157:(cousin)
152:(cousin)
126:Children
994:Sources
626:9 April
417:loc.gov
388:Alcalde
120:
108:
104:
1011:, 1975
914:
906:
797:
704:
591:
554:
284:Career
114:
94:Spouse
912:S2CID
904:JSTOR
528:(PDF)
399:Notes
369:Death
118:)
110:(
106:
984:2017
942:2017
865:2017
839:2017
808:2017
795:ISBN
767:2017
739:2017
715:2017
702:ISBN
658:2017
628:2019
602:2017
589:ISBN
565:2017
552:ISBN
505:2017
476:2017
450:2017
425:2017
177:and
116:1800
82:Died
57:Born
1007:of
896:doi
211:at
1021::
975:.
971:.
932:.
910:.
902:.
892:10
890:.
873:^
855:.
829:.
816:^
793:.
789:.
775:^
747:^
686:^
666:^
644:.
618:.
573:^
536:^
513:^
496:.
492:.
415:.
112:m.
986:.
944:.
918:.
898::
867:.
841:.
810:.
769:.
741:.
717:.
660:.
630:.
604:.
567:.
507:.
478:.
452:.
427:.
309:.
276:.
129:4
69:)
65:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
