On this day in 1802, the first first lady, Martha Washington, that is, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington dies. Martha was twice widowed and outlived all four of her children.

Her son John Parke Custis, aka Jacky, wrote this comforting consolation to his mother after his little sister, also named Martha, died:
“I am confident she enjoys that Bliss prepar’d only for the Good & virtuous, let these considerations, My dear Mother have their due weight with you…”

Look for consolation

Nevertheless, Martha herself wrote this just one month after the death of her husband George:

“When the mind is deeply afflicted by those irreparable losses which are incident to humanity, the good Christian will submit without repining to the dispensations of divine Providence, and look for consolation to that Being who alone can pour balm into the bleeding heart, and who has promised to be the widow’s God.”

Also, the inscription pictured immediately below is in the tomb of George and Martha Washington:

This is photograph of Martha Washington’s Bible, in which she wrote her name several times: