James Madison, Sr.

Biography

James Madison, Sr. (1723–1801) was a Virginia planter whose life encompassed the colonial period, the American Revolution, and the early years of the United States. As a landowner and agricultural entrepreneur, he participated in the economic life of Virginia during a transformative era in American history.

Madison's long life of seventy-eight years provided him with the opportunity to witness the birth of the nation and the establishment of its early institutions. His burial at Montpelier, the family estate, reflects his deep roots in Virginia's planter class and his significance to the region's history.