The short life and strange death of Ambrose Madison
Ambrose Madison was born in the early to mid 1690's in Virginia, the son of John Madison and Isabella Minor Todd. He married Frances Taylor 24 August 1721 in St. Margaret's Parish, Orange, Virginia. She was born about 1700 in Virginia, the daughter of James Taylor and Martha Thompson. They had three children. Ambrose Madison and Frances are the parents of James Madison Sr. and grandparents of President James Madison. Abrose was poisoned by his servants and died on 27 August 1732 in Orange County, Virginia. Following his death, three slaves were convicted of poisoning him, and one was executed for the crime. It was the first time in Virginia that slaves were convicted of killing a planter
Print Book, English, ©2001
Orange County Historical Society, Orange, Va., ©2001