From the beginning, the role of ‘First Lady’ was defined by Martha Washington as basically the offical hostess of the Presidency. As such, her role was publicly acknowledged as being special, and semi-official (although George Washington insisted on paying his own way as President even for quasi-official social events). Martha Washington was very famous, and she kept very regular visiting hours while President George Washington presided in New York city. It was noted that, while she was a gracious hostess, she was formal and frankly dull and not an intellectual. She was like America's First Grandmother, which fit perfectly with the public's view of the kind of wife George Washington should have.

Abigail Adams is still considered one of the most influential First Ladies - in terms of her marriage partnership with her husband John Adams, and in terms of the information she documented in her diaries and letters. She was an intellectual equal and confidant of many of the 'Great Men' of her times, including many foreign dignitaries and Thomas Jefferson. However the Adams' were not heavy party people in an age where drinking was America's Pastime; alcoholism ran in the Adams' family and one of President Adams' son was ruined by alcohol. Plus both John and Abigail were wounded and offended at the personal attacks and back-stabbing that was part of the political climate in Washington, alienating them from both Whigs and the Democrat-Republicans alike, including Hamilton and their old friend Jefferson. Even Abigail herself was brought into derision by John Adams' political enemies. So during the time she was First Lady, Abigail Adams' popularity was not as big as it has been in later times.

Jefferson was a widower when he was President. His daughter served the role as First Lady. However the wife of his Vice President, Dolly Madison, also served as a frequent hostess at the White House when Jefferson was in office.

Dolly Madison in turn became one of the most prominent and well-liked First Ladies ever. Dolly Madison was the social opposite of her curmudgeonly husband James Madison. She was vivacious, dressed in the most outrageous and avant-garde fashions from France (including the scandalous low-cut blouses popular then), and regularly threw huge parties that were the life blood of the very new city of Washington, D.C., and are still famous to this day. Dolly was idolized for her bravery in the face of the British invasion of Washington: she risked being captured and was one of the last people to flee in the darkness of night from (what we now call) the White House, saving a famous portrait of George Washington that she personally took with her in her carriage, preventing it from being burned by the British soldiers. Later in life she helped James Madison prepare and sell his memoirs, which are a key resource in documenting the events that occurred during the Constitutional Convention.

Dolly Madison's time as First Lady was an early high-water mark as far as public fame and prominence of First Ladies went. Monroe's wife Elizabeth was possibly mentally ill and she was very unpopular; Louisa Adams was very intelligent and was perhaps a bit like her Mother-In-Law Abigail Adams; however the John Quincy Adams Presidency was very unpopular. Andrew Jackson's wife Rachel died before he took office; and ironically the first Jackson term was severely hampered by vicious bickering among the wives of his cabinet members.

I could go on, but I think I have strayed far from 'the beginning'....

Sources: "Washington" by Ron Chernow; "John Adams" by David McCullough; "Thomas Jefferson: The Art Of Power" by Jon Meacham; "James Madison - A Life Reconsidered", by Lynne Cheney; "John Quincy Adams", by Harlow Giles Unger; "Andrew Jackson: His Life And Times" - by H. W. Brands.