James Madison, Jr. was born near Port Conway, Virginia on March 16, 1751, his grandparents house. Madison was the oldest of twelve children, seven boys and two girls. Three of his brothers died as small children. Also in the summer of 1775, his sister Elizabeth and brother Ruben, died of dysentery from contaminated water. James Madison, Sr., his father, was a tobacco planter and farmed an inherited plantation in Virginia. Later he owned over 5,000 acres of land and many slaves. His mother Nelly Conway Madison, was the daughter of a plantation owner and tobacco merchant.
When Madison was from ages 11-16, he went to study under Donald Robertson, a Scottish tutor who educated plantation families. Madison was educated of modern and ancient languages, mathematics, and geography, he became very fond of the Latin language. At the age of 16, he went back to his plantation home in Virginia, for a two-year class in preparation for college. Madison attended New Jersey University, now Princeton University. The other Virginians went to the College of William and Mary, there there was mosquitoes which transmitted disease and Madison was very cautious of his health. Madison graduated with all of his studies (Latin, Greek, science, geography, mathematics, rhetoric, and philosophy) in 1771. After graduation Madison continued to study Hebrew and political philosophic. He didn't want to have law as his profession even when he studied it. Madison also helped institute the American Whig Society, in the rivalry of a peer Aaron Burr.
This is where Montpelier, his tobacco plantation, in Virginia is located on a map. The red balloon displays this.