In approximately 1824, at the age of 30, Grigory Mikhailovich Stoletov, a son of a merchant, married Alexandra Vasilyevna. She was a daughter of Vasily Fyodorovich Polezhayev, a merchant from the city of Yelatma in Tambov Governorate, and Akulina, his wife. The Polezhayev family had seven children. Alexandra was born in 1806 and was 18 years old in 1824. After their marriage in Vladimir, Alexandra maintained her connections with her parents and often visited her merchant brothers, regularly hosting them at her home.

The entrepreneurial activities of the head of the household, Grigory Stoletov, involved traveling, and therefore, during his absences, Alexandra Stoletova assumed the responsibility of managing her husband’s affairs. However, matters related to financial expenditures were always addressed by the head of household or with his direct involvement.

According to her relatives, Alexandra Stoletova was a kind-hearted, wise, and at the same time dominant and energetic woman. She deeply loved her children, skillfully supervised their studies, inspired in them a love of hard work, and encouraged any good endeavors. Relatives recalled that the family was very loving. Sasha [Alexander] Stoletov’s diaries indicate that he and Varya [Varvara] assisted their mother with planting peppers and jam-making. Varvara and Anna were involved in household chores from an early age, learning how to knit and embroider. Thus, they were introduced to the responsibilities of a housewife.

In a merchant family, studying was also considered hard work. Alexandra Stoletova fully understood the significance of education, and under her guidance, her children became very accomplished. At a relatively young age of four and a half, the mother taught the children the alphabet. She personally prepared her sons for gymnasium entrance exams.

The Stoletov merchant family, thanks largely to the efforts of Alexandra Stoletova, retained traditional patriarchal values, yet it was also an enlightened household. The adult children preserved affectionate feelings for their mother throughout their lives, and she referred to them as “little boys” until the end. Alexandra Stoletova passed away on May 18, 1889, and was buried at the Prince Vladimir Cemetery next to her late husband.