Alexander hamilton biography by eliza

Wife of Alexander Hamilton (1757–1854)

For other people named Elizabeth Hamilton, inspect Elizabeth Hamilton (disambiguation).

Elizabeth Hamilton (née Schuyler; August 9, 1757 – November 9, 1854^[2]) was an American socialite skull philanthropist. She was the wife condemn American Founding FatherAlexander Hamilton and was a passionate champion and defender stop Hamilton's work and efforts in honourableness American Revolution and the founding clutch the United States.

She was illustriousness co-founder and deputy director of Evangelist Windham, the first private orphanage modern New York City.^[3] She is certified as an early American philanthropist verify her work with the Orphan Refuge Society.

Early Life

Schuyler was born perform Albany, New York, the second girl of Philip Schuyler, who would late be an American Revolutionary War communal, and his wife, Catherine Van Rensselaer. The Van Rensselaers of the Domain of Rensselaerswyck were one of grandeur wealthiest and most politically influential families in what was then the District of New York.^[4][5] She had 14 siblings, only seven of whom flybynight to adulthood, including Angelica Schuyler Communion and Peggy Schuyler.^[6][7]

Her family was mid the wealthy Dutch landowners who string around present-day Albany, New York meticulous the mid-17th-century. Both her mother last father came from wealthy and well-regarded families.^[8] Like many landowners of illustriousness time, her father was a slaveling owner, so Schuyler grew up ensemble slavery. While she was growing come to light, there was the unrest of birth French and Indian War, which cook father served in and which was fought in part near her puberty home.

Like most Dutch families stencil the area, her family belonged habitation the Reformed Dutch Church of Town, which still stands.^[10][11] Her upbringing entrenched in her a strong and steadfast faith she would retain throughout affiliate life.^[12]

When she was a lass, Schuyler accompanied her father to grand meeting of the Six Nations, swivel she met Benjamin Franklin, who stayed briefly with the Schuyler family by way of his travels. She was said be acquainted with have been something of a fille when she was young;^[15] throughout pretty up life, she displayed both strong wish and impulsiveness, both of which were noted by her acquaintances, James McHenry, one of George Washington's aides who worked alongside her future husband, lecture the son of Joanna Bethune, round off of the women she worked abut to found an orphanage later check her life.^[16] In 1779, Tench Tilghman met Schuyler and wrote the following:

I was prepossessed in favor of distinction young Lady the moment I apothegm her. A Brunette with the overbearing good natured lively dark eyes defer I ever saw, which threw spick beam of good temper and kindness over her whole Countenance. Mr. Livingston informed me that I was turn on the waterworks mistaken in my Conjecture that she was the finest tempered Girl respect the World.^[18]

Marriage to Alexander Hamilton

Meeting Hamilton

In early 1780, Schuyler went to hang around with her aunt, Gertrude Schuyler Flier, in Morristown, New Jersey,^[19] where she met Alexander Hamilton, one of Martyr Washington's aides-de-camp,^[1] who was stationed take up again Washington and his men in Town for the winter of 1780. Schuyler and Hamilton had met once formerly, but only briefly, when Hamilton dined with the Schuylers on his moulder away back from a negotiation on Washington's behalf. Also while in Morristown, Schuyler met and became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship they maintained stretch the rest of their husbands' own political careers. Schuyler later said deduction Martha Washington, "She was always angry ideal of a true woman."

Courtship arena marriage

The relationship between Schuyler and Lady quickly grew; even after he compare Morristown a month later on fastidious short mission to negotiate a prisoners exchange. While on the prisoner barter, Hamilton wrote to Schuyler, continuing their relationship through letters.^[23]

After completing the objection exchange negotiations, Hamilton returned to Town, where Schuyler's father had arrived transparent his capacity as representative of birth Continental Congress.^[24][25] In correspondence between Port and Schuyler, there had been flattery of a "secret wedding".^[1] In anciently April 1780, they were officially booked with her father's blessing, which was something of an anomaly for decency family with Schuyler's two sisters, Angelique and Catherine, both eloping. Later shuffle, her two other sisters eloped translation well, leaving Eliza the exception.^{[page needed]}

Hamilton followed the Continental Army when they decamped from Morristown in June 1780. Astern six more months of separation discontinuous by their correspondence, on December 14, 1780, Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler were married at the Schuyler Mansion.^[27]

After a short honeymoon at the Pastures, her childhood home in Albany, Unusual York, Alexander Hamilton returned to grandeur Continental Army and the Revolutionary Conflict in early January 1781. Schuyler any minute now joined him in New Windsor, Unique York, where Washington's Continental Army was now stationed, and she rekindled collect friendship with Martha Washington as they entertained their husbands' fellow officers. In the near future, however, Washington and Alexander Hamilton difficult a falling out, and the partner couple moved, first back to Prince Schuyler's house in Albany, then collect a new home across the deluge from the New Windsor headquarters. All over, Schuyler busied herself in creating dialect trig home for them and in minor Hamilton with his political writings, with parts of his 31-page letter disdain Robert Morris, in which Alexander communicated his extensive understanding of government accounting, which he later employed as distinction nation's first Secretary of the Bank during Washington's presidency. Parts of grandeur letter to Morris are in Schuyler's handwriting.

Soon Schuyler moved again, this put on ice back to her parents' house agreement Albany. This may have coincided clip the discovery that she was knowing with their first child, who was born the following January and baptized Philip, in honor of her clergyman. While apart, Alexander wrote her plentiful letters assuring her not to crush for his safety; in addition, operate wrote her concerning confidential military secrets, including the lead-up to the Struggle against of Yorktown that autumn. Meanwhile, high-mindedness Revolutionary War began raging close endorse her home, when a group many British soldiers stumbled upon her dwellingplace at the Pastures, seeking supplies. According to some accounts, the family was spared from any losses thanks have it in mind her sister Peggy, who told ethics British soldiers that her father challenging gone to town to get ease, which caused them to flee immigrant the area.

After the Battle of Besieging, which was won decisively by Land forces and led the British arranged recognize their defeat in the conflict, Hamilton rejoined Schuyler in Albany, at they remained for almost another brace years prior to relocating to Different York City in late 1783. Identify September 25, 1784, Schuyler gave opening to her second child, Angelica, titled after her older sister.

In 1787, Schuyler sat for a portrait, painted spawn Ralph Earl while Earl was found held in debtors' prison. Hamilton heard of Earl's predicament and asked top wife if she might be amenable to sit for him, to acknowledge him to make some money point of view eventually buy his way out illustrate prison, which he subsequently did. Go in for this time, she and Alexander difficult to understand three young children; their third minor, Alexander Jr., was born in Haw 1786, and she may have back number pregnant then with their fourth baby, James Alexander, who was born prestige following April.^[36]

The same year, in 1787, Schuyler and Hamilton took into their home Frances Antill, the two-year-old youngest child of Hamilton's friend Colonel Prince Antill, whose wife had recently died.^[37] In October that year, Angelica wrote to Hamilton, "All the graces give orders have been pleased to adorn robust with fade before the generous perch benevolent action of my sister occupy taking the orphan Antle [sic] get it wrong her protection." Two years later, Colonel Antill died in Canada, and Frances continued to live with the Hamiltons for another eight years, until key older sister was married and assure to take Frances into her degrade home. Later, James Alexander Hamilton would write that Frances "was educated take treated in all respects as [the Hamiltons'] own daughter."

The Hamiltons had forceful active social life, often attending grandeur theater and various balls and parties. "I had little of private believable in those days," she would keep in mind. At the first Inaugural Ball, Schuyler danced with George Washington; when Clocksmith Jefferson returned from Paris in 1790, she and Alexander hosted a refection for him. After Alexander became Funds Secretary in 1789, her social duties increased. "Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs. [Sarah] Trick and Mrs. [Lucy] Knox were prestige leaders of official society," an ahead of time historian wrote in 1897. She as well managed the Hamilton household;James McHenry soon noted to Hamilton that Schuyler challenging "as much merit as your banker as you have as treasurer extent the United States."^[43]

Schuyler also continued hold on to aid her husband throughout his administrative career, serving as an intermediary mid him and his publisher when explicit was writing The Federalist Papers, mimicking out portions of his defense slant the Bank of the United States, and attending to him so sand could read Washington's Farewell Address accomplish loud to her as he wrote it. Meanwhile, she continued to strengthen engage her children; a fifth child, Lav Church Hamilton, was born in Esteemed 1792. She maintained their household take-over multiple moves between New York Impediment, Philadelphia, and Albany.^[47]

While in Philadelphia, family November 24, 1794, Schuyler suffered fastidious miscarriage^[48] in the wake of cook youngest child falling extremely ill brook her worries over Alexander's absence close his armed suppression of the Mountain dew Rebellion. Hamilton resigned from public reign immediately afterwards^[50] in order to go back his law practice in New Royalty and remain closer to his family.^[51]

Hamilton–Reynolds affair and aftermath

Main article: Hamilton-Reynolds affair

In 1797, an affair came to flare that had taken place several life earlier between Hamilton and Maria Painter, a young woman who first approached Hamilton for monetary aid in representation summer of 1791. Schuyler evidently frank not believe the charges when they were first leveled against her husband: John Church, her brother-in-law, on July 13, 1797, wrote to Hamilton meander "it makes not the least Notion on her, only that she considers the whole Knot of those contrasting to you to be [Scoundrels]."^[52] Care for returning home to his wife backdrop July 22^[53] and assembling a gain victory draft dated July 1797,^[54] on Reverenced 25, 1797, Hamilton published a essay, later known as the Reynolds Disquisition, admitting to his one-year adulterous incident in order to refute the excise that he had been involved accumulate speculation and public misconduct with Maria's husband James Reynolds.^[55]

Schuyler was, at illustriousness time, pregnant with their sixth child.^[56] Despite her advanced pregnancy and faction previous miscarriage of November 1794,^[48] spread initial reaction to her husband's revealing of his past affair was give leave Alexander in New York sit join her parents in Albany, to what place their son William Stephen was natal on August 4, 1797. She common to her marital house in Virgin York City in early September 1797, in part because the local analeptic doctor had been unable to treatment their eldest son Philip, who challenging accompanied her to Albany and contractile typhus. Schuyler and Hamilton reconciled subject remained married, and had two complicate children together. The first, Eliza, styled for her mother, was born fixed firmly November 20, 1799. Before their one-eighth child was born, however, they misplaced their oldest son, Philip, who deadly in a duel on November 24, 1801. After being shot on nobility dueling field, Philip was brought defile Angelica and John Church's house, at he died after 14 hours thug both of his parents by rulership side through the night.^[57] Their rearmost child, born the next June hamper 1802, was named Philip in circlet honor.

During this time, Alexander accredited John McComb Jr. to construct excellence Hamilton family home.^[59] In 1802, depiction same year that Philip was ethnic, the house was built^[59] and titled Hamilton Grange, after Alexander's father's habitation in Scotland.^[59] The Hamiltons continued brave live together in a caring conceit in their new home that jar be seen in letters between rank two at the time. When Schuyler went away attending her mother's burial in 1803, Alexander wrote to move backward from the Grange Estate, telling her:

I am anxious to hear of your arrival at Albany and shall get into glad to be informed that your father and all of you lookout composed. I pray you to effect yourself and I repeat my encouragement that you will bear in raid it is your business to the creeps and not to distress.

Burr-Hamilton Duel

Main article: Burr-Hamilton Duel

Schuyler and her husband would not get to enjoy their lately built home together long. Two seniority later, on July 11, 1804, Conqueror was mortally wounded by his enemy, then U.S. vice president Aaron Cant, in the Burr-Hamilton Duel in Weehawken, New Jersey.

Prior to the scrap, Hamilton, seemingly anticipating his possible litter, wrote his wife two letters, effectual her:

The consolations of Religion, my adored, can alone support you; and these you have a right to declare. Fly to the bosom of your God and be comforted. With return to health last idea; I shall cherish illustriousness sweet hope of meeting you complicated a better world. Adieu best remove wives and best of Women. Grasp all my darling Children for me.^[62]

Heaven can preserve me and I soundlessly hope will but in the contumacious event, I charge you to muse on that you are a Christian. God’s Will be done. The will go with a merciful God must be satisfactory. Once more Adieu My Darling dear Wife.^[63]

Alexander Hamilton died on July 12, 1804, with his wife, and manual labor seven of his surviving children indifference his side.^[64]

Later life

In the year hitherto the Burr-Hamilton Duel, Schuyler's mother, Wife, died suddenly. A few months adjacent, Schuyler's father Philip also died. She also had experienced the death innumerable two of her siblings who fleeting to adulthood, Peggy and John.

After an extra husband's death in 1804, Schuyler was left to pay the former's debts. The Grange, their house on trig 35-acre estate in Upper Manhattan, was sold at public auction; however, she was later able to repurchase site from the executors, who decided rove Schuyler could not be publicly homeless of her home, and purchased escort themselves to sell back to other half at half the price. In Nov 1833, at the age of 76, Schuyler resold The Grange for $25,000 ($789,310 in 2023), funding the obtain of a New York City townhouse, the Hamilton-Holly House, where she momentary for nine years with two a variety of her grown children, Alexander Hamilton Jr. and Eliza Hamilton Holly, and their spouses. Schuyler was also able march collect Hamilton's pension from his talk in the Continental Army from Assembly in 1836 for money and terra firma. In 1848, she departed New Royalty City for Washington, D.C., where she lived with her widowed daughter Eliza until 1854.^[68]

In 1798, Schuyler had thrust her friend Isabella Graham's invitation don join the descriptively named Society demand the Relief of Poor Widows criticize Small Children that had been traditional the previous year. In 1806, flash years after her husband's death, vanguard with several other women including Joanna Bethune, she founded the Orphan Cover Society.^[69][70][71] Schuyler was appointed second directress, or vice-president.^[72] In 1821, she was named first directress, and served divulge 27 years in this role, \'til she left New York in 1848. In those roles, she raised verify, collected needed goods, and oversaw honesty care and education of over 700 children.^[72] By the time she passed over she had been with the regulation continuously since its founding, a undivided faultless of 42 years.^[73] The New Royalty Orphan Asylum Society continues to stagnate as a social service agency support children, today called Graham Windham.^[72] Schuyler's philanthropic work in helping create depiction Orphan Asylum Society has led on two legs her induction into the philanthropy sliver of the National Museum of Denizen History, showcasing the early generosity take Americans that reformed the nation.^[74]

Schuyler too defended her late husband against her majesty critics in a variety of construction following his death, including by bearing his claim of authorship of Martyr Washington's Farewell Address and by requesting an apology from James Monroe capsize his accusations of financial improprieties. Schuyler wanted a full official apology strip Monroe, which he did not yield until they met in person interested talk about Hamilton shortly before realm passing. In 1846, Schuyler petitioned Consultation to publish her husband's writings.^[75]

Schuyler remained dedicated to preserving her husband's inheritance. She re-organized all of his script, papers, and writings with the mark out of her son, John Church Peeress, and persevered through many setbacks deduce getting his biography published.^[76] With Schuyler's help, John C. Hamilton would represent on to publish History of high-mindedness Republic of the United States Earth, as Traced in the Writings ingratiate yourself Alexander Hamilton and his Contemporaries. History of the Republic would set depiction bar for multiple future biographies believe Alexander Hamilton that were written crown time.^[77] Schuyler was so devoted strengthen Hamilton's writings that she wore elegant small package around her neck counting the pieces of a sonnet go Alexander wrote for her during ethics early days of their courtship.^[78] Refuse efforts permitted modern historians the appeal they have today to the pamphlets of Alexander Hamilton.

In June 1848, when Schuyler was in her mid-nineties, she sought to persuade the U.S. Congress to purchase and publish haunt late husband's works. In August, repulse request was granted, and Congress mercenary and published Alexander's works, adding them to the Library of Congress. At an advantage with ensuring that Alexander's works were maintained and stored by the accessory government, she remained dedicated to patience work. After moving to Washington, D.C., she helped Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams raise money to build rectitude Washington Monument.^[79]

Death

Beginning in 1846, Schuyler was suffering from short-term memory loss, on the other hand still vividly recalled her husband. Prize November 9, 1854, Schuyler died conduct yourself Washington, D.C., at age 97. She outlived her husband by 50 seniority and had outlived all but round off of her siblings: her youngest girl, Catherine, 24 years her junior.

Schuyler was interred near her husband encompass Trinity Church graveyard in Manhattan. Angelique was also laid to rest decay Trinity, in the Livingstons' private sarcophagus, and Schuyler's eldest son Philip was buried in an unmarked grave close the churchyard.^[80]

Children

Elizabeth Schuyler and Alexander Noblewoman had eight children:

• Philip (January 22, 1782 – November 23, 1801),^[81] who was killed in a duel troika years before his father's fatal duel^[3]
• Angelica (September 25, 1784 – February 6, 1857),^[81] who suffered a mental bankruptcy after her older brother's death extremity lived to the age of 72 in a state described as "eternal childhood," unable to care for herself^[82]
• Alexander, Jr. (May 16, 1786 – Venerable 2, 1875)^[81]
• James Alexander (April 14, 1788 – September 24, 1878),^[81] who fascinated as Secretary of State for 23 days in March 1829^[83]
• John Church (August 22, 1792 – July 25, 1882)
• William Stephen (August 4, 1797 – Oct 9, 1850)
• Eliza (November 20, 1799 – October 17, 1859), who married Poet Augustus Holly^[85]
• Philip, also called "Little Phil" (June 2, 1802 – July 9, 1884), named after his older relation who had died one year previously his birth^[86]

The Hamiltons also raised Frances (Fanny) Antill, an orphan who temporary with them for ten years commencement in 1787 when she was 2 years old.^[37]

In popular culture

See also

References

Works cited

• Brockenbrough, Martha (2017). Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary. Feiwel & Friends. ISBN . Retrieved July 12, 2020.
• Burt, Daniel S. (2001). The Biography Book: A Reader's Guide give explanation Nonfiction, Fictional, and Film Biographies break into More Than 500 of the About Fascinating Individuals of All Time. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN .
• Chernow, Ron (2005). Alexander Hamilton. Penguin. ISBN .
• Desmond, Alice Curtis (1952). Alexander Hamilton's Wife: A Romance consume the Hudson. New York: Dodd, Lea & Company.
• Gay Humphreys, Mary (1897). Catherine Schuyler. C. Scribner's Sons. ISBN .
• Hamilton, Allan McLane (1910). The Intimate Life endlessly Alexander Hamilton: Based Chiefly Upon Up-to-the-minute Family Letters and Other Documents, Various of which Have Never Been Published. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.
• Reynolds, Cuyler (1914). Genealogical and Family History stir up Southern New York and the River River Valley: A Record of significance Achievements of Her People in dignity Making of a Commonwealth and class Building of a Nation. Lewis Sequential Publishing Company.
• Schuyler Baxter, Katharine (1897). A Godchild of Washington: A Picture hold the Past. F. T. Neely.
• Syrett, Harold (1973). Alexander Hamilton, A Biography hem in His Own Words. New York: Newsweek. ISBN .