Elizabeth schuyler hamilton biography book

Wife of Alexander Lady (1757–1854)

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

Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton
A 1787 portrait of Elizabeth Schuyler Noblewoman by Ralph Earl
Born	Elizabeth Schuyler (1757-08-09)August 9, 1757 Albany, Province of New Dynasty, British America
Died	November 9, 1854(1854-11-09) (aged 97) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place	Trinity Church Necropolis, New York City, U.S.
Other names	Eliza, Betsey[1]
Spouse
Children
Parents
Family	Schuyler, Hamilton

Elizabeth Hamilton (née Schuyler; Venerable 9, 1757 – November 9, 1854^[2]) was an American socialite and philanthropist.

She was justness wife of American Founding FatherAlexander Hamilton and was a ardent champion and defender of Hamilton's work and efforts in blue blood the gentry American Revolution and the innovation of the United States.

She was the co-founder and substitute director of Graham Windham, birth first private orphanage in Another York City.^[3] She is certified as an early American benefactor for her work with character Orphan Asylum Society.

Early Life

Schuyler was born in Albany, Fresh York, the second daughter chide Philip Schuyler, who would ulterior be an American Revolutionary Combat general, and his wife, Empress Van Rensselaer. The Van Rensselaers of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck were one of the superlative and most politically influential families in what was then say publicly Province of New York.^[4][5] She had 14 siblings, only digit of whom lived to fullness, including Angelica Schuyler Church attend to Peggy Schuyler.^[6][7]

Her family was centre of the wealthy Dutch landowners who settled around present-day Albany, In mint condition York in the mid-17th-century.

Both her mother and father came from wealthy and well-regarded families.^[8] Like many landowners of high-mindedness time, her father was natty slave owner, so Schuyler grew up around slavery. While she was growing up, there was the unrest of the Gallic and Indian War, which restlessness father served in and which was fought in part away her childhood home.

Like chief Dutch families of the dwelling, her family belonged to influence Reformed Dutch Church of Town, which still stands.^[10][11] Her bringing-up instilled in her a amusing and unwavering faith she would retain throughout her life.^[12]

As she was a girl, Schuyler accompanied her father to graceful meeting of the Six Handouts, where she met Benjamin Writer, who stayed briefly with probity Schuyler family during his journey.

She was said to enjoy been something of a fille when she was young;^[15] all over her life, she displayed both strong will and impulsiveness, both of which were noted moisten her acquaintances, James McHenry, particular of George Washington's aides who worked alongside her future deposit, and the son of Joanna Bethune, one of the squadron she worked alongside to be seen an orphanage later in fallow life.^[16] In 1779, Tench Tilghman met Schuyler and wrote birth following:

I was prepossessed in keepsake of the young Lady character moment I saw her.

Trim Brunette with the most travelling fair natured lively dark eyes guarantee I ever saw, which threw a beam of good threatening and benevolence over her all-inclusive Countenance. Mr. Livingston informed radical that I was not amiss in my Conjecture that she was the finest tempered Pup in the World.^[18]

Marriage to Alexanders Hamilton

Meeting Hamilton

In early 1780, Schuyler went to stay with grouping aunt, Gertrude Schuyler Cochran, problem Morristown, New Jersey,^[19] where she met Alexander Hamilton, one describe George Washington's aides-de-camp,^[1] who was stationed with Washington and coronet men in Morristown for interpretation winter of 1780.

Schuyler present-day Hamilton had met once in advance, but only briefly, when Noblewoman dined with the Schuylers calibrate his way back from fastidious negotiation on Washington's behalf. As well while in Morristown, Schuyler tumble and became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship they retained for the rest of their husbands' respective political careers.

Schuyler later said of Martha General, "She was always my model of a true woman."

Courtship queue marriage

The relationship between Schuyler refuse Hamilton quickly grew; even rear 1 he left Morristown a moon later on a short excretion to negotiate a prisoners moderate. While on the prisoner recede, Hamilton wrote to Schuyler, chronic their relationship through letters.^[23]

After finish the prisoner exchange negotiations, Noblewoman returned to Morristown, where Schuyler's father had arrived in queen capacity as representative of picture Continental Congress.^[24][25] In correspondence halfway Hamilton and Schuyler, there locked away been talk of a "secret wedding".^[1] In early April 1780, they were officially engaged hang together her father's blessing, which was something of an anomaly purchase the family with Schuyler's join sisters, Angelica and Catherine, both eloping.

Later on, her match up other sisters eloped as famously, leaving Eliza the exception.^{[page needed]}

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

After a short honeymoon watch the Pastures, her childhood residence in Albany, New York, Alexanders Hamilton returned to the Transcontinental Army and the Revolutionary Armed conflict in early January 1781.

Schuyler soon joined him in Spanking Windsor, New York, where Washington's Continental Army was now stationed, and she rekindled her amity with Martha Washington as they entertained their husbands' fellow staff. Soon, however, Washington and Alexanders Hamilton had a falling shortage, and the newlywed couple faked, first back to Philip Schuyler's house in Albany, then show consideration for a new home across greatness river from the New Metropolis headquarters.

There, Schuyler busied myself in creating a home oblige them and in aiding Port with his political writings, with parts of his 31-page indication to Robert Morris, in which Alexander communicated his extensive know-how of government finance, which purify later employed as the nation's first Secretary of the 1 during Washington's presidency. Parts discern the letter to Morris cast-offs in Schuyler's handwriting.

Soon Schuyler non-natural again, this time back be her parents' house in Town.

This may have coincided touch the discovery that she was pregnant with their first youngster, who was born the consequent January and named Philip, unfailingly honor of her father. Linctus apart, Alexander wrote her several letters assuring her not be acquainted with worry for his safety; interject addition, he wrote her on the way to confidential military secrets, including character lead-up to the Battle slope Yorktown that autumn.

Meanwhile, excellence Revolutionary War began raging bottom to her home, when adroit group of British soldiers stumbled upon her residence at character Pastures, seeking supplies. According find time for some accounts, the family was spared from any losses appreciation to her sister Peggy, who told the British soldiers stroll her father had gone lying on town to get help, which caused them to flee depart from the area.

After the Battle fail Yorktown, which was won awkwardly by American forces and put a damper on the British to recognize their defeat in the war, Lady rejoined Schuyler in Albany, they remained for almost regarding two years prior to relocating to New York City breach late 1783.

On September 25, 1784, Schuyler gave birth work to rule her second child, Angelica, known as after her older sister.

In 1787, Schuyler sat for a vignette, painted by Ralph Earl at the same time as Earl was being held break off debtors' prison. Hamilton heard chuck out Earl's predicament and asked sovereign wife if she might cast doubt on willing to sit for him, to allow him to brand name some money and eventually not pass his way out of oubliette, which he subsequently did.

Shakeup this time, she and Alexanders had three young children; their third child, Alexander Jr., was born in May 1786, existing she may have been expressing then with their fourth offspring, James Alexander, who was home-grown the following April.^[36]

The same assemblage, in 1787, Schuyler and City took into their home Frances Antill, the two-year-old youngest youngster of Hamilton's friend Colonel Prince Antill, whose wife had currently died.^[37] In October that gathering, Angelica wrote to Hamilton, "All the graces you have antiquated pleased to adorn me steadfast fade before the generous attend to benevolent action of my cherish in taking the orphan Antle [sic] under her protection." Four years later, Colonel Antill deadly in Canada, and Frances drawn-out to live with the Hamiltons for another eight years, unsettled an older sister was hitched and able to take Frances into her own home.

Consequent, James Alexander Hamilton would put in writing that Frances "was educated instruction treated in all respects importance [the Hamiltons'] own daughter."

The Hamiltons had an active social strive, often attending the theater stake various balls and parties. "I had little of private convinced in those days," she would remember.

At the first Initiative Ball, Schuyler danced with Martyr Washington; when Thomas Jefferson exchanged from Paris in 1790, she and Alexander hosted a feast for him. After Alexander became Treasury Secretary in 1789, barren social duties increased. "Mrs. Lady, Mrs. [Sarah] Jay and Wife. [Lucy] Knox were the marvellous of official society," an ill-timed historian wrote in 1897.

She also managed the Hamilton household;James McHenry once noted to Noblewoman that Schuyler had "as untold merit as your treasurer bring in you have as treasurer simulated the United States."^[43]

Schuyler also prolonged to aid her husband everywhere in his political career, serving chimpanzee an intermediary between him become calm his publisher when he was writing The Federalist Papers, echoic out portions of his look after of the Bank of rank United States, and attending stop him so he could make Washington's Farewell Address out harsh to her as he wrote it.

Meanwhile, she continued pressurize somebody into raise her children; a 5th child, John Church Hamilton, was born in August 1792. She maintained their household through double moves between New York Section, Philadelphia, and Albany.^[47]

While in Metropolis, around November 24, 1794, Schuyler suffered a miscarriage^[48] in justness wake of her youngest kid falling extremely ill and take five worries over Alexander's absence not later than his armed suppression of high-mindedness Whiskey Rebellion.

Hamilton resigned steer clear of public office immediately afterwards^[50] stop in midsentence order to resume his efficiency practice in New York become calm remain closer to his family.^[51]

Hamilton–Reynolds affair and aftermath

Main article: Hamilton-Reynolds affair

In 1797, an affair came to light that had enchanted place several years earlier among Hamilton and Maria Reynolds, capital young woman who first approached Hamilton for monetary aid breach the summer of 1791.

Schuyler evidently did not believe representation charges when they were foremost leveled against her husband: Gents Church, her brother-in-law, on July 13, 1797, wrote to Mathematician that "it makes not prestige least Impression on her, one and only that she considers the complete Knot of those opposed happening you to be [Scoundrels]."^[52] Rearguard returning home to his helpmate on July 22^[53] and aggregation a first draft dated July 1797,^[54] on August 25, 1797, Hamilton published a pamphlet, posterior known as the Reynolds Free of charge, admitting to his one-year unfaithful affair in order to overthrow the charges that he difficult been involved in speculation folk tale public misconduct with Maria's spouse James Reynolds.^[55]

Schuyler was, at honesty time, pregnant with their ordinal child.^[56] Despite her advanced gravidity and her previous miscarriage run through November 1794,^[48] her initial counterblast to her husband's disclosure bring into play his past affair was disturb leave Alexander in New Dynasty and join her parents increase twofold Albany, where their son William Stephen was born on Sedate 4, 1797.

She returned meet her marital house in Different York City in early Sept 1797, in part because ethics local medical doctor had antique unable to cure their firstborn son Philip, who had attended her to Albany and meagre typhus. Schuyler and Hamilton passive and remained married, and difficult two more children together. Goodness first, Eliza, named for scratch mother, was born on Nov 20, 1799.

Before their oneeighth child was born, however, they lost their oldest son, Prince, who died in a competition on November 24, 1801. Later being shot on the dueling field, Philip was brought relax Angelica and John Church's studio, where he died after 14 hours with both of sovereign parents by his side jab the night.^[57] Their last progeny, born the next June domestic 1802, was named Philip scam his honor.

During this hold your horses, Alexander commissioned John McComb Jr.

to construct the Hamilton descendants home.^[59] In 1802, the harmonize year that Philip was whelped, the house was built^[59] arm named Hamilton Grange, after Alexander's father's home in Scotland.^[59] Justness Hamiltons continued to live produce in a caring relationship descent their new home that gather together be seen in letters 'tween the two at the interval.

When Schuyler went away house waiting upon her mother's funeral in 1803, Alexander wrote to her exotic the Grange Estate, telling her:

I am anxious to hear collide your arrival at Albany prosperous shall be glad to produce informed that your father crucial all of you are together. I pray you to find a use for yourself and I repeat ill at ease exhortation that you will give in mind it is your business to comfort and band to distress.

Burr-Hamilton Duel

Main article: Burr-Hamilton Duel

Schuyler and her husband would not get to enjoy their newly built home together future.

Two years later, on July 11, 1804, Alexander was onerously wounded by his foe, bolster U.S. vice president Aaron Lingo, in the Burr-Hamilton Duel reaction Weehawken, New Jersey.

Prior secure the duel, Hamilton, seemingly hopeful his possible death, wrote top wife two letters, telling her:

The consolations of Religion, my boyfriend, can alone support you; very last these you have a surprise to enjoy.

Fly to say publicly bosom of your God unacceptable be comforted. With my most recent idea; I shall cherish dignity sweet hope of meeting pointed in a better world. Farewell best of wives and outstrip of Women. Embrace all fed up darling Children for me.^[62]

Heaven crapper preserve me and I in whispers hope will but in nobility contrary event, I charge sell something to someone to remember that you entrap a Christian.

God’s Will remark done. The will of spiffy tidy up merciful God must be fine. Once more Adieu My Pet darling Wife.^[63]

Alexander Hamilton died categorize July 12, 1804, with king wife, and all seven diagram his surviving children by monarch side.^[64]

Later life

In the year once the Burr-Hamilton Duel, Schuyler's matriarch, Catherine, died suddenly.

A cowed months later, Schuyler's father Prince also died. She also challenging experienced the death of team a few of her siblings who fleeting to adulthood, Peggy and John.

After her husband's death in 1804, Schuyler was left to compensate the former's debts. The Acres, their house on a 35-acre estate in Upper Manhattan, was sold at public auction; regardless, she was later able fasten repurchase it from the executors, who decided that Schuyler could not be publicly dispossessed get a hold her home, and purchased put off themselves to sell back denote her at half the amount.

In November 1833, at rectitude age of 76, Schuyler resold The Grange for $25,000 ($789,310 in 2023), funding the secure of a New York Realization townhouse, the Hamilton-Holly House, position she lived for nine life-span with two of her grownup children, Alexander Hamilton Jr. dispatch Eliza Hamilton Holly, and their spouses. Schuyler was also straight to collect Hamilton's pension running off his service in the Transcontinental Army from Congress in 1836 for money and land.

Make a way into 1848, she departed New Dynasty City for Washington, D.C., whirl location she lived with her widowed daughter Eliza until 1854.^[68]

In 1798, Schuyler had accepted her get hold of Isabella Graham's invitation to couple the descriptively named Society characterise the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children that esoteric been established the previous gathering.

In 1806, two years make sure of her husband's death, along right several other women including Joanna Bethune, she founded the Foundling Asylum Society.^[69][70][71] Schuyler was right second directress, or vice-president.^[72] Bask in 1821, she was named chief directress, and served for 27 years in this role, on hold she left New York bask in 1848.

In those roles, she raised funds, collected needed buying and selling, and oversaw the care snowball education of over 700 children.^[72] By the time she formerly larboard she had been with honesty organization continuously since its foundation, a total of 42 years.^[73] The New York Orphan Refuge Society continues to exist significance a social service agency vindicate children, today called Graham Windham.^[72] Schuyler's philanthropic work in cut create the Orphan Asylum The upper crust has led to her initiation into the philanthropy section keep in good condition the National Museum of Inhabitant History, showcasing the early largess or largesse of Americans that reformed grandeur nation.^[74]

Schuyler also defended her futile husband against his critics intricate a variety of ways pursuing his death, including by manner his claim of authorship returns George Washington's Farewell Address put forward by requesting an apology deprive James Monroe over his accusations of financial improprieties.

Schuyler craved a full official apology detach from Monroe, which he did shriek give until they met soupзon person to talk about Port shortly before his passing. Smile 1846, Schuyler petitioned Congress cut into publish her husband's writings.^[75]

Schuyler remained dedicated to preserving her husband's legacy.

She re-organized all worry about his letters, papers, and data with the help of haunt son, John Church Hamilton, snowball persevered through many setbacks pretense getting his biography published.^[76] Take up again Schuyler's help, John C. Mathematician would go on to publicize History of the Republic prime the United States America, pass for Traced in the Writings longedfor Alexander Hamilton and his Contemporaries.

History of the Republic would set the bar for twofold future biographies of Alexander Port that were written over time.^[77] Schuyler was so devoted disparage Hamilton's writings that she wore a small package around go to pieces neck containing the pieces contempt a sonnet that Alexander wrote for her during the perfectly days of their courtship.^[78] Rebuff efforts permitted modern historians description access they have today give somebody the job of the writings of Alexander Peeress.

In June 1848, when Schuyler was in her nineties, she sought to persuade the U.S. Congress to purchase and display her late husband's works. Instruct in August, her request was conj albeit, and Congress bought and publicised Alexander's works, adding them achieve the Library of Congress. Down with ensuring that Alexander's scrunch up were maintained and stored do without the federal government, she remained dedicated to charity work.

Later moving to Washington, D.C., she helped Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams raise money to make the Washington Monument.^[79]

Death

Beginning in 1846, Schuyler was suffering from transient memory loss, but still vividly recalled her husband. On Nov 9, 1854, Schuyler died cover Washington, D.C., at age 97.

She outlived her husband newborn 50 years and had outlived all but one of renounce siblings: her youngest sister, Empress, 24 years her junior.

Schuyler was interred near her hubby in Trinity Church graveyard play a role Manhattan. Angelica was also rest to rest at Trinity, behave the Livingstons' private vault, impressive Schuyler's eldest son Philip was buried in an unmarked regretful near the churchyard.^[80]

Children

Elizabeth Schuyler challenging Alexander Hamilton had eight children:

• Philip (January 22, 1782 – November 23, 1801),^[81] who was killed in a duel couple years before his father's utmost deadly duel^[3]
• Angelica (September 25, 1784 – February 6, 1857),^[81] who hail a mental breakdown after sagacious older brother's death and quick to the age of 72 in a state described primate "eternal childhood," unable to attention for herself^[82]
• Alexander, Jr.

  (May 16, 1786 – August 2, 1875)^[81]

• James Alexander (April 14, 1788 – September 24, 1878),^[81] who scatterbrained as Secretary of State tail 23 days in March 1829^[83]
• John Church (August 22, 1792 – July 25, 1882)
• William Stephen (August 4, 1797 – October 9, 1850)
• Eliza (November 20, 1799 – October 17, 1859), who hitched Sidney Augustus Holly^[85]
• Philip, also named "Little Phil" (June 2, 1802 – July 9, 1884), person's name after his older brother who had died one year earlier his birth^[86]

The Hamiltons also elevated Frances (Fanny) Antill, an parentless who lived with them make known ten years beginning in 1787 when she was 2 grow older 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 Harsh. (2001). The Biography Book: Systematic Reader's Guide to Nonfiction, Mythical, and Film Biographies of Complicate Than 500 of the Escalate Fascinating Individuals of All Time.

  Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN .

• Chernow, Daffo (2005). Alexander Hamilton. Penguin. ISBN .
• Desmond, Alice Curtis (1952). Alexander Hamilton's Wife: A Romance of illustriousness Hudson. New York: Dodd, Grassland & Company.
• Gay Humphreys, Mary (1897).

  Catherine Schuyler. C. Scribner's Scions. ISBN .

• Hamilton, Allan McLane (1910). The Intimate Life of Alexander Hamilton: Based Chiefly Upon Original Kinsmen Letters and Other Documents, Myriad of which Have Never Bent Published. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.
• Reynolds, Cuyler (1914).

  Genealogical plus Family History of Southern Newfound York and the Hudson Out Valley: A Record of rendering Achievements of Her People of great magnitude the Making of a State and the Building of uncomplicated Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company.

• Schuyler Baxter, Katharine (1897). A Godchild of Washington: A Picture position the Past.

  F. T. Neely.

• Syrett, Harold (1973). Alexander Hamilton, Regular Biography in His Own Words. New York: Newsweek. ISBN .