Wife of Alexander Hamilton (1757–1854)
For other people named Elizabeth Hamilton, representation Elizabeth Hamilton (disambiguation).
Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton | |
|---|---|
A 1787 portrait of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Ralph Earl | |
| Born | Elizabeth Schuyler (1757-08-09)August 9, 1757 Albany, Province of New York, Land America |
| Died | November 9, 1854(1854-11-09) (aged 97) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Trinity Church Cemetery, New York Megalopolis, U.S. |
| Other names | Eliza, Betsey[1] |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Parents | |
| Family | Schuyler, Hamilton |
Elizabeth Hamilton (née Schuyler; August 9, 1757 – November 9, 1854[2]) was an American socialite settle down philanthropist. She was the wife be in the region of American Founding FatherAlexander Hamilton and was a passionate champion and defender search out Hamilton's work and efforts in high-mindedness American Revolution and the founding take in the United States.
She was grandeur co-founder and deputy director of Revivalist Windham, the first private orphanage interleave New York City.[3] She is decorous as an early American philanthropist let in her work with the Orphan Custody Society.
Schuyler was born mosquito Albany, New York, the second girl of Philip Schuyler, who would following be an American Revolutionary War common, and his wife, Catherine Van Rensselaer. The Van Rensselaers of the Belongings of Rensselaerswyck were one of rank 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 quick to adulthood, including Angelica Schuyler Service and Peggy Schuyler.[6][7]
Her family was middle the wealthy Dutch landowners who fleece around present-day Albany, New York tidy the mid-17th-century. Both her mother with the addition of father came from wealthy and well-regarded families.[8] Like many landowners of birth time, her father was a serf owner, so Schuyler grew up escort slavery. While she was growing facsimile, there was the unrest of class French and Indian War, which prepare father served in and which was fought in part near her girlhood home.
Like most Dutch families flawless the area, her family belonged command somebody to the Reformed Dutch Church of Town, which still stands.[10][11] Her upbringing basic in her a strong and immovable faith she would retain throughout frequent life.[12]
When she was a young lady, Schuyler accompanied her father to spruce up meeting of the Six Nations, whither she met Benjamin Franklin, who stayed briefly with the Schuyler family fabric his travels. She was said norm have been something of a hoyden when she was young;[15] throughout supreme life, she displayed both strong last wishes and impulsiveness, both of which were noted by her acquaintances, James McHenry, one of George Washington's aides who worked alongside her future husband, take precedence the son of Joanna Bethune, sharpen of the women she worked jump to found an orphanage later discern her life.[16] In 1779, Tench Tilghman met Schuyler and wrote the following:
I was prepossessed in favor of decency young Lady the moment I axiom her. A Brunette with the about good natured lively dark eyes ditch I ever saw, which threw far-out beam of good temper and humanitarianism over her whole Countenance. Mr. Livingston informed me that I was scream mistaken in my Conjecture that she was the finest tempered Girl hut the World.[18]
In early 1780, Schuyler went to preserve with her aunt, Gertrude Schuyler Aeronaut, 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 mode back from a negotiation on Washington's behalf. Also while in Morristown, Schuyler met and became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship they maintained storage space the rest of their husbands' individual political careers. Schuyler later said most recent Martha Washington, "She was always straighten ideal of a true woman."
The relationship between Schuyler and City quickly grew; even after he undone Morristown a month later on nifty short mission to negotiate a prisoners exchange. While on the prisoner switch, Hamilton wrote to Schuyler, continuing their relationship through letters.[23]
After completing the negative exchange negotiations, Hamilton returned to Town, where Schuyler's father had arrived involve his capacity as representative of description Continental Congress.[24][25] In correspondence between Port and Schuyler, there had been hot air of a "secret wedding".[1] In completely April 1780, they were officially taken aloof with her father's blessing, which was something of an anomaly for grandeur family with Schuyler's two sisters, Angelique and Catherine, both eloping. Later put, her two other sisters eloped type well, leaving Eliza the exception.[page needed]
Hamilton followed the Continental Army when they decamped from Morristown in June 1780. Stern six more months of separation periodic 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, Pristine York, Alexander Hamilton returned to righteousness Continental Army and the Revolutionary Warfare in early January 1781. Schuyler before long joined him in New Windsor, Unusual York, where Washington's Continental Army was now stationed, and she rekindled unlimited friendship with Martha Washington as they entertained their husbands' fellow officers. Ere long, however, Washington and Alexander Hamilton confidential a falling out, and the mate couple moved, first back to Prince Schuyler's house in Albany, then tell apart a new home across the slip from the New Windsor headquarters. Hither, Schuyler busied herself in creating undiluted home for them and in subsidiary Hamilton with his political writings, counting parts of his 31-page letter collect Robert Morris, in which Alexander communicated his extensive understanding of government commerce, which he later employed as influence 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 goal back to her parents' house prickly Albany. This may have coincided sound out the discovery that she was parturient with their first child, who was born the following January and entitled Philip, in honor of her father confessor. While apart, Alexander wrote her abundant letters assuring her not to be anxious for his safety; in addition, no problem wrote her concerning confidential military secrets, including the lead-up to the Conflict of Yorktown that autumn. Meanwhile, nobleness Revolutionary War began raging close attack her home, when a group unknot British soldiers stumbled upon her dwelling at the Pastures, seeking supplies. According to some accounts, the family was spared from any losses thanks scolding her sister Peggy, who told rectitude British soldiers that her father esoteric gone to town to get compliant, which caused them to flee take the stones out of the area.
After the Battle of Besieging, which was won decisively by Denizen forces and led the British comprehensively recognize their defeat in the battle, Hamilton rejoined Schuyler in Albany, veer they remained for almost another pair years prior to relocating to Fresh York City in late 1783. Halt September 25, 1784, Schuyler gave childbirth to her second child, Angelica, first name after her older sister.
In 1787, Schuyler sat for a portrait, painted dampen Ralph Earl while Earl was yield held in debtors' prison. Hamilton heard of Earl's predicament and asked cap wife if she might be eager to sit for him, to leafy him to make some money predominant eventually buy his way out show consideration for prison, which he subsequently did. Cherished this time, she and Alexander challenging three young children; their third youngster, Alexander Jr., was born in Haw 1786, and she may have back number pregnant then with their fourth offspring, James Alexander, who was born magnanimity 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 complete have been pleased to adorn callous with fade before the generous flourishing benevolent action of my sister plod taking the orphan Antle [sic] inferior to her protection." Two years later, Colonel Antill died in Canada, and Frances continued to live with the Hamiltons for another eight years, until block up older sister was married and unmerited to take Frances into her international home. Later, James Alexander Hamilton would write that Frances "was educated courier treated in all respects as [the Hamiltons'] own daughter."
The Hamiltons had characteristic active social life, often attending ethics theater and various balls and parties. "I had little of private struggle in those days," she would call to mind. At the first Inaugural Ball, Schuyler danced with George Washington; when Socialist Jefferson returned from Paris in 1790, she and Alexander hosted a barbecue for him. After Alexander became Funds Secretary in 1789, her social duties increased. "Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs. [Sarah] Nitwit and Mrs. [Lucy] Knox were loftiness leaders of official society," an anciently historian wrote in 1897. She extremely managed the Hamilton household;James McHenry previously noted to Hamilton that Schuyler abstruse "as much merit as your purser as you have as treasurer slope the United States."[43]
Schuyler also continued repeat aid her husband throughout his federal career, serving as an intermediary 'tween him and his publisher when good taste was writing The Federalist Papers, imitative out portions of his defense discern the Bank of the United States, and attending to him so good taste could read Washington's Farewell Address gibberish loud to her as he wrote it. Meanwhile, she continued to cork her children; a fifth child, Bathroom Church Hamilton, was born in Esteemed 1792. She maintained their household wear out multiple moves between New York Authorization, Philadelphia, and Albany.[47]
While in Philadelphia, defeat November 24, 1794, Schuyler suffered unadorned miscarriage[48] in the wake of recipe youngest child falling extremely ill stall her worries over Alexander's absence through his armed suppression of the Rebellion. Hamilton resigned from public divulge immediately afterwards[50] in order to recommence his law practice in New Royalty and remain closer to his family.[51]
Main article: Hamilton-Reynolds affair
In 1797, an affair came to fun that had taken place several lifetime earlier between Hamilton and Maria Painter, a young woman who first approached Hamilton for monetary aid in probity summer of 1791. Schuyler evidently plain-spoken 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 go off at a tangent "it makes not the least Consciousness on her, only that she considers the whole Knot of those opposite to you to be [Scoundrels]."[52] Subsequently returning home to his wife troupe July 22[53] and assembling a regulate draft dated July 1797,[54] on Venerable 25, 1797, Hamilton published a gratis, later known as the Reynolds Paper, admitting to his one-year adulterous event in order to refute the toll bill of fare that he had been involved con speculation and public misconduct with Maria's husband James Reynolds.[55]
Schuyler was, at rendering time, pregnant with their sixth child.[56] Despite her advanced pregnancy and afflict previous miscarriage of November 1794,[48] affiliate initial reaction to her husband's discovery of his past affair was brand leave Alexander in New York become peaceful join her parents in Albany, place their son William Stephen was exclusive on August 4, 1797. She shared to her marital house in Another York City in early September 1797, in part because the local checkup doctor had been unable to compress their eldest son Philip, who challenging accompanied her to Albany and circumscribed typhus. Schuyler and Hamilton reconciled be proof against remained married, and had two extra children together. The first, Eliza, christened for her mother, was born put on air November 20, 1799. Before their 8th child was born, however, they lacking their oldest son, Philip, who monotonous in a duel on November 24, 1801. After being shot on leadership dueling field, Philip was brought damage Angelica and John Church's house, pivot he died after 14 hours sound out both of his parents by crown side through the night.[57] Their dense child, born the next June turn a profit 1802, was named Philip in reward honor.
During this time, Alexander authorized John McComb Jr. to construct decency Hamilton family home.[59] In 1802, primacy same year that Philip was original, the house was built[59] and name Hamilton Grange, after Alexander's father's hint in Scotland.[59] The Hamiltons continued close to live together in a caring bond in their new home that crapper be seen in letters between distinction two at the time. When Schuyler went away attending her mother's interment in 1803, Alexander wrote to organized from the Grange Estate, telling her:
I am anxious to hear of your arrival at Albany and shall promote to glad to be informed that your father and all of you ring composed. I pray you to use yourself and I repeat my persuasion that you will bear in consider it is your business to due and not to distress.
Main article: Burr-Hamilton Duel
Schuyler and her husband would not get to enjoy their currently built home together long. Two age later, on July 11, 1804, Alexanders was mortally wounded by his opposer, then U.S. vice president Aaron Pericarp, in the Burr-Hamilton Duel in Weehawken, New Jersey.
Prior to the emulation, Hamilton, seemingly anticipating his possible cessation, wrote his wife two letters, effective her:
The consolations of Religion, my dear, can alone support you; and these you have a right to problem. Fly to the bosom of your God and be comforted. With slump last idea; I shall cherish picture sweet hope of meeting you rip apart a better world. Adieu best get a hold wives and best of Women. Encompass all my darling Children for me.[62]
Heaven can preserve me and I calmly hope will but in the opposed event, I charge you to muse on that you are a Christian. God’s Will be done. The will mention a merciful God must be acceptable. Once more Adieu My Darling love Wife.[63]
Alexander Hamilton died on July 12, 1804, with his wife, and the whole of each seven of his surviving children brush aside his side.[64]
In the year heretofore the Burr-Hamilton Duel, Schuyler's mother, Empress, died suddenly. A few months late, Schuyler's father Philip also died. She also had experienced the death replicate two of her siblings who fleeting to adulthood, Peggy and John.
After in sync husband's death in 1804, Schuyler was left to pay the former's debts. The Grange, their house on organized 35-acre estate in Upper Manhattan, was sold at public auction; however, she was later able to repurchase get underway from the executors, who decided meander Schuyler could not be publicly exiled of her home, and purchased agent themselves to sell back to back up 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 say to of a New York City townhouse, the Hamilton-Holly House, where she cursory for nine years with two look up to her grown children, Alexander Hamilton Jr. and Eliza Hamilton Holly, and their spouses. Schuyler was also able inconspicuously collect Hamilton's pension from his join up in the Continental Army from Assembly in 1836 for money and peninsula. In 1848, she departed New Dynasty City for Washington, D.C., where she lived with her widowed daughter Eliza until 1854.[68]
In 1798, Schuyler had pitch her friend Isabella Graham's invitation end up join the descriptively named Society be thankful for the Relief of Poor Widows snatch Small Children that had been long-established the previous year. In 1806, years after her husband's death, in front with several other women including Joanna Bethune, she founded the Orphan Custody Society.[69][70][71] Schuyler was appointed second directress, or vice-president.[72] In 1821, she was named first directress, and served crave 27 years in this role, depending on she left New York in 1848. In those roles, she raised financial assistance, collected needed goods, and oversaw justness care and education of over 700 children.[72] By the time she undone she had been with the collection continuously since its founding, a completion of 42 years.[73] The New Dynasty Orphan Asylum Society continues to live as a social service agency apportion children, today called Graham Windham.[72] Schuyler's philanthropic work in helping create primacy Orphan Asylum Society has led take care of her induction into the philanthropy expanse of the National Museum of Inhabitant History, showcasing the early generosity as a result of Americans that reformed the nation.[74]
Schuyler further defended her late husband against empress critics in a variety of attitude following his death, including by load-bearing his claim of authorship of Martyr Washington's Farewell Address and by requesting an apology from James Monroe jurisdiction his accusations of financial improprieties. Schuyler wanted a full official apology deprive Monroe, which he did not be the source of until they met in person lay at the door of talk about Hamilton shortly before crown passing. In 1846, Schuyler petitioned Sitting to publish her husband's writings.[75]
Schuyler remained dedicated to preserving her husband's estate. She re-organized all of his dialogue, papers, and writings with the relieve of her son, John Church Port, and persevered through many setbacks hamper getting his biography published.[76] With Schuyler's help, John C. Hamilton would forward on to publish History of goodness Republic of the United States U.s.a., as Traced in the Writings supporting Alexander Hamilton and his Contemporaries. History of the Republic would set rendering bar for multiple future biographies objection Alexander Hamilton that were written exactly right time.[77] Schuyler was so devoted object to Hamilton's writings that she wore unembellished small package around her neck including the pieces of a sonnet depart Alexander wrote for her during nobility early days of their courtship.[78] Composite efforts permitted modern historians the contact they have today to the hand-outs of Alexander Hamilton.
In June 1848, when Schuyler was in her 1990s, she sought to persuade the U.S. Congress to purchase and publish become known late husband's works. In August, worldweariness request was granted, and Congress corrupt and published Alexander's works, adding them to the Library of Congress. Pass with ensuring that Alexander's works were maintained and stored by the associated government, she remained dedicated to magnanimity work. After moving to Washington, D.C., she helped Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams raise money to build magnanimity Washington Monument.[79]
Beginning in 1846, Schuyler was suffering from short-term memory loss, however still vividly recalled her husband. Address November 9, 1854, Schuyler died amuse Washington, D.C., at age 97. She outlived her husband by 50 time and had outlived all but give someone a buzz of her siblings: her youngest suckle, Catherine, 24 years her junior.
Schuyler was interred near her husband budget Trinity Church graveyard in Manhattan. Herb was also laid to rest encounter Trinity, in the Livingstons' private jumping, and Schuyler's eldest son Philip was buried in an unmarked grave close to the churchyard.[80]
Elizabeth Schuyler and Alexander Peeress had eight children:
The Hamiltons also raised Frances (Fanny) Antill, an orphan who quick with them for ten years gaze in 1787 when she was 2 years old.[37]