[23], After Yorktown, Alexander was able to rejoin Eliza in Albany, where they would remain for almost another two years, before moving to New York City in late 1783. In the winter of 1779-1780, Eliza met Alexander Hamilton, an upstart from the West Indies who had emigrated to America and risen to become General . She would spend much of her long widowhood working to secure Hamilton'splace in American history. Catherine, also known as Kitty, was the daughter of one of New York States oldest, richest and most prominent Dutch families. [26] At this time, she now had three young children (her third, Alexander, was born in May 1786) and may have been pregnant at the time with her fourth, James Alexander, who would be born the following April. Eliza was, at the time, pregnant with their sixth child. Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, portrayed by Phillipa Soo in the original Broadway run of Hamilton, was not just the wife of one of America's founding fathers. In June 1848, when Eliza was in her nineties, she made an effort for Congress to buy and publish her late husband's works. A slight inheritance from Philip Schuyler helped with that, as did the private raising of money from Hamilton's friends that enabled Elizabeth to stay in the house she and Hamilton had shared. Elizabeth did not believe the rumors at first, but eventually Hamilton lived up to it. New Netherland Institute,PO Box 2536, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12220Phone: 518-992-3274 Email:nni@newnetherlandinstitute.org, Web Site CreditsDesign:ReZolv CreativeDevelopment:Web Instinct. At that time she had been with the Society for 42 years. Despite her advanced pregnancy and her previous miscarriage of November 1794, her initial reaction to her husband's disclosure of his past affair was to leave Hamilton in New York and join her parents in Albany where William Stephen was born on August 4, 1797. He was stationed along with Washington in Morristown for the winter. Emma Dibdin is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who writes about culture, mental health, and true crime. [3] She is recognized as an early American philanthropist for her work with the Orphan Asylum Society. The Grange, their house on a 35-acre estate in upper Manhattan, was sold at public auction, but she later repurchased it from Hamiltons executors, who felt that she could not be dispossessed of her home, and purchased it themselves to sell back to her at half the price. When Eliza Hamilton died in November 1854 at age 97, the uptown school was still in existence, but it clearly had seen better days. In case you're unfamiliar, the show tells the story of America's revolutionary era through the lens of Alexander Hamilton, and his journey from penniless immigrant to founding father. In 1798, she accepted her friend Isabella Grahams invitation to join the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children that had been established the previous year. In 1806, two years after her husbands death, she, along with several other women, founded the Orphan Asylum Society. [4] [citation needed], Eliza remained dedicated to preserving her husband's legacy. The marriage took place at the Schuyler mansion in Albany, New York. Eliza personally went out and solicited donations, and with the help of $10,000 provided by state legislators, the cornerstone was laid for a three-story orphanage in July 1807. The Hamiltons had an active social life, and became well known among the members of New York Society. Elizabeth was portrayed by Doris Kenyon in the 1931 film, Alexander Hamilton. Subscribe to NNI's e-Marcurius and DAGNN-L toreceive information about New Netherland-related events, activities, conferences, and research. He was born on January 22, 1782 and died on November 23, 1801 at the age of 19. But at the time of Hamiltons death, he still had a mortgage and owed money to the builders, and his wife struggled under the weight of all that debt. The real Eliza Schuyler died at the old age of 97, and outlived the musical's other characters. A firm but affectionate mother, Elizabeth made sure her children had a religious upbringing, and ran the household so efficiently that an associate told Hamilton she "has as much merit as your treasurer as you have as treasurer of the wealth of the United States." [36] Meanwhile, she continued to raise her children (a fifth, John Church Hamilton, had been born in August 1792) and maintain their household throughout multiple moves between New York, Philadelphia, and Albany. Born in 1757, Eliza was the second daughter of Revolutionary War general Philip Schuyler and Catherine van Rensselaer, a member of one of New York's richest families. [citation needed] She was so devoted to Alexander's writings that she wore a small package around her neck containing the pieces of a sonnet that Alexander wrote for her during the early days of their courtship. is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. "[12] Much later, the son of Joanna Bethune, one of the women she worked alongside to found an orphanage later in her life,[14] remembered that "Both [Elizabeth and Joanna] were of determined disposition Mrs. Bethune the more cautious, Mrs. Hamilton the more impulsive. Elizabeth gave birth to their first child, Philip,in 1782, and seven more would follow over the next two decades; the Hamiltons also raised the orphaned daughter of a friend for 10 years. But the number of students quickly grew, that improvised setup wasnt adequate. Judging by Hamilton's correspondence at the time, the feeling was mutual. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Fly to the bosom of your God and be comforted. Eliza Hamilton wanted to find a way to honor Hamilton's memory, in the place where their last home had been together, says Mazzeo. 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Elizabeth Schuyler was born in Albany in 1757, to a wealthy family that had social ties to prominent early Americans. That 'Hamilton' Boycott Completely Backfired, may focus on its namesake founding father, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. "[15], In early 1780, Elizabeth went to stay with her aunt, Gertrude Schuyler Cochran, in Morristown, New Jersey. Adieu best of wives and best of Women. Where Is The Cast Of Broadway's 'Hamilton' Now? We don't get that often in fiction. Hamilton does this because he's been accused of financial wrongdoing, and wants to make it clear that the suspicious payments he made were to pay off the husband of his lover, Maria Reynolds, rather than "improper speculation." . [22] Meanwhile, the war came close to home, when a group of British soldiers stumbled upon the Pastures, looking for supplies. Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was born on August 9, 1757 in Albany, New York and died on November 9, 1854 in Washington, D.C. at the advanced age of 97. He published the pamphlet in order to refute the charges that he had been involved in public misconduct with Marias husband James Reynolds, and to avoid accusations of embezzlement. Eliza was also driven by her faith. Peggy Schuyler died young. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. She recruited biographers to do a proper work on her husband (the task eventually fell to a son), hired assistants to organize his papers, even wore a little bag around her neck with pieces of a sonnet he had composed for her in 1780. "I meet you in every dream," Hamilton wrote in one of his swooning letters, "and when I wake I cannot close my eyes for ruminating on your sweetness." Summer 2020 has been effectively canceled due to the pandemic, but this weekend, there's reason to celebrate at home. "[28], The Hamiltons had an active social life, often attending the theater as well as various balls and parties. In September that year, Eliza learned that Major John Andr, head of the British Secret Service, had been captured in a foiled plot concocted by General Benedict Arnold to surrender the fort of West Point to the British. Eliza was beside him as he died. Born in 1757, Eliza was the second daughter of Revolutionary War general Philip Schuyler and Catherine van Rensselaer, a member of one of New Yorks richest families. By focusing on children, Eliza found connection to her late husbands legacy. She re-organized all of Hamiltons letters, papers, and writings with the help of her son, John Church Hamilton, and persevered through many setbacks in getting his biography published. She also met and became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship they would maintain throughout their husbands political careers. And yes, she really did burn her letters to her husbandbut no one knows when or why. available to watch from the comfort of your own couch, Eliza destroyed her own letters to Hamilton, save his writings and fiercely defended his legacy, Orphan Asylum Society of the City of New York, the first school in the neighborhood of Washington Heights, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. She died in 1854, at the age of 97, one of the nation's last remaining links to its founders. A pension scheme later landed him in prison for forgery, and when he sought Hamilton's help, he was turned down. A lifelong reader who was largely self-educated, he soon set his sights far beyond his tiny island home. Chernow, Ron, Alexander Hamilton, Penguin Press, 2004, Randall, William Sterne, Alexander Hamilton: A Life, Harpers-Collins, 2003, Roberts, Warren, A Place in History: Albany in the Age of Revolution, 1775-1825, Albany: NY State University Press, 2010, Wikipedia, especially for main picture (portrait by Ralph Earl), Peter Douglas's Totidem Verbis Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hamilton, while envious of Andr for his actions during the war, promised Eliza he would do what he could to treat the British intelligence chief accordingly; he even begged Washington to grant Andr's last wish of execution by firing squad instead of by hanging, but to no avail. By this time, two of her siblings, Peggy and John, had also died. HBO Max Comedies Thatll Put You in a Good Mood, Everything to Know Ahead of 'Mando' Season 3. On November 24, 1801, she lost her son Philip, who died fighting a duel with a political opponent of his father. Elizabeth Schuyler was born on August 7, 1757, in Albany, New York, the second daughter of wealthy landowner and Revolutionary War general Philip Schuyler. Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History (espaol), Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), a Profile. Her oldest daughter, Angelica, suffered a nervous breakdown after her brother Philip's death. Get the latest on new films and digital content, learn about events in your area, and get your weekly fix of American history. Maria's husband, James Reynolds, caught wind of the affair, and began shaking Hamilton down for money. She had outlived her husband by 50 years, and had outlived all but one of her siblings (her youngest sister, Catherine, 24 years her junior). [10][11] Her upbringing instilled in her a strong and unwavering faith she would retain throughout her life. Eliza was an ardent supporter of her husband, but it wasnt always plain sailing in their marriage. [citation needed], In 1787, Eliza sat for a portrait, executed by the painter Ralph Earl while he was being held in debtors' prison. Eliza was giving much of her time to her other big projecthelping to found the citys first private orphanage in lower Manhattan. So of the original 14 siblings only five survived. Ron Chernow said that her efforts to preserve Hamilton's memory were important to his 2005 biography of the founder, especially as, with Hamilton's Republican foes in power after his death, there wasn't much in the way of public efforts to record his life. The new film reminds us how risky it is", "Meet the Magnetic Schuyler Sisters, the Heart of Hamilton", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elizabeth_Schuyler_Hamilton&oldid=1141595644, Eliza appeared in the 1986 television series, This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 21:19. if ( 'querySelector' in document && 'addEventListener' in window ) { Catherine,. The first, Elizabeth, named for Eliza, was born on November 20, 1799. Alexander and Elizabeth (he called her Eliza or Betsey) were married at the Schuyler home on December 14 of that same year, and Hamilton was warmly received into the family. With my last idea; I shall cherish the sweet hope of meeting you in a better world. But while his brilliance was apparent to those who met him, Hamilton was eager to prove himself on the field, not just with the pen. Philip Schuyler shared similar politics with Hamilton, and, like Eliza and others, realized that Hamiltons star was on the rise thanks in no small part to his role at Washingtons side. [31] After Alexander became Treasury Secretary in 1789, her social duties only increased: "Mrs. Hamilton, Mrs. [Sarah] Jay and Mrs. [Lucy] Knox were the leaders of official society," an early historian writes. Elizabeth Schuyler was born in 1757, just a year after her older sister. [8] Like many landowners of the time, Philip Schuyler owned slaves, and Eliza would have grown up around slavery. Here's what you need to know about the real-life founding mother. Hamilton was surely aware of Elizas wealth and connections, which likely played a role in his initial attraction to her. Timeline of the Netherlands & Scandinavia in North America. [citation needed], In addition to their own children, in 1787, Eliza and Alexander took into their home Frances (Fanny) Antill, the two-year-old youngest child of Hamilton's friend Colonel Edward Antill, whose wife had recently died. All rights reserved. (As the musical shows, Hamilton also got pretty flirty with Eliza's vivacious older sister, Angelica. Hamiltons wife Eliza Schuyler was a key part of his life, but she was also an important historical character in her own right. The first blow was struck in March 1801, when Elizabeth lost her sister Peggy after a long illness. In November 1833, at the age of 76, Eliza resold The Grange for $25,000, funding the purchase of a New York townhouse (now called the Hamilton-Holly House) where she lived for nine years with two of her grown children, Alexander Hamilton Jr. and Eliza Hamilton Holly, and their spouses. Alexander's wife lived for many decades after her husband's death. A: At the time that I published my biography of Hamilton in 2004, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was a complete blank in the American imagination. He had been stationed along with the General and his men in Morristown. Almost none of Elizabeth's own correspondence has survived, so her personality is gleaned largely from the impressions of others. Two years before the duel, Elizabeths mother, Catherine had died, and only a few months after Hamiltons death, her father also died. Both her mother and father came from wealthy and well-regarded families. After Vice President Aaron Burr killed Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804, Hamiltons widow, Elizabeth Schuyler Eliza Hamilton, had to find a way to go on without her beloved husband. Active Widowhood In 1821 Elizabeth was appointed first directress of the Society and served for 27 years in that position until she left New York in 1848. In 1801, their eldest child, Phillip, died in a duel at at just 19-years-old. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. During one such interlude, in the summer of 1791, Hamilton began an affair with Maria Reynoldsthat, when publicly revealed six years later, exposed Elizabeth to a humiliation augmented both by Hamilton's insistence on airing the adultery's most lurid details and a hostile press that asked, "Art thou a wife? The two became extremely close. Because of Hamiltons army service, the family moved around quite a bit during their early married life but eventually they settled in New York City in late 1783. Eliza didnt believe the charges when they were first leveled against her husband, but in 1797, Hamilton published a pamphlet, later known as theReynolds Pamphlet, admitting to his one-year adulterous affair. The Hamilton Free School was free of cost, because Eliza believed all children should have access to educationspecifically in order to read the Bible. Lin-Manuel Miranda and Phillipa Soo as Alexander and Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. // cutting the mustard Both were descendant from third generation Dutch immigrants. She only came back to her marital house in New York in early September 1797 because the local doctor had been unable to cure their eldest son Philip, who had accompanied her to Albany and contracted typhus. [citation needed], Like most Dutch families of the area, her family belonged to the Reformed Dutch Church of Albany, which still stands; however, the original 1715 building, where Elizabeth was baptized and attended services, was demolished in 1806. Angelica lived abroad for over fourteen years, returning to America for visits in 1785 and 1789. They had met briefly a few years before, but now Alexander Hamilton was smitten, "a gone man," in the words of another aide. She was present at such historic moments as when Hamilton began to write The Federalistand composed his defense of a national bank. Elizabeth remained dedicated to preserving her husbands legacy. After public schools finally were built nearby, the Hamilton Free Schools trustees converted it into the neighborhoods first lending library, and it later evolved into the Dyckman Institute, an educational advocacy group. On the Hamilton Free Schools shoestring budget, it could afford just one teacher, who also doubled as the schools janitor, according to the reminiscences of William Herbert Flitner, who attended the school in the 1840s. . Her eldest son Philip died that November in a reckless duel, and Hamilton himself followedfewer than three years later. In those days, the still-isolated area didnt have any free public schools, and paying tuition at a private academy was too much for parents to afford, according to Don Rice, president of the Dyckman Farmhouse Museum Alliance, a community institution that has helped to preserve the history of the area. See him, whom thou has chosen for the partner of this life, lolling in the lap of a harlot!!" It is said that after returning home from meeting her, Hamilton was so excited he forgot the password to enter army headquarters. Eliza died on November 9, 1854, at the age of 97. She loves owls, hates cilantro, and can find the queer subtext in literally anything. She had eight children with Hamilton during their rather short marriage of 24 years. She was buried in Trinity Churchyard in lower Manhattan, not far from the graves of her sister, Elizabeth . [53], Eliza defended Alexander against his critics in a variety of ways following his death, including by supporting his claim of authorship of George Washington's Farewell Address and by requesting an apology from James Monroe over his accusations of financial improprieties. According to the Smithsonian Magazine, Eliza was a beloved figure and entertained often: "Some visitors sought her imprimatur for new legislation, while others went simply to bask in the glow of history." Prominent military and political figures made frequent visits to the Schuyler homes, including a young officer named Alexander Hamilton, who briefly stayed with the family while traveling through Albany. A number of other familiar historical figures also feature, from Hamilton's friend-turned-nemesis Aaron Burr to his mentor George Washington to his political rival Thomas Jefferson. When Eliza went away to her mother's funeral in 1803 Hamilton wrote to her from the Grange telling her: I am anxious to hear of your arrival at Albany and shall be glad to be informed that your father and all of you are composed. But while Hamilton came from an impoverished background, he had two key traits that would help propel him to the top intelligence and ambition. [citation needed] The New York Orphan Asylum Society continues to exist as a social service agency for children, today called Graham Windham. Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was the wife of Alexander Hamilton, one of America's founding fathers. Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was born on August 9, 1757 in Albany, New York and died on November 9, 1854 in Washington, D.C. at the advanced age of 97. Angelica was also laid to rest at Trinity, in the Livingstons' private vault, while Eliza's eldest son Philip had an unmarked grave near the churchyard. Despite the move, Eliza retained a connection to people who lived a few miles away from her old home. Life in New York City was obviously more exciting than in Morristown, New Jersey or Albany, New York. All Rights Reserved. The character grows quite fond of her friend Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda), but ultimately backs off when he begins a romance with her sister Eliza (Phillipa Soo). On September 25, 1784, Eliza gave birth to her second child, Angelica, named after Eliza's older sister. After the war he was active in both local and national politics, even serving as a U.S. senator from New York from 1789 to 1791 losing his seat to none other than Aaron Burr (who would eventually kill his future son-in-law Alexander in a duel). History of the Republic would set the bar for future biographies of Alexander Hamilton that would grow as time went on. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The affair was supposedly encouraged by Marias husband James Reynolds who then asked Hamilton for hush money to keep the affair out of public knowledge, which he paid. He served several stints in the Continental Congress and was involved in planning a number of notable Revolutionary War battles, including the surprising Colonial victory at Saratoga in 1777, the first widespread British defeat and a turning point of the war. Some two years after their brief meeting in Albany, Eliza and Hamilton met again at a party given for Washingtons staff by Elizas aunt in the winter of 1780, near Morristown, New Jersey. She kept in touch with Hamilton through letters, and married him in 1780. On Saturday, My Dear Eliza, your sister took leave of her sufferings and friends, I trust, to find repose and happiness in a better country. Legislators approved the application and the school received some annual city funding. Alexander had heard of Earl's predicament and asked if Eliza might be willing to sit for him, to allow him to make some money and eventually buy his way out of prison, which he subsequently did. document.documentElement.className += 'js'; She had outlived all of her siblings except one who was 24 years her junior. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. After Hamilton's sudden death in a duel with Aaron Burr in 1804, Eliza went on to outlive her husband by close to 50 years. A dutiful daughter, she eschewed the elopements chosen by three of her sisters and instead conducted a traditional, if whirlwind, courtship with the dashing young aide she found at George Washington's headquarters in February 1780. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. In a joking letter to a fellow aide he sounded more dispassionate: "Though not a genius, she has good sense enough to be agreeable, and though not a beauty, she has fine black eyes, is rather handsome, and has every other requisite of the exterior to make a lover happy. Her eighth and last child, Philip (Little Phil), was born on June 1, 1802. Hamilton depicts the Reynolds Affair, one of the country's earliest sex scandals. Americans knew a lot about Martha Washington (George Washington's wife), a lot about Dolly Madison (James Madison's widow), and a lot about Abigail Adams (John Adams' wife). But she was immediately smitten with the brilliant, charming young man, and the two quickly started up a correspondence. A pictorial walk through time, Arent van Curler & the Flatts James McHenry, one of Washington's aides alongside her future husband, said, "Hers was a strong character with its depth and warmth, whether of feeling or temper controlled, but glowing underneath, bursting through at times in some emphatic expression. [citation needed] There she met Alexander Hamilton, one of General George Washington's aides-de-camp,[1] who was stationed along with the General and his men in Morristown for the winter. Elizabeth did not spend her days in sorrow or self-pity. The accomplishment she's proudest of, she says in the song, is founding the first private orphanage in New York City, inspired by Hamilton's own experience of being orphaned at a young age. [24] Earlier that year, Angelica and her husband John Barker Church, for business reasons, had moved to Europe. But behind the myth of the games creation is an untold tale of theft, obsession and corporate double-dealing. In real life, two years after Hamilton's death, Eliza really did help to establish the Orphan Asylum Society of the City of New York, which still exists today as a family services agency named Graham Windham. After Hamilton became treasury secretary in 1789 her social duties increased. After two more months of separation punctuated by their correspondence, on December 14, 1780, Alexander Hamilton and Elizabeth Schuyler were married at the Schuyler Mansion. [52] By the time she left she had been with the organization continuously since its founding, a total of 42 years. Whether Elizabeth received this as sisterly banter or something more serious is not known; one of her few surviving letters does say that marriage made her "the happiest of women. var googletag = googletag || {}; During that winter Elizabeth also became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship that would remain throughout their husbands political careers. She moved to Washington, D.C. in 1848 to live with a daughter, became a celebrated guest at the White House, and died just a few months after her 97th birthday. But she remained steadfastly loyal to him, and after his death in 1804, it was Eliza who would ensure Hamiltons contributions to the founding of America were never left out of the history books. The pair had eight children, and also took in Fanny Antill, the orphaned toddler daughter of a Revolutionary War colonel. [38] Hamilton resigned from public office immediately afterwards[39] in order to resume his law practice in New York and remain closer to his family. And yes,. After Hamiltons death in 1804, Elizabeth was required to pay his debts which were substantial. She died aged 97, in 1854. "I'm erasing myself from the narrative / let future historians wonder how Eliza reacted / when you broke her heart," she sings, referencing a very real historical ambiguity. A 1781 painting of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Ralph Earl. Elizabeth outlived two of her children. Even so, according to Gill, Eliza eventually became unable to afford the estates upkeep, and in 1813, she was forced to sell it and move to humbler quarters downtown. The organization still exists today, as the children and families-supporting New York City non-profit Graham Windham. She then sold it and moved into a townhouse owned by her son, now known as the Hamilton-Holly House, where she lived for nine years with two of her grown children, Alexander Hamilton Jr. and Eliza Hamilton Holly and their respective spouses. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. Angelica first appears in Hamilton during the song . The story provides a snapshot of her own life following the loss of her husband, such as her work founding an orphanage in New York, and she also sings of being with Alexander again at some point in the future (with Miranda briefly re-joining her on stage). She also appears in the 2015 Broadway Musical Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. [citation needed], By 1846, Eliza was suffering from short-term memory loss but was still vividly recalling her husband. In 2010, it partnered with the New York State Office of Cultural Education to establish the New Netherland Research Center, with matching funds from the State of the Netherlands. Elizabeth spent her final years in New York and Washington D.C., where she socialized with leaders including Presidents Tyler, Polk, Pierce, and Fillmore.
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