"I had little of private life in those days," she would remember. Philip also hailed from a prominent family and he commanded a militia during the French and Indian War of the 1750s. 2021 Associated Newspapers Limited. 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. 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. Eliza died on November 9, 1854, at the age of 97. The Schuyler Sistersreal historical figuresshow us that those bonds can exist and are possible. A pension scheme later landed him in prison for forgery, and when he sought Hamilton's help, he was turned down. She loves owls, hates cilantro, and can find the queer subtext in literally anything. [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. Hamilton was surely aware of Elizas wealth and connections, which likely played a role in his initial attraction to her. The two families were two of the wealthiest families of that time and it is safe to say that Dutch was probably still their main language in everyday life. Eliza, who had to struggle to pay for her own childrens education after her husbands death, could empathize. Eliza's mother had died a year before. [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. In June 1848, when Eliza was in her nineties, she made an effort for Congress to buy and publish her late husband's works. By this time, two of her siblings, Peggy and John, had also died. The widow couldnt afford a bigger place, but a group of wealthier women in the area decided to help. In March of that year, they formally founded the Orphan Asylum Society, and recruited other women to the cause. Alexander and Eliza married on December 14, 1780. . Hamilton would reach the heights of government and power but be tripped up by his own arrogance, ambition and hubris. We don't get that often in fiction. By 1801, Peggy had been ill for two years. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. Summer 2020 has been effectively canceled due to the pandemic, but this weekend, there's reason to celebrate at home. But by the final act of the play, one of the most compelling characters to emerge is Elizabeth (Eliza) Schuyler Hamilton. 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. Her oldest daughter, Angelica, suffered a nervous breakdown after her brother Philip's death. 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. My dear Hamilton is fonder of me every day.". She survived a miscarriage, her daughter's mental health issues, and, within four years, the deaths of her son, husband, sister, mother, and father. They would raise a large family but see their eldest son killed in a duel while defending his fathers honor. Elizabeth Schuyler was born on August 7, 1757, in Albany, New York, the second daughter of wealthy landowner and Revolutionary War general Philip Schuyler. In 1802, the same year that Philip was born, the house was built and named Hamilton Grange, after Alexander's father's home in Scotland. [3] She is recognized as an early American philanthropist for her work with the Orphan Asylum Society. Eliza and the other women arranged to rent a small two-story house on Raisin Street in Greenwich village and hired a married couple to care for the young residents. Dutch people, places, miscellany, Timeline of the Netherlands & Scandinavia in North America Her fathers blessing was surprising because two of her sisters, Angelica and Margarita, would end up eloping because their father refused their desire to marry the men of their respective choices. They were so close, in . On September 25, 1784, Eliza gave birth to her second child, Angelica, named after Eliza's older sister. 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. Elizabeth Hamiltons parents were the noted American Revolutionary war general, Philip Schuyler and Catherine Van Rensselaer of the Manor of Van Renselaerswyck. In his 2004 biography of Hamilton, which Miranda used as the basis for the show, Ron Chernow wrote that Eliza destroyed her own letters to Hamilton, but her reasons remain unknown. But Eliza, understandably, is devastated, and responds by burning all the letters that Hamilton has ever sent her. [27][28], For other people named Elizabeth Hamilton, see, Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 21:19, Margarita "Peggy" Schuyler Van Rensselaer, Learn how and when to remove this template message, George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation, "Hamilton, Elizabeth Schuyler (09 August 175709 November 1854), statesman's wife and charity worker", "Women of the Republican Court: Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (17571854)", "Mrs. Philip John Schuyler (Catherine van Rensselaer)", "Schuyler-Malcolm-Cochran Family Papers: Manuscripts and Special Collections: New York State Library", "Dutch Reformed Church In Albany, New York", "Guide to the Records of Graham Windham 18042011", "To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 3 January 1791", "Letter from Henry Knox to Alexander Hamilton, 24 November 1794", "Letter from Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 1 December 1794", "Letter from Alexander Hamilton to Angelica Schuyler Church, 6 March 1795", "To Alexander Hamilton from John B. In 1806, Isabella Graham and Sarah Hoffman, two other widows and social activists with whom Eliza had become friends, approached her for help. In Hamilton's closing number, "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story," Eliza is framed as the driving force behind Hamilton's legacy. 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. 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). 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. A 1781 painting of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton by Ralph Earl. The marriage took place at the Schuyler mansion in Albany, New York. Flitner recalled that the school provided students with textbooks, and that they studied arithmetic by doing calculations on slates. History, Archaeology & Art illuminate a Life on the Hudson, New Amsterdam Kitchen Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton at age 94 When she was 95 years old and President Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States, Elizabeth Hamilton was invited to dinner at the White House, and the First Lady, Abigail Filmore, gave up her chair to her. Hamilton insisted upon his innocence, and the matter was kept private for years. See him, whom thou has chosen for the partner of this life, lolling in the lap of a harlot!!" While apart, Alexander wrote her numerous letters telling her not to worry for his safety; in addition, he wrote her concerning confidential military secrets, including the lead-up to the Battle of Yorktown that autumn. A few years later she became the co-founder of the Orphan Asylum Society. Elizabeth was appointed second directress. The Hamiltons had an active social life, and became well known among the members of New York Society. 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. Eliza remained dedicated to preserving her husbands legacy. So James decided to take his story to Hamilton's political rivals, and was paid a jail cell visit by none other than future president James Monroe. 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). [19] Soon, however, Washington and Hamilton had a falling-out, and the newlywed couple moved, first back to Eliza's father's house in Albany, then to a new home across the river from the New Windsor headquarters. While she was in her nineties she helped Dolly Madison to raise money for the Washington Monument. As biographer Ron Chernow has written, the deeply religious widow also believed passionately that all children should be literate in order to study the Bible.. This may have coincided with the discovery that she was pregnant with her first child, who would be born the next January and named Philip, for her father. She was buried in Trinity Churchyard in lower Manhattan, not far from the graves of her sister, Elizabeth . While in Philadelphia, around November 24, 1794, Eliza suffered a miscarriage[37] in the wake of her youngest child falling extremely ill as well as of her worries over Hamilton's absence during his armed suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion. Eliza did not leave the orphanage until 1848, twenty-seven years later, when she left to live with her daughter, Elizabeth . "I Meet You in Every Dream" A lifelong reader who was largely self-educated, he soon set his sights far beyond his tiny island home. Hamilton, who had resigned as Treasury Secretary six years before, was in Albany on business that March when Peggy took a. Soon after, Philip Schuyler died. 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. In 1806, two years after her husband's death, she, along with several other women including Joanna Bethune, founded the Orphan Asylum Society. HBO Max Comedies Thatll Put You in a Good Mood, Everything to Know Ahead of 'Mando' Season 3. Take this quiz about the debate over the Constitution. [55] The writings that historians have today by Alexander Hamilton can be attributed to efforts from Eliza. Fly to the bosom of your God and be comforted. The organization still exists today, as the children and families-supporting New York City non-profit Graham Windham. "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. 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. Angelica Schuyler Church died in New York City in March 1814 at the age of fifty-eight. . What Was Alexander Hamilton's Role in Aaron Burr's Contentious Presidential Defeat. She is most unmercifully handsome and so perverse that she has none of those pretty affectations which are the prerogatives of beauty," he wrote in a letter to Eliza's sister Angelica, per Smithsonian Magazine. Eliza weathered Alexander's infidelity and the shockingly public scandal surrounding it. A chronicle of Rensselaerswijck, c. 16481656, For over three decades, NNI has helped cast light on America's Dutch roots. Q: Can you introduce us to Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton? [citation needed], Eliza remained dedicated to preserving her husband's legacy. . Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Philip J. Schuyler, father to Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy, was a Revolutionary War general, U.S. senator, and businessman, much beloved and respected by his community. As a child, she was strong-willed and impulsive. [28] Later, James Alexander Hamilton would write that Fanny "was educated and treated in all respects as [the Hamiltons'] own daughter. 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. There were 14 siblings in total. [29] At the first Inaugural Ball, Eliza danced with George Washington;[30] when Thomas Jefferson returned from Paris in 1790, she and Alexander hosted a dinner for him. But she was immediately smitten with the brilliant, charming young man, and the two quickly started up a correspondence. She was rich, he was poor. Born in August 1757, she was one of eight surviving children of Philip Schuyler and Catherine Van Rensselaer. Angelica first appears in Hamilton during the song . In March 1818, the group petitioned the New York State Legislature to incorporate a free school, and asked for $400 to build a new school building. Legislators approved the application and the school received some annual city funding. On March 16, 1801, Alexander Hamilton wrote to Eliza, conveying the news that Peggy had passed away and reassuring her that Peggy had been "sensible" and "resigned" as she faced her death. first directress in 1821. She re-organized all of Alexander's letters, papers, and writings with the help of her son, John Church Hamilton, and persevered through many setbacks in getting his biography published. NNIis registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Over time Eliza and Alexander reconciled and remained married, and had two more children together. Church, 13 July 1797", "Letter from Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, 21 July 1797", "Draft of the "Reynolds Pamphlet", July 1797", "Printed Version of the "Reynolds Pamphlet", 1797", "Guide to the Records of Graham Windham 1804-2011 MS 2916", "Who tells Eliza's story? } Never remarrying, Eliza raised a brood of seven children as a single mother, while grieving the losses of her husband and eldest son, Philip who both died in duels. Her oldest son Philip died in a duel, just as his father would three years later. Her father, Philip J. Schuyler, was a general in the Continental Army, politician, and businessman. She died aged 97, in 1854. Her relationship with Hamilton grew quickly, even after he left Morristown, only a month after Elizabeth, 22 years old, arrived there. According to documents unearthed in the early 1900s by the New-York Historical Society, Eliza started out by finding a small house near Fort Washington, the Revolutionary War fort that was located at the intersection of present-day Fort Washington Avenue and W. 183rd Street, to be repurposed as a schoolhouse. Eventually, Eliza Hamiltons school evolved into a scholarship fund that helps students from Washington Heights and Inwood attend Columbia University. [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. In 1842, she moved to Washington D.C., where she remained a prominent member of society until her death. [25] On September 25, 1784, Eliza gave birth to her second child, Angelica, named after Eliza's older sister. Eliza would have grown up around slavery as her father was a slave owner. Born Elizabeth Schuyler, and later known as Eliza Hamilton, Alexander's wife was the co-founder and deputy director of the first private orphanage in New York City. After being shot on the dueling field, Philip was brought to Angelica and John Church's house, where he died with both of his parents next to him. Hamiltons wife Eliza Schuyler was a key part of his life, but she was also an important historical character in her own right. 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. 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 . The Schuylers owned enslaved people and Philip was reportedly "the largest owner of enslaved people in Albany during his time. 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Introduced at the very start of the musical, in the song Alexander Hamilton, Elizais central to the plot, and adds an important female voice to a show about politics and Americas Founding Fathers. .css-5rg4gn{display:block;font-family:NeueHaasUnica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-5rg4gn:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:-0.02em;margin:0.75rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;letter-spacing:0.02rem;margin:0.9375rem 0 0;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;margin:0.9375rem 0 0.625rem;}}@media(min-width: 73.75rem){.css-5rg4gn{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.4;}}Where Did the 'Perfect Match' Couples End Up? "[28], The Hamiltons had an active social life, often attending the theater as well as various balls and parties. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. Elizabeth Schuyler was born on August 7, 1757, in Albany, New York, the second daughter of wealthy landowner and Revolutionary War general Philip Schuyler. Elizabeth did not believe the rumors at first, but eventually Hamilton lived up to it. Their last child, born the next June in 1802, was named Philip in his honor. Hamilton met Maria Reynolds in Philadelphia in 1791, when she visited the then-Secretary of the Treasury to request financial support for her struggling family. But behind the myth of the games creation is an untold tale of theft, obsession and corporate double-dealing. if ( 'querySelector' in document && 'addEventListener' in window ) { [citation needed], In 1787, Eliza sat for a portrait, executed by the painter Ralph Earl while he was being held in debtors' prison. 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. After Hamilton became treasury secretary in 1789 her social duties increased. Known as Eliza by friends and family, she was a tomboy at heart, with a potent mix of intelligence, warmth and determination. Here's what you need to know about the real-life founding mother. At that time she had been with the Society for 42 years. The orphaned immigrant had found a father figure, and Hamilton became like a son to the future president. When Eliza Hamilton died in November 1854 at age 97, the uptown school was still in existence, but it clearly had seen better days. Eliza was a source of valuable advice and wisdom to Hamilton as his political career began to take off after the war. She also appears in the 2015 Broadway Musical Hamilton, written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. ", A Happy Union Married to American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, she was a defender of his works and co-founder and deputy director of Graham Windham, the first private orphanage in New York City. By now everyone knows that Eliza Hamilton, the wife of Alexander Hamilton, burned her husband's love letters before she diedand November 9th will be the 162nd anniversary of her death on that day in 1854 at the age of 97. [45] During this time, Alexander commissioned John McComb Jr. to construct the Hamilton family home. By supporting NNI you help increase awareness of the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland and its legacy in America. In 1801, their eldest child, Phillip, died in a duel at at just 19-years-old. READ MORE: What Was Alexander Hamilton's Role in Aaron Burr's Contentious Presidential Defeat? But while Hamilton came from an impoverished background, he had two key traits that would help propel him to the top intelligence and ambition. 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. Eliza later said of the presidents wife that she was always my ideal of a true woman.. Elizabeth spent her final years in New York and Washington D.C., where she socialized with leaders including Presidents Tyler, Polk, Pierce, and Fillmore. The two became extremely close. 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." After a short honeymoon at the Pastures, Eliza's childhood home, Hamilton returned to military service in early January 1781. No, Eliza as she was known, was not. Elizabeth was then only 47 years old. Sign up for the American Experience newsletter! She married Hamilton in 1780 and he died in a duel in 1804. Not even wealth could lower that very high death rate. Monopoly is Americas favorite board game, a love letter to unbridled capitalism and our free market society. The Orphan Asylum Society of the City of New York. As wealthy socialites, both Schuyler sisters frequently attended officer's balls where they mingled with eligible young soldiers. Also a trained anthropologist, Hurston collected folklore throughout the South and Caribbean reclaiming, honoring and celebrating Black life on its own terms. 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. In November 1804, Gen. Philip Schuyler died, leaving Elizabeth Hamilton without both of her parents. Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. She met Alexander Hamilton in 1780, when both were in their early 20s. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Almost none of Elizabeth's own. She was portrayed by Eve Gordon and was referred to as Betsy. [citation needed] The New York Orphan Asylum Society continues to exist as a social service agency for children, today called Graham Windham. 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." 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). [22] Meanwhile, the war came close to home, when a group of British soldiers stumbled upon the Pastures, looking for supplies. In 1772, after writing a powerful essay describing the devastation inflicted on Nevis by a recent hurricane, a group of local businessmen took up a collection to send young Hamilton to America to continue his education. Elizabeth was born in Albany, New York, the second daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, a Revolutionary War general, and Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler. He had particularly fond dealings with Philip Schuyler and Elizabeth's eldest sister Angelica, a beautiful and charming woman. Elizabeth Schuyler was born on August 9, 1757, the daughter of the Revolutionary War leader Major General Philip Schuyler. 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. She came from a well-established, highly-regarded family, he was an orphaned immigrant. She had to sell her 35 acre estate in upper Manhattan. Elizabeth Hamilton died on November 9, 1854, at the age of 97. Eliza died in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 1854, at age 97. She was the spouse of Alexander Hamilton, famous in the early American government following the Declaration of Independence and considered one of the founders of our American republic. 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. [20] There Eliza busied herself in creating a home for them and in aiding Alexander with his political writingsparts of his 31-page letter to Robert Morris, laying out much of the financial knowledge that was to aid him later in his career, are in her handwriting. [8] The relationship between Eliza and Hamilton quickly grew; even after he left Morristown for a short mission to negotiate a prisoners exchange, only a month after Eliza had arrived. We may earn a commission from these links. He then returned to Morristown where Elizabeth's father had also arrived in his capacity as representative of the Continental Congress. Theirs would be a loving marriage, though not without heartbreak and pain. How well do you know your government? Elizabeth also appeared in the 1986 TV series, George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation. 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.