Elizabeth Hamilton (ne Schuyler /skalr/; August 9, 1757 November 9, 1854[2]), also called Eliza or Betsey, was an American socialite and philanthropist. She had to sell her 35 acre estate in upper Manhattan. Eliza weathered Alexander's infidelity and the shockingly public scandal surrounding it. 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. He was stationed along with Washington in Morristown for the winter. [45] During this time, Alexander commissioned John McComb Jr. to construct the Hamilton family home. When he visited the boarding house where she was staying to deliver the funds, Maria invited him to her room, where, as Hamilton would later write in his pamphlet about the affair, it became "apparent that other than pecuniary consolation would not be unacceptable.". One of the ways she found solaceand honored his memorywas to found two institutions in New York that supported lower-income children. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Later she was able to buy it back because executors decided that she could not be publicly dispossessed of her home. Elizabeth also spent many months separated from her husband. Soon after, Philip Schuyler died. 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). FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. She also ensured that Hamiltons biography was published. All Rights Reserved. Eliza was also able to collect Alexander's pension from his service in the army from congress in 1836 for money and land. Schuyler sisters Peggy, Eliza, and Angelica in. By that time two of her siblings, Margarita and John had also passed away. 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. While gone on the prisoner exchange, Hamilton wrote to Eliza continuing their relationship through letters. [22] Meanwhile, the war came close to home, when a group of British soldiers stumbled upon the Pastures, looking for supplies. 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. The real Eliza Schuyler died at the old age of 97, and outlived the musical's other characters. 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. Monopoly is Americas favorite board game, a love letter to unbridled capitalism and our free market society. She kept in touch with Hamilton through letters, and married him in 1780. The Hamilton Free School was free of cost, because Eliza believed all children should have access to educationspecifically in order to read the Bible. Take this quiz about the debate over the Constitution. [4] She had seven siblings who lived to adulthood, including Angelica Schuyler Church and Margarita "Peggy" Schuyler Van Rensselaer, but she had 14 siblings altogether. But Monroe had made copies of Hamilton's letters to Maria, and sent them to his arch-rival, Thomas Jefferson. The Van Rensselaers of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck were one of the richest and most politically influential families in the state of New York. The pair had eight children, and also took in Fanny Antill, the orphaned toddler daughter of a Revolutionary War colonel. Over time Eliza and Alexander reconciled and remained married, and had two more children together. [5][6][7], Her family was among the wealthy Dutch landowners who had settled around Albany in the mid-1600s, and both her mother and father came from wealthy and well-regarded families. The following year, Jefferson supporter James Callender published a pamphlet accusing Hamilton of having skeletons in his own closet. 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. 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. There were 14 siblings in total. Elizabeth died in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 1854, at the advanced age of 97. [citation needed], Eliza remained dedicated to preserving her husband's legacy. She died in 1854, at the age of 97, one of the nation's last remaining links to its founders. [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. The Van Rensselaers of the Manor of Rensselaerswyck were one of the richest and most politically influential families in the state of New York. Dutch people, places, miscellany, Timeline of the Netherlands & Scandinavia in North America [25] On September 25, 1784, Eliza gave birth to her second child, Angelica, named after Eliza's older sister. Within less than a year of the beginning of their courtship Elizabeth and Hamilton became a married couple, on December 14, 1780. The Grange, their house on a 35-acre estate in upper Manhattan, was sold at public auction; however, she was later able to repurchase it from Hamilton's executors, who had decided that Eliza could not be publicly dispossessed of her home, and purchased it themselves to sell back to her at half the price. "I had little of private life in those days," she would remember. [citation needed]. She had outlived all of her siblings except one who was 24 years her junior. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. The two became extremely close. As Mazzeo notes, Eliza was simply passionate about children's welfare, and where she saw problems she tried to find solutions.. No, Eliza as she was known, was not. Eliza descended from some of America's most prominent early families Born in August 1757, she was one of eight surviving children of Philip Schuyler and Catherine Van Rensselaer. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Every Candidate in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Race, These 10 Jimmy Carter Quotes Will Inspire You, 4 U.S. Presidents Who Won the Nobel Peace Prize, How Little-Known Jimmy Carter Won the 1976 Primary, George H.W. [10][11] Her upbringing instilled in her a strong and unwavering faith she would retain throughout her life. [3] She is recognized as an early American philanthropist for her work with the Orphan Asylum Society. For the rest of her life, she experienced what Hamilton biographer Ron Chernow describes as an "eternal childhood," unable to live independently and referring always to her dead brother as if he. They became officially engaged in early April with her fathers blessing. Her father, Philip Schuyler, was a revered American Revolutionary war general, and her mother was. By focusing on children, Eliza found connection to her late husbands legacy. 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. // cutting the mustard Lin-Manuel Miranda and Phillipa Soo as Alexander and Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton. Angelica Schuyler Church died in New York City in March 1814 at the age of fifty-eight. She also met and became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship they would maintain throughout their husbands political careers. 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. That 'Hamilton' Boycott Completely Backfired, may focus on its namesake founding father, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Meet the influential author and key figure of the Harlem Renaissance. [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. After Hamilton became treasury secretary in 1789 her social duties increased. Reynolds spilled the beans about the affair, but also said that Hamilton had been involved in his pension scheme. 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. Judging by Hamilton's correspondence at the time, the feeling was mutual. When he paid her a visit decades after the Reynolds scandal, she refused to speak with him. She continued to help Hamilton throughout his political career, serving as an intermediary between him and his publisher when he was writing The Federalist Papers, copying out portions of his defense of theBank of the United States,and staying up late with him so he could readWashingtons Farewell Addressout loud to her as he wrote it. 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. A single mother, Rachel struggled to provide for Alexander and his brother before she died in 1768, leaving him an orphan. 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. Active Widowhood [52] In 1821, she was named first directress, and served for 27 years in this role, until she left New York in 1848. Hamilton died from wounds received during the duel in July 12, 1804. The Orphan Asylum Society of the City of New York. Thanks to her fathers role in the war and her familys social status, these years were a time of excitement for Eliza as well. He found work at a local import-export firm, where he quickly impressed his bosses. 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. In one letter Angelica told Elizabeth that she loved Hamilton "very much and, if you were as generous as the old Romans, you would lend him to me for a little while." 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. (As the musical shows, Hamilton also got pretty flirty with Eliza's vivacious older sister, Angelica. Her reaction to Hamilton's affair is, equally, lost to history, which Miranda imagines as deliberate in the lyrics to "Burn." The following year, a group of her husbands deep-pocketed friends bought the house and property from Eliza for $30,500 and promptly sold it back to her for $15,000, so that she would have money to take care of herself and her family. 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. 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. She would spend much of her long widowhood working to secure Hamilton'splace in American history. Where Did the 'Perfect Match' Couples End Up? Not even wealth could lower that very high death rate. Her two famous sisters were Angelica Schuyler Church and Margarita Schuyler Van Rensselaer. [21], Soon, however, Eliza moved again, this time back to her parents' house in Albany. Subscribe to NNI's e-Marcurius and DAGNN-L toreceive information about New Netherland-related events, activities, conferences, and research. 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. 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. [12] She was said to have been something of a tomboy when she was young;[13][pageneeded] throughout her life she retained a strong will and even an impulsiveness that her acquaintances noted. Eliza died in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 1854, at age 97. [17] Also while in Morristown, Eliza met and became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship they would maintain throughout their husbands' political careers. "[41] After returning home to Eliza on July 22[42] and assembling a first draft dated July 1797,[43] on August 25, 1797, Hamilton published a pamphlet, later known as the Reynolds Pamphlet, admitting to his one-year adulterous affair in order to refute the charges that he had been involved in speculation and public misconduct with Maria's husband James Reynolds.[44]. .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? 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. Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History (espaol), Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), a Profile. But the number of students quickly grew, that improvised setup wasnt adequate. [citation needed], By 1846, Eliza was suffering from short-term memory loss but was still vividly recalling her husband. He was born c. 1755 on the island of Nevis, in the British West Indies. Eliza was supportive of her husband throughout his career and aided him with his political writings. According to Presnell, the years following Alexander's death were marked by poverty for Eliza and her children, though she did raise enough money to re-purchase the couple's home, the Grange. Hamilton would reach the heights of government and power but be tripped up by his own arrogance, ambition and hubris. She died in 1854, at the age of 97, one of the nation's last remaining links to its founders. 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. The first blow was struck in March 1801, when Elizabeth lost her sister Peggy after a long illness. Philanthropy and "Hamilton: An American Musical", "American Experience | Alexander Hamilton | People & Events | Elizabeth Hamilton (17571854) | PBS", "James Alexander Hamilton - People - Department History - Office of the Historian", "George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation", "Why I'm Convinced Hamilton Is Actually Named After Eliza", "We got comfortable with Hamilton. 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." Eliza would weather a storm of pain and embarrassment following very public revelations of Hamiltons adultery. Elizabeth Schuyler was born in 1757, just a year after her older sister. As the New York Herald reported in 1856, the one-room school was antiquated and so dilapidated that it was unfit for use, though it still had a student body of 60 to 70 children. Before their eighth child was born, however, they lost their oldest son, Philip, who died in a duel on November 24, 1801. 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. After her husband was shot by Aaron Burr, Eliza was left to pay off his debts. [28] Later, James Alexander Hamilton would write that Fanny "was educated and treated in all respects as [the Hamiltons'] own daughter. 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. Elizabeth spent her final years in New York and Washington D.C., where she socialized with leaders including Presidents Tyler, Polk, Pierce, and Fillmore. She is respected as an. Thrust into harsh financial straits, Elizabeth then witnessed her father's death in November 1804 and had to use both strength and ingenuity to keep her remaining family afloat. In 1780, Hamilton wrote Angelica a letter describing his infatuation with Eliza: Hamilton and Eliza married that year. But a series of events would soon rip that family apart. After Eliza's husband died and she moved to Washington D.C. in 1842 . The entire Schuyler family seemed as taken with Hamilton as she was. Catherine, also known as Kitty, was the daughter of one of New York States oldest, richest and most prominent Dutch families. 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 [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. 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.. A pictorial walk through time, Arent van Curler & the Flatts In 1818, she opened the first school in the neighborhood of Washington Heights (where, decades later, Lin-Manuel Miranda would grow up).