Legislators approved the application and the school received some annual city funding. 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). [citation needed], In 1787, Eliza sat for a portrait, executed by the painter Ralph Earl while he was being held in debtors' prison. Also known as Eliza or Betsy, she was from a prominent Dutch family in Albany, New York. 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. A few years later she became the co-founder of the Orphan Asylum Society. Adieu best of wives and best of Women. She was interred next to her husband in the graveyard of Trinity Church in New York City. 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. Elizabeths depiction in the musical emphasizes both her importance in Hamiltons life and her work in propagating his legacy. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Both were descendant from third generation Dutch immigrants. Historian Jenny L. Presnell writes, "The entire Schuyler family revered Alexander as a young political genius." Soon after, Philip Schuyler died. 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. The pair had eight children, and also took in Fanny Antill, the orphaned toddler daughter of a Revolutionary War colonel. [55] The writings that historians have today by Alexander Hamilton can be attributed to efforts from Eliza. [citation needed] The New York Orphan Asylum Society continues to exist as a social service agency for children, today called Graham Windham. She is respected as an early philanthropist for her work with the Orphan Asylum Society. After a short honeymoon at the Pastures, Eliza's childhood home, Hamilton returned to military service in early January 1781. 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. The Schuyler Sistersreal historical figuresshow us that those bonds can exist and are possible. And I am grateful . 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. Biography and associated logos are trademarks of A+E Networksprotected in the US and other countries around the globe. [22] Meanwhile, the war came close to home, when a group of British soldiers stumbled upon the Pastures, looking for supplies. On December 14, 1780, the couple wed at the family home in Albany. 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. A noted beauty, she was a bright star on the social scene of Albany before and after her marriage. 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. During that winter Elizabeth also became friends with Martha Washington, a friendship that would remain throughout their husbands political careers. a daughter, Eliza, on November 20, 1799. Eliza died on November 9, 1854, at the age of 97. She was buried in Trinity Churchyard in lower Manhattan, not far from the graves of her sister, Elizabeth . For sixteen years, she lived in Europe with her British-born husband, John Barker Church, who became a Member of Parliament. During her decades as a widow, she founded New York's first private orphanage, socialized with some of the most famous figures in American history, and worked to ensure that her husband and his contributions would never be forgotten. She had seven siblings who lived to adulthood, including Philip Jeremiah Schuyler . Later she was able to buy it back because executors decided that she could not be publicly dispossessed of her home. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. "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. When Do New Episodes of 'Mandalorian' Come Out? She also worked to support her husband's legacy, disputing the claim that James Madison, not Hamilton, was the author of George Washington's final Farewell Address, and by having his papers collected and edited. The following year, Jefferson supporter James Callender published a pamphlet accusing Hamilton of having skeletons in his own closet. Before the duel, he wrote Eliza two letters, telling her: The consolations of Religion, my beloved, can alone support you; and these you have a right to enjoy. 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. 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. [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. 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." Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. Elizabeth Hamiltons parents were the noted American Revolutionary war general, Philip Schuyler and Catherine Van Rensselaer of the Manor of Van Renselaerswyck. By supporting NNI you help increase awareness of the 17th century Dutch colony of New Netherland and its legacy in America. 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 was stationed along with Washington in Morristown for the winter. Eliza was also driven by her faith. Elizabeth did not spend her days in sorrow or self-pity. . According to some accounts, the family was spared from any losses thanks to her sister Peggy's quick thinking: she told the soldiers that her father had gone to town to get help, causing them to flee from the area. Hamilton died from wounds received during the duel in July 12, 1804. One popular theory is that "Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story" ends with Eliza finally dying, 50 years after her husband's fatal duel. Also a trained anthropologist, Hurston collected folklore throughout the South and Caribbean reclaiming, honoring and celebrating Black life on its own terms. document.documentElement.className += 'js'; Hamilton, who had resigned as Treasury Secretary six years before, was in Albany on business that March when Peggy took a. 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). They became officially engaged in early April with her fathers blessing. In 1848, she left New York for Washington, D.C., where she lived with her widowed daughter Eliza until 1854. The following year, according to another newspaper account in the New York Tribune, the school building was destroyed in a fire. (Enter your ZIP code for information on American Experience events and screening in your area.). She was the eldest daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, and a sister of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and sister-in-law of Alexander Hamilton . These figures indicate the enormously high death rate among young children. She died aged 97, in 1854. [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. In 1806, two years after her husband's death, she, along with several other women including Joanna Bethune, founded the Orphan Asylum Society. She is respected as an. [10][11] Her upbringing instilled in her a strong and unwavering faith she would retain throughout her life. if ( 'querySelector' in document && 'addEventListener' in window ) { [4] [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. Her eighth and last child, Philip (Little Phil), was born on June 1, 1802. She had outlived all of her siblings except one who was 24 years her junior. [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. They were so close, in . Eliza later said of Mrs. Washington, "She was always my ideal of a true woman."[12][18]. In short she is so strange a creature, that she possesses all the beauties, virtues and graces of her sex without any of those amiable defects which from their general prevalence are esteemed by connoisseurs necessary shades in the character of a fine woman.. He had been stationed along with the General and his men in Morristown. All of the scholars came from the locality between High Bridge and Kingsbridge, he recalled many years later. [54] With Eliza's help John C. Hamilton would go on to publish History of the Republic of the United States America, as Traced in the Writings of Alexander Hamilton and his Contemporaries. Elizabeth also appeared in the 1986 TV series, George Washington II: The Forging of a Nation. Hamilton rose to become a Revolutionary War hero, an advocate for the Constitution, and a rescuer of the nascent American government from financial ruin. The entire Schuyler family seemed as taken with Hamilton as she was. [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. 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. Eliza was giving much of her time to her other big projecthelping to found the citys first private orphanage in lower Manhattan. Or part of her story, at leastafter her husband's death in 1804, Eliza lived another 50 years. Elizabeth Hamilton (ne Schuyler /skalr/; August 9, 1757 November 9, 1854[2]), also called Eliza or Betsey, was an American socialite and philanthropist. 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. 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 . 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. More, Housed in the New York State Library, the NNRC offers students, educators, scholars and researchers a vast collection of early documents and reference works on America's Dutch era. After her husband was shot by Aaron Burr, Eliza was left to pay off his debts. Elizabeth "Eliza" Schuyler (August 9, 1757-November 9, 1854) was Philip and Kitty Schuyler's second child, and like Angelica, grew up in the family home in Albany. 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. She would live another 50 years. She died in 1854, at the age of 97, one of the nation's last remaining links to its founders. Fly to the bosom of your God and be comforted. Good-natured though somewhat serious, she was at ease in the outdoors and devout in her Christian faith. Eliza Hamilton and her benefactors moved quickly, and by the end of May, theyd already built a one-room, 1,050-square-foot schoolhouse with a slanted roofbig enough for 40 to 60 studentsaround what is now Broadway between W. 187th and W. 189th streets. 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. After Hamiltons death in 1804, Elizabeth was required to pay his debts which were substantial. By focusing on children, Eliza found connection to her late husbands legacy. In real-life Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton lived to. 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 died in 1854, at the age of 97, one of the nation's last remaining links to its founders. A: At the time that I published my biography of Hamilton in 2004, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was a complete blank in the American imagination. Elizabeth died in Washington, D.C. on November 9, 1854, at the advanced age of 97. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! [52] In 1821, she was named first directress, and served for 27 years in this role, until she left New York in 1848. Theirs would be a loving marriage, though not without heartbreak and pain. By this time, two of her siblings, Peggy and John, had also died. Sign up for the American Experience newsletter! Elizabeth outlived two of her children. But a series of events would soon rip that family apart. After her husbands death, Eliza Hamilton remained for a time in The Grange, the clapboard two-and-a-half-story home located on what is now W. 143rd Street just east of Amsterdam Avenue in Harlem, where she was surrounded by gardens filled with tulips, hyacinths, lilies and roses, according to historian Jonathan Gill.
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