Family Life for Hamilton

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Alexander Hamilton, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, family life for Alexander Hamilton, nyc, wife of Alexander Hamilton

In regards to family life, Alexander Hamilton married Elizabeth Schuyler on December 14, 1780 at the Schuyler Mansion in Albany, New York. Hamilton called Elizabeth, also known as Eliza or Betsy, the “best of wives and best of women.” Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton had eight children together (two were named Philip). Here are his children: Philip (January 1782), Angelica (September 1784), James Alexander (April 1788), John Church (August 1792), Alexander (May 1796), William Stephen (August 1797), Eliza (November 1799), and Philip (June 1802). The eldest Philip was killed in a duel with George I. Eacker in 1801. James Alexander died at the age of 90 in September 1878. Hamilton’s wife Elizabeth died in 1854 and was an extremely religious woman. She “…spent much of her life working to help widows and orphans.” In fact, Elizabeth co-founded the New York Orphan Asylum Society which was New York’s first private orphanage. After Alexander’s death, Elizabeth sold the Grange, the house that they had worked on together from 1800-1802. Although her husband had an affair with Maria Reynolds, Elizabeth stayed with Alexander and they were close. As a widow, Mrs. Hamilton always protected her husband’s reputation and was always looking to improve his standing in American history. Hear some 18th century music that the family would have heard.

Artillery Fire: Battle Of Harlem Heights

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Alexander Hamilton, American Revolution, artillery fire, Battle of Harlem Heights, New York, Revolutionary War soldier, St. Nicholas Park, West Harlem

In this neighborhood, where he would later build his home, Alexander Hamilton as a young man and college student at Kings College–what would eventually become Columbia University, another Harlem institution–commanded artillery units in the battle of Harlem Heights.  Listen to the sounds of artillery fire, a sound that Hamilton himself would have created: Battle Sounds

Forest Rain

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Harlem Heights, Life in 18th century New York, Nature sounds, New York, rain sounds

Hear the natural sounds of a forest. Imagine life in 18th century New York with wild birds, bears, racoons and flying geese. sound of howling wolf

Early Life of Alexander Hamilton

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Alexander Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton house, Elizabeth Hamilton, Hamilton's birthplace, Harlem Heights, Nevins, New York

Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 and died on July 12, 1804 in New York after being wounded in a duel with Aaron Burr. Hamilton is buried at the Trinity Churchyard in New York, NY. Hamilton was born on the West Indian island of Nevis to James Hamilton, a Scotsman, and Rachel Faucette Lavien, the daughter of a French physician. His parents were not married.

 After his mother’s death in 1768, Hamilton’s friends and relatives pushed him to work as a mercantile clerk and to learn how to read and write. Hamilton was informally educated at a private Jewish school and supplemented this by reading books from his family library which included Greek and Roman classics.

 In 1772, Hamilton wrote an essay which was published in the Royal Danish-American Gazette which included a full account of a hurricane that destroyed Christiansted on August 30, 1772. The essay amazed community leaders so much that they decided to start a fund to send Hamilton to the North American colonies for a formal education. Hamilton began his education at Elizabethtown Academy, a grammar school in Elizabethtown, New Jersey in the fall of 1772. He entered King’s College (now Columbia University) in New York City in late 1773 or early 1774.

 Alexander Hamilton was an accomplished man. His accomplishments include: being a Founding Founder, the first United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1789-1795, helping to establish the U.S. Mint, and founding the Bank of New York in 1784. After declining invitations from Generals Nathanael Greene and Henry Knox, Hamilton became General George Washington’s aide on March 1, 1777 and held this position for four years. Hamilton resigned from Washington’s staff after the Battle of Yorktown. He was elected to the Congress of the Confederation in July of 1782 as a New York representative for the term that began in November of 1782. After resigning from Congress, Hamilton was admitted to the New York Bar in July of 1783 and studied law jointly in New York City with Richard Harison. He excelled in defending Tories and British subjects.

Birds

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18th century birds, 18th century nature, Alexander Hamilton, Birds of New York, Hamilton Grange, Harlem Heights, Northeastern birds, Northern Cardinal, US birds, West Harlem, West Harlem Art Fund

In Colonial New York, there were many different types of birds. And today, the Northern Cardinal is still abundant across the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and in Canada in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Its range extends west to the U.S.-Mexico border and south through Mexico  to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, northern Guatemala, and northernBelize. It was introduced to Bermuda in 1700. It has also been introduced in Hawaii and southern California. Its natural habitat is woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps. This bird is a permanent resident throughout its range, although it may relocate to avoid extreme weather or if food is scarce.

Hamilton Grange

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Alexander Hamilton, Alexander Hamilton house, Constitution Day, federal-style house, founding father, Hamilton Grange, Harlem Heights, John McComb Jr. design, landmark house, National Park Service, New York City, nyc, Revolutionary War soldier, signer of the Declaration of Indepence, Sounds Along the Manor, St. Nicholas Park, US National Memorials, West Harlem, West Harlem Art Fund

September 17^th, 2011 marks not only Constitution Day but the re-opening of Hamilton Grange, the home of Alexander Hamilton, a founding father, to the general public in St. Nicholas Park. Closed for several years, the Grange which was moved to the park and has been completely restored will open with new exhibits, tours and installations.

Savona Bailey-McClain, Executive Director of the West Harlem Art Fund has been selected to curate two programs in celebration of the opening. The first will be an ongoing interactive installation called the “Sounds Along The Manor”.

 This installation, developed by artist Abigail Simon for Hamilton Grange, will offer visitors an opportunity to have a direct sound link to the past. “QR” codes will be posted at five different locations on the grounds surrounding the Grange. Visitors can take a picture of the code and then respond to a unique audio experience. These experiences will represent the world as it might have sounded at the time the Grange was built.

Participants will have the option of using their own handheld smart phones with printed map and location key or later visiting a dedicated website . Three of the distinct soundscapes will include: native birds, native fauna and layered sounds that will include bird and fauna but also water and wind. The remaining sound experiences will consist of “human” sounds such as the Streets of New York and native American dialects from that time period.

Sounds Along the Manor offers several advantages over traditional sound installations. The installation is easy to access because it’s outdoors. Participants can relive the experience again on the internet with images and maps, making it more interactive. The experience is also inter-generational where young and old can share a little taste of old New York.

September 17th is Constitution Day! Below is a tribute to our country’s birth.