Existing comment:
Distant from his father and brother, Hamilton took far more joy in the family he created after marrying Elizabeth (Eliza) Schuyler in 1780. Eliza was a daughter of Philip Schuyler, who became one of New York State's first two senators after the Constitution was enacted. One of three powerful political clans around Albany, the Schuylers were wealthy landowners with close economic ties to Loyalists, which likely influenced Hamilton's friendly attitude toward the Loyalist faction and his efforts to maintain strong trade relations with Britain.
Hamilton's marriage to Eliza was largely a happy one -- save for the notorious Reynolds Affair, when he went public about his infidelity -- and they had eight children. For 50 years after her husband's death, Eliza remained a devoted widow, speaking with as many soldiers as she could find who had fought alongside Hamilton. She went on to help create the Washington Monument and to establish a much-needed New York City orphanage, which still exists today. |