OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Alexander Hamilton was born neither in Scotland or in the United States (his date of birth either Jan 11, 1755 or 1757 precedes the founding of the United)States). He was born the illegitimate son of a Scottish laird, Alexander Hamilton, the laird of Grange, Ayrshire). His mother, Rachel Faucette Buck was a married woman who was in part a French Huguenot. Hamilton’s childhood was spent in the Caribbean, first on the island of Nevis in the Leeward Islands and while still an infant, he was moved by his mother to the St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. His father left his mother. Alexander’s mother died when he was 11 or 13 depending on which date of birth is used. It is generally thought he was born in 1757 but used the earlier date to make him older and therefore better able to find work.

The fact that he was born out of wedlock complicated his early life since the Church of England did not allow him to become a member nor to attend their schools (although this may have been a blessing since he received individual tutoring. His father abandoned Alexander’s mother when it appeared that her husband was going to charge her with bigamy.

In the Fall, in 1772 Hamilton arrived in Elizabethtown NJ by way of Boston to attend Elizabethtown Academy. He applied to the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) and was refused. He also applied to Kings College in NY (now Columbia University) and was accepted.

Hamilton was a strong supporter of American Independence and some of his earliest writings are responses to loyalist writings. When the revolution broke out, Hamilton fought in several battles around the New York City area. He rose to the rank of Captain.

He became an aide and confidant to then General George Washington and ultimately became the first Secretary of the Treasury, He established the “Revenue Marine” to deal with tariffs and other maritime laws. It later became the United States Revenue Cutter Service and finally merged with the United States Life Saving Service to become the United States Coast Guard,

He was involved with much of the early history of the United States shaping political and economical policy.

As political factions developed and became parties, rivalries were often strong. Hamilton supported Jefferson against Aaron Burr for president and ultimately won the vote for Jefferson. Burr felt there had been an attack on his integrity. A duel was set up. While there is no doubt Burr killed Hamilton, details of the duel are in contention. Hamilton wrote earlier that he planned to miss on the first shot (a not unusual practice at the time, which had some strict rules which Hamilton did not follow). The evidence supports that his first shot hit a branch over Burr’s head. Burr’s shot hit Hamilton in the lower abdomen and he died the next day at his friend’s house on what is now 80-82 Jane Street on July 12 1804.

The site at 82 Jane Street in Manhattan where Alexander Hamilton died



























He was buried in Trinity Church in Manhattan (Wall Street and Broadway).






Where his wife would also be buried






A small plaque from the Daughters of the American Revolution can be found there as well.

He was married to Elizabeth Schuyler on December 14, 1780. They had eight children. One of them, Philip, would die in a duel in 1801 in the same spot where his father would be shot to death in a duel three years later. In 1791, however, he had an affair with Maria Reynolds.. Reynolds husband, James who had been arrested for counterfeiting attempted to blackmail Hamilton who released a confession. The whole affair badly damaged his reputation and caused him to resign as Secretary of the Treasury, although he remained active in politics.

A building and a lawn were named after him at Columbia University which he attended and a statue was erected outside the building.

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His image appears on the $10 bill...And his memory is still honored - as evidenced buy this note found (and left) on his grave site.

His image appears on the $10 bill...And his memory is still honored - as evidenced buy this note found (and left) on his grave site.

TO THE MEMORY OF
ALEXANDER HAMILTON
The Corporation of Trinity Church has erected this
MONUMENT
In Testimony of their Respect
For
The PATRIOT of Incorruptible INTEGRITY
The SOLDIER of approved VALOUR
The STATESMAN of Consummate WISDOM
Whose TALENTS and VIRTUES will be admired
BY
Grateful Posterity
Long after this MARBLE shall have moldered into
DUST
He died July 12^th 1804 Aged 47

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