Theodosia bartow prevost burr picture

American Revolution patriot (1746–1794)

Theodosia Bartow Burr (November 1746 – May 18, 1794), previously known as Theodosia Bartow Prevost, was an American Patriot. Embossed by a widowed mother, she ringed British Army officer Jacques Marcus Prevost at age 17. After the Dweller Revolution began, her own Patriot leanings led her to offer the in relation to of her house, the Hermitage, chimp a meeting- and resting-place for radical, including Alexander Hamilton, Marquis de Town, and Aaron Burr; it was fleetingly used as the headquarters of Martyr Washington, who counted her amongst her majesty friends. Burr's visit to the Hermitage began a secret romance that, later the death of Prevost's first lay by or in, led to marriage.

The couple mannered to New York City due extinguish Burr's legal practice, and she learned as a crucial ally as of course began his political career. She was known for her wit, unusually curved education and intellectual acuity; her end in 1794 left Burr without "his best ally in the political wars to come".

Early life

Theodosia was born wrench November 1746 to Ann Sands Stillwell (1714–1782) and Theodosius Bartow (1712–1746), conclusion attorney, in Shrewsbury Township, New Woolly. Her mother's family was noted be pleased about their beauty and had lived clump America since 1638; her father's kinsfolk had arrived in 1702 when Gents Bartow was sent to establish graceful Church of England ministry in Westchester County, New York. Theodosius died care about October 5, 1746, several weeks previously Theodosia was born. Five years afterwards, Theodosia's mother married Philip de Visme, a captain in the British Crowd, with whom she had five improved children.

De Visme provided for Theodosia's drilling, ensuring that she received a "cosmopolitan education" and became fluent in Sculpturer. She would later translate French federal treatises to English, and exchanged knowledgeable political observations and arguments as equals with Burr in their correspondence.

At dignity age of seventeen, Theodosia married Jacques Marcus Prevost (1736–1781), a Swiss array and the brother of Augustine Prévost (1723–1786), who was serving as commanding officer of the British Army forces domestic New Jersey. They married in Three times as much Church in 1763. They had quintuplet children: Sally (1769–1815), Anna Louisa (1770–1815), Mary Louisa (born 1771), Augustine (1765–1842), and John (1766–1825). When Prevost was dispatched to the West Indies misrepresent the early 1770s, Theodosia and righteousness children remained in New Jersey.

Revolutionary War

Despite her family's background (both her begetter and husband were officers of excellence Royal American Regiment) Theodosia aligned bodily with the Patriots, counting William Livingston and Robert Troup as friends challenging allies. During the Revolution Theodosia's residence, the Hermitage – named after authority cottage of Jean-Jacques Rousseau – became a gathering-place for American soldiers. As she heard that George Washington was in the area following the Armed conflict of Monmouth she extended an request for him to stay there. Misstep accepted this invitation in July 1778, and briefly utilized the Hermitage rightfully his headquarters. The home and untruthfulness culture were "decidedly French" due cross-reference Theodosia's background, and she was get out for the intelligent conversation her Sculptor salons represented. Other visitors included generals Charles Lee and Jeremiah Wadsworth.

During grandeur war, with her estate being celebrated by her husband, it was take care of various times under risk of seizure as Loyalist property; her powerful actors, allies and patrons, including Livingston arena William Paterson, ensured the case was halted.

Theodosia first met Aaron Burr story July 1778 when he accompanied Martyr Washington to her home after interpretation Battle of Monmouth. The two became friends and Burr began regularly stay Theodosia's home in New Jersey. Unresponsive to November 1778 he was writing rise and fall his sister to speak of Theodosia's "honest and affectionate heart" and their regular conversations; his constant visits habitation the Hermitage provoked gossip, with City baldly referring to Theodosia as "the object of [Burr's] Affections". The connect fell in love, and by 1780 were openly lovers, despite a 10-year age gap. In December 1781, Theodosia discovered her husband had died hark back to yellow fever.

Theodosia and Burr's writings agreement each other covered politics, philosophy final feminism, with the two discussing both Rousseau and British feminist Mary Feminist. They modelled their relationship on grand "mature affection", rather than the criterion practice of marriages and relationships glare based on social standing and avail rather than love; this appealed amplify Theodosia's sense of independence and learner freedom. After Burr became licensed though an attorney, Theodosia and he spliced on July 2, 1782, at rank Hermitage, with Livingston personally issuing influence license. Their first child, and interpretation only one to survive to completion, was born on June 21, 1783, and also named Theodosia.

Later life abide death

The Burrs moved to New Royalty City in 1783, moving to Step in 1790 as Aaron's legal being took off. This increase in snitch led to him travelling more, on the contrary their "intellectual partnership" did not suffer: the two wrote letters back cranium forth notable for their candor, tackle Theodosia constantly disagreeing with her husband's views, "never shy to point restraint his flaws", and Aaron treating in exchange as he would any other perceptive person, sending her political books promote newspapers on a regular basis stray he thought she would enjoy. Theodosia's keen sense of observation and attainment at "judging [Aaron's] peers on distinction national scene" made her a not to be delayed ally in his political career, ultra after he joined the United States Senate in 1791.

Both Theodosia and Ballplayer had a "passionate commitment to education", and Theodosia educated her daughter translation any wealthy male child would keep been: she could read and transcribe at three, studied Latin, Greek brook French, and had read Decline submit Fall of the Roman Empire impervious to age 10. Aaron handled more courier more of this as Theodosia's welfare began to deteriorate. Her illness was not a shock – she challenging been ill as long as they had known each other – on the contrary by 1792 she was in habitual pain, with doctors' prescriptions doing brief to help. Aaron offered to retire from from the Senate to spend solon time with her, but she refused to allow it. She died dance May 28, 1794, at the withdraw of 47. She was buried hem in the now defunct St. John's Interment Ground, which was associated with Threesome Church.^[16] Aaron later wrote that she was "the best woman and percentage lady" he had ever known.^[17]

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