Founding Father Facts - Aaron Burr
His mother Esther described “Little Aaron” as both a “fine quiet child” and a “dirty noisy boy.” She said he was more handsome than his sister Sally but not as good-tempered.
Parents and grandparents died when he was a toddler. As a result, he was raised by his uncle Timothy Edwards. The Edwards’ household also included young siblings of Timothy, and his wife’s two younger brothers, and later the couple’s own children.
At thirteen, Burr’s college nickname was “Little Burr” for his precocity and short stature (as an adult he was 5′6).
Burr’s handwriting was mocked as being “sleek & lady-like.” A friend teased that if someone saw the letter addressed to him, they would assume it was from a woman.
At 22, Burr still had a boyish look to him. While he was in the army, a farmer didn’t believe he was an officer and the man assumed he was the colonel’s son. Burr’s fellow soldiers then called him “Colonel Burr’s son.”
Burr had a talent for capturing a woman’s emotions in his writing. He wrote his journals as if writing to, first, his sister, then his wife, then daughter.
Possibly suffered from PTSD after the war. His friends worried about his health a lot and Burr said he didn’t feel like himself after the war and needed to escape from the noise of battle.
Aaron and Theodosia had another daughter, Sally, who passed away at three years old.
Burr was guardian to Dolley Payne Madison’s son after her first husband’s death. She chose him knowing he valued education very highly.
Also, made himself responsible for Susan Lewis, the daughter of Maria Reynolds. He got her into a boarding school, although she did not stay there long, eloped, and was abandoned by her husband three weeks later. Burr never gave up on her but Susan seemed determined to run her own life and was no more successful at it than her mother.
Dueled Hamilton’s brother-in-law John Barker Church thanks to Hamilton spreading gossip about him. Church shot at Burr but the bullet passed through Burr’s coat. Before the second round, Church apologized.
In the Levi Weeks trial, it was Burr who said “Gentlemen of the jury” not Hamilton like in the musical.
During his early political days (late 1700′s thru early 1800′s), Burr was constantly slandered in the press (Hamilton being the most vocal) and sexualized in poems and artwork. Aaron Burr never retaliated. He never slandered his political enemies.
Was most definitely a feminist in the modern sense of the word. He educated his daughter like she was a man and saw her and his wife as his equals.
Burr had a modern “style of self-presentation.” His way of presenting himself with effortlessness would be comparable to Humphrey Bogart or Clint Eastwood.
Was tried for treason but no evidence could be found to indict him. President Jefferson was a big player in trying to condemn Burr. Back in their partnership days as President and Vice President, Jefferson saw Burr’s popularity and political prowess as a threat to how he wanted to shape the Republic and James Madison’s succession to him.
As a widow, he didn’t shy away from sex and had frequent “muses” during his visit to Europe. Once, he wrote in his journal that he had been “amused for an hour with a very handsome young Dane.” Then telling his daughter, “Don’t smile. It is a male.”
At one point during this time, he promised himself to do better about sleeping around after he thought he’d gotten an STD. The promise didn’t last. He later wrote in his journal that after ten days, he was unfit to be around people for want of sex.
After he returned to the US and opened a law firm, he became a popular lawyer with women. Women knew he understood their issues. All of Burr’s divorce clients were women. Although broke himself, he offered financial aid and charity to his female clients.
Aaron Burr was by far the most modern of the founders. He was a feminist, believed that reason was more important than party differences, never retaliated against the constant abuse thrown at him, and embraced inclusiveness.
Source: Fallen Founder by Nancy Isenberg
prguitarman
origamiaround
romaincrisis
