The Widow Remembered, 1863
Consecrated to the memory of Gen. Alexander Hamilton (Library of Congress)
Elizabeth survived her husband by a full fifty years. She spent those decades doing charitable work and laboring to secure Hamilton’s legacy. She co-founded and served as deputy director of New York’s first private orphanage, and was succeeded by Mrs. Joanna Bethune. Bethune’s son recorded his mother’s reminiscences about “Mrs. General Hamilton” in 1863.
Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, 1863
Mrs. Hamilton bore her calamities with fortitude and resignation, but sought her subsequent enjoyments for this world in the offices of a religious life and a most active charity, which she continued to practice up to the very close of her unusually protracted life, in her ninety-seventh year. She retained both her mental and physical faculties to the last; and when at Washington, during her latest years, for the prosecution of her honorable claims on the general government, she was the object of the utmost veneration and affectionate wonder to all those who delighted to throng her modest dwelling, and hear from her eloquent, truthful lips, narratives of the times of which she was a part and an ornament.
Such was Mrs. Bethune’s especial friend and longest loved associate in the rearing, establishing, and perpetuating the New York Orphan Asylum. Mrs. Hamilton continued to be the First Directress of the society until her removal to Washington, a few years before her death, when she was succeeded by Mrs, Bethune. According to her dying request, Mrs. Hamilton’s remains lie buried in Trinity Churchyard, near the tomb built for her illustrious husband by the Society of Cincinnati, whose President General (after Washington) he was. Among the most sincere and affectionate mourners at her funeral was my beloved mother.
Source: Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, by George Washington Bethune, 1805–1862, New York Public Library. To view the full document click here.
Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, 1863
Mrs. Hamilton bore her calamities with fortitude and resignation, but sought her subsequent enjoyments for this world in the offices of a religious life and a most active charity, which she continued to practice up to the very close of her unusually protracted life, in her ninety-seventh year. She retained both her mental and physical faculties to the last; and when at Washington, during her latest years, for the prosecution of her honorable claims on the general government, she was the object of the utmost veneration and affectionate wonder to all those who delighted to throng her modest dwelling, and hear from her eloquent, truthful lips, narratives of the times of which she was a part and an ornament.
Such was Mrs. Bethune’s especial friend and longest loved associate in the rearing, establishing, and perpetuating the New York Orphan Asylum. Mrs. Hamilton continued to be the First Directress of the society until her removal to Washington, a few years before her death, when she was succeeded by Mrs, Bethune. According to her dying request, Mrs. Hamilton’s remains lie buried in Trinity Churchyard, near the tomb built for her illustrious husband by the Society of Cincinnati, whose President General (after Washington) he was. Among the most sincere and affectionate mourners at her funeral was my beloved mother.
Source: Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, by George Washington Bethune, 1805–1862, New York Public Library. To view the full document click here.
calamities: disasters
fortitude: courage
resignation: accepting attitude
protracted: drawn out or lengthened
veneration: respect
throng: gather
Background
Elizabeth survived her husband by a full fifty years. She spent those decades doing charitable work and laboring to secure Hamilton’s legacy. She co-founded and served as deputy director of New York’s first private orphanage, and was succeeded by Mrs. Joanna Bethune. Bethune’s son recorded his mother’s reminiscences about “Mrs. General Hamilton” in 1863.
Transcript
Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, 1863
Mrs. Hamilton bore her calamities with fortitude and resignation, but sought her subsequent enjoyments for this world in the offices of a religious life and a most active charity, which she continued to practice up to the very close of her unusually protracted life, in her ninety-seventh year. She retained both her mental and physical faculties to the last; and when at Washington, during her latest years, for the prosecution of her honorable claims on the general government, she was the object of the utmost veneration and affectionate wonder to all those who delighted to throng her modest dwelling, and hear from her eloquent, truthful lips, narratives of the times of which she was a part and an ornament.
Such was Mrs. Bethune’s especial friend and longest loved associate in the rearing, establishing, and perpetuating the New York Orphan Asylum. Mrs. Hamilton continued to be the First Directress of the society until her removal to Washington, a few years before her death, when she was succeeded by Mrs, Bethune. According to her dying request, Mrs. Hamilton’s remains lie buried in Trinity Churchyard, near the tomb built for her illustrious husband by the Society of Cincinnati, whose President General (after Washington) he was. Among the most sincere and affectionate mourners at her funeral was my beloved mother.
Source: Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, by George Washington Bethune, 1805–1862, New York Public Library. To view the full document click here.
Excerpt
Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, 1863
Mrs. Hamilton bore her calamities with fortitude and resignation, but sought her subsequent enjoyments for this world in the offices of a religious life and a most active charity, which she continued to practice up to the very close of her unusually protracted life, in her ninety-seventh year. She retained both her mental and physical faculties to the last; and when at Washington, during her latest years, for the prosecution of her honorable claims on the general government, she was the object of the utmost veneration and affectionate wonder to all those who delighted to throng her modest dwelling, and hear from her eloquent, truthful lips, narratives of the times of which she was a part and an ornament.
Such was Mrs. Bethune’s especial friend and longest loved associate in the rearing, establishing, and perpetuating the New York Orphan Asylum. Mrs. Hamilton continued to be the First Directress of the society until her removal to Washington, a few years before her death, when she was succeeded by Mrs, Bethune. According to her dying request, Mrs. Hamilton’s remains lie buried in Trinity Churchyard, near the tomb built for her illustrious husband by the Society of Cincinnati, whose President General (after Washington) he was. Among the most sincere and affectionate mourners at her funeral was my beloved mother.
Source: Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna Bethune, by George Washington Bethune, 1805–1862, New York Public Library. To view the full document click here.
calamities: disasters
fortitude: courage
resignation: accepting attitude
protracted: drawn out or lengthened
veneration: respect
throng: gather
