Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 02.djvu/74

 BURR.

BURR.

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college to Princeton, N. J. He published T)ie Newark Grammar, which was used for a num- ber of years at Princeton, and The Supreme Deity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, a small volume {new edition, 1 791 ), and several sermons. He died of overwork at Princeton, N. J., Sept. 24, 1757.

BURR, Aaron, vice-president of the United States, was born at Newark, N. J., Feb. G, 1756; son of Aaron and Esther (Edwards) Burr. His father came of a distinguished stock and was president of the College of Ncm- Jersey. His mother was a daughter of Jonathan Edwards. Both of his parents died wliile he was still an infant, and from them lie inherited a consid- erable estate, of which his uncle acted as guar- dian during his minor- ity. He was gradu- ated from the College of New Jersey in 1772, and he was about to commence the study of law when the revolu- tionary war broke out. In July, 1775, he rode to Cambridge, Mass., and enlisted as a pri- vate in the Continental army, and for the next five years he was a successful soldier. He ac- companied Benedict Arnold to Canada, and in the storming of Quebec displayed so much dash and brilliancy that he was made a major and given a place in General Washington's military family. Owing to disagreements with Washing- ton, however, he was soon transferred to the staff of General Putnam, whom he assisted in the defence of New York. In 1777 he was promoted lieutenant-colonel, and distinguished himself at Hackensack and at Monmovith. For a portion of the winter of 1778-"79 he was in command at West Point, and in January of the latter year he was put in charge of Westchester county, at that time the most exposed district in New York state. Although but twenty -three years of age, he displayed in this difficult position such skill and valor that he won the admiration both of his soldiers and of the people of the state. But in March, 1779, ill-health forced him to withdraw from the army and he sent in his resignation to W^ashington, who in accepting it remarked that but the cause which rendered his resignation neces.sary."' Three years later he was admitted to the bar at Albany, N. Y., and his success as a lawyer was as brilliant and rapid as his suc- cess as a soldier. At this time he married a Mrs. Prevost, vrho is described as a verj^ charm-
 * ' he not only regretted the loss of a good officer,

ing and highly cultivated woman, the widow of an English officer. She was ten years older than Burr, and had two sous, but neither of these facts detracted from the felicity of the marriage, in the first year of which Burr's only child, Theodosia, was born. The following ten years witnessed the climacteric of his happiness and prosperity. He was at the head of his profession, a leader in political life, happy in his domestic relations at Richmond Hill, his beautiful man- sion, the scene of a luxuriovis hospitality, which had for its guests, besides the distinguished per- sonages of the republic, Louis Philippe, Volney and Talleyrand. In 1788 he was appointed attorney-general of the state. In 1791, when he was elected United States senator by a Federal legislature, having in the meantime served as a Republican representative to the assembly, he had but one rival as a lawyer in New York, Alexander Hamilton. He was a skilful and adroit political manager, who understood how to hold and use the balance of power in his own party (the Republican) by keeping in the favor of both the Schuyler and Clinton factions, with- out swearing entire allegiance to either, and at the same time to maintain friendly relations with his opponents, the Federalists. In 1794 Mrs. Burr died, and thenceforth Aaron Burr centred the whole affection of his passionate nature upon his daughter, then eleven years old. He personally superintended her education, and made her his companion, a devotion which was repaid in full measure in later years. In the presidential election of 1800 he secured the vote of New York state to the Republicans, and there- fore the national election — Jefferson and him- self both receiving seventy -three votes, Adams sixty-five and Pinckney sixty-four — being at this time " the chosen head of northern Democracy, idol of the ward of New York city, and aspirant to the highest offices he could reach by means legal or beyond law." After an exciting contest in the house of rei^resentatives, in which the Federalists attempted to elect Burr to the presi- dency, and in which Burr himself has been ac- cused of intriguing with them to elect himself, Jefferson was made President and Burr became vice-president. For his alleged treachery. Burr was deserted by his party. In 1804 he was the candidate of the Federalists for governor of New York, and Avould probably have been elected but for the oi^position of Alexander Hamilton, who had also been instrumental in keeping him out of the presidency. This opposition, aggravated by certain uncomplimentary epithets, which Hamil- ton is alleged to have applied to Burr, gave rise to quarrel between them, which culminated in a duel at Weehawken-on-the -Hudson, July 7, 1804, Burr being the challenging part}'- Hamilton was