Did You Know #17

In exploring the vast connections of the Bragg family throughout our well over 400 years in America, I noticed recurring confluences of the Bragg and Lincoln families. A branch of the New England Braggs, descending from Edward Bragg (b. 1616):

• William Bragg married Lucinda Lincoln
• Polly Bragg married Perez Lincoln
• Eunice Bragg married Daniel Lincoln

While probing these intermarriages I came across an even closer connection as our section of the Bragg family tree intermarries with the Hull family (my great-great grandmother, Rebecca L. Hull, wife of William Bragg), and then with the Burr family (Elizabeth Burr, wife of Daniel Burr and my 7th great-grandmother). The Burr family then had a number of intermarriages with the Lincoln family:

• Jonathan Burr married Mary Lincoln
• Hannah Burr married Daniel Lincoln
• Mary Burr married Moses Lincoln

Sifting through the various branches of the Lincoln family is a challenging proposal. According to the Hingham County, MA history, there were four adult Lincoln men named "Thomas." These were distinguished from each other by supplying each a middle name by each man's vocation. The result was:

• Thomas "the weaver" Lincoln
• Thomas "the husbandman" Lincoln
• Thomas "the cooper" Lincoln
• Thomas "the miller" Lincoln

Thanks to the frequent intermarriages between each of these branches increases the likelihood that one can make a strong case for a relationship with President Abraham Lincoln. After placing all the data I could find into my computer program, with an eye toward the frequently contradicting published family trees, I arrived at the following conclusion:
Martha Lincoln is my 5th cousin 8 times removed, both descendants of Symond Burr. Martha is also the 3rd cousin 2 times removed of Pres. Abraham Lincoln (both descendants of Samuel Lincoln and Martha Lyford).

The following chart traces out this conclusion:

Descendant List from Symond Burr & Joan Saunders

Henry Burr b.1556 ***** Jehue Burr b.1596

Simon Burr b.1616 ***** Jehu Burr b.1603

John Burr b.1659 ****** Jehue Burr b.1625

Jonathan Burr b.1697 ** Daniel Burr b.1660

Mary Burr b.1721 ***** Elizabeth Burr b.1696
(wife of Moses Lincoln) (wife of Nathaniel Hull)

Martha Lincoln b. 1745 Nathaniel Hull b.1726

********************* Ezekiel Hull b.1765

********************* Platt Hull b.1787

********************* Ezekiel Hull b.1813

********************* Rebecca L. Hull b.1841
********************* (wife of William Bragg)

********************* Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895

********************* Don Cicero Bragg b.1920

********************* David Bragg b.1958

Descendant List from Samuel Lincoln b. 1622 and Martha Lyford

Daniel Lincoln b.1652 ** Mordecai Lincoln b.1657

Martha Lincoln b.1694 * Mordecai Lincoln b.1686

Moses Lincoln b.1718 ** John Lincoln b. 1716

Martha Lincoln b. 1745 Abraham Lincoln b. 1744

********************* Thomas Lincoln b. 1778

********************* Pres. Abraham Lincoln b. 1809

Did You Know? #16

In a previous posting we investigated the connection from the Ethington side of our family with the Braggs who settled early in the Boston area before relocating to Maine. While connecting those "dots" was admittedly convoluted, to the say least, further study has opened up ,an even clearer connection with this somewhat isolated Bragg "cousins." While this connection is established from the Bragg side of our family tree, it did not come from the Braggs but the Munsons.

On February 4, 1918 Gladys Gilbreath and Orval Bishop Bragg were married. Grandma Bragg was one of five daughter's born to Cicero Gilbreath and Elvira Munson (pictured on the left). "Vie," as she was called, descended from Capt. Thomas Munson, "the ancestor of all the Munsons in the United States" <http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=dsb4&id=I0101>. Capt. Thomas (1612-1685) was Grandma Bragg's 7th great-grandfather. Upon his arrival in the New World, he made his home at Hartford, Connecticut prior to helping to found the village of New Haven, Connecticut where many "members of the Munson family were benefactors for establishing Yale University" (where Capt. Munson is buried in the Grove Street Cemetery, also the resting place of Eli Whitney, Noah Webster and Charles Goodyear; see <http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pasulliv/

settlers/settlers16/settlers16.html>). In fact, in August of 1987 Yale celebrated "The 350th Anniversary of Thomas Munson coming to America." Thomas' son, Samuel Munson (1642-1693), along with 38 others founded the town of Wallingford, Connecticut. To learn more, visit the Thomas Munson Foundation at http://www.thomasmunson.org/about_tm.asp

So how do the Munsons and the New England Bragg family intersect? The first chart below illustrates the lineage from Capt. Thomas Munson to Grandma Bragg (column 1). The lines divide with the brothers [marked in red] Solomon (1688) and Waitstill (1697), sons of Samuel Munson (1669). This would make Isaac Munson (1802, Grandma Bragg's great-grandfather) and Orpha Munson (1793) third cousins (you have to go up three generations to find their common ancestor) [marked in green].

Capt. Thomas Munson (1612-1685)
Samuel Munson b. 1643
Samuel Munson b. 1669
Solomon Munson b.1688		Waitstill Munson b.1697
Samuel Munson b.1717		Samuel Munson b.1724
Samuel Munson Jr. b.1763		Waitstill Munson b.1760
Isaac Munson b.1802		Orpha Munson b.1793
Joel Munson b.1846
Elvira Belle Munson b.1871
Gladys Gilbreath b.1898

Based on this, we can identify Grandma Bragg and Orpha Munson as 3rd cousins 3 times removed. The next chart demonstrates the further connection between Orpha Munson's parents, Waitstill Munson (1760) and Elizabeth Frisbie (1757),who were 2nd cousins 1 time removed. Their common ancestor is Samuel Munson a(1643). Waitstill's great-grandfather Samuel and Elizabeth's grandfather Caleb were brothers [marked in red].

Capt. Thomas Munson (1612-1685)
Samuel Munson b. 1643
Samuel Munson b. 1669		Caleb Munson b.1682
Waitstill Munson b.1697		Elizabeth Munson b.1717 (married Jedediah Frisbie in 1743)
Samuel Munson b.1724
Waitstill Munson b.1760		Elizabeth Frisbie b.1757
Orpha Munson b.1793

The final chart, below, completes the connection between the Munsons and the New England Bragg families. Orpha Munson married James Bragg, the great-great-grandson of Nicholas Bragg (1615), the brother of Edward Bragg (featured in Did You Know #12 <http://thebraggfamily.blogspot.com/2009/08/did-you-know-12.html>), sons of Nicholas Burton Bragge.

Capt. Thomas Munson (1612-1685)
Samuel Munson b. 1643				Nicholas Burton Bragge
Samuel Munson b. 1669		Caleb Munson b.1682		Nicholas Bragge b.1615		Edward Bragg b.1616
Waitstill Munson b.1697		Elizabeth Munson b.1717 (married Jedediah Friasbie in 1743)		Henry Bragg b.1657		Timothy Bragg
Samuel Munson b.1724				Alexander Bragg b.1689		Ebenezer Bragg (married Zerviah Brigham b.1698)
Waitstill Munson b.1760		Elizabeth Frisbie b.1757		Nicholas Bragg b.1732
Orpha Munson b.1793				James Bragg b.1784

Did You Know? #15

Way back in the early 1980’s, while pursuing a bachelor degree in Bible at Freed-Hardeman College/University, Ann and I attended the Estes church of Christ, located a few miles south of Henderson, TN. Ann’s father, Norman Hogan (pictured to the right), was serving at that time as the congregation’s pulpit minister. Years later our daughter also attended this same congregation for a time while she was attending FHU.

From my earlier exposure to the Estes community I was aware that there was a rich history behind this rural community. B.J. Naylor notes on the congregation’s website writes that …

“The name "Estes" can be traced back to a family whose parents were A.G. and Eliza Estes and who lived in the community around 1840 to 1870. Their graves were among the earliest in the old cemetery which is located across Highway 45 and approximately one-half mile from the present building. The graves of the Estes family were located in a row and were enclosed with a wire fence. The wire fence is gone, but the primitive grave markers are still there.” [http://www.estes.tn.org/estesHistory.htm]

What stirred my interest in the origin of the Estes name in Chester Co., TN? In looking at a somewhat remote part of our family tree I came across the Estes name not once but twice. Two of Thomas Milton Bragg’s sons married women with the Estes name. Gabriel Bragg (b.1774) and Mary Ann Estes (b.1782) were married on October 12, 1799 in Culpepper Co., VA and raised a family of seven while his younger brother, Ezekiel (b. 1784), married Mary Ann’s younger sister, Nancy (b. 1785), on September 7, 1802. Ezekiel and Nancy also raised a large family of nine children.

Gabriel and Ezekiel Bragg were third cousins of Hugh Lewis Bragg, our great-great-great- grandfather. The Estes girls were also third cousins of John Bennett Estes (b.1791), the father of Allen Green Estes, the A. G. Estes, who along with his wife, Eliza, both of whose remains rest “the old cemetery which is located across Highway 45 and approximately one-half mile from the present building” of the Estes church of Christ south of Henderson, TN.

One of the interesting aspects of studying one’s family history is to see how, over the years, families intersect so many others as they seem to migrate. Although so many years have passed since they walked this earth, just taking the time to consider how they relate to our family tree seems to honor them.

Sometimes it is interesting to learn that our path through life has wandered across their lingering influence. Below is a chart to help illustrate the family connection with each generation of the Bragg and Estes families down to the dual set of third cousins (highlighted in yellow), and then our descending generations down through our father, Don:

Joseph Bragg & Mary Tapp		Abraham Estes & Barbara Brock
Joseph B. Bragg b.1690	Charles Bragg b.1691	Thomas Estes b.1688	Sylvester Estes b.1684
John Bragg Sr. b.1733	William Bragg b.1729	John Estes b.1725	Ephraim Estes b.1712
Richard Bragg b.1762	Thomas Milton Bragg Sr. b.1755	Marshall Estes b.1755	John Estes b.1750
Hugh Lewis Bragg b.1795	Gabriel b.1774 / Ezekiel Bragg b. 1784	Mary Ann b.1782 / Nancy Estes b. 1785	John Bennett Estes b.1791
William Bragg b.1834			Allen Green Estes b.1816
Frank Martin Bragg b.1867
Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895
Don C. Bragg b.1920

Playing Catch With Jasper

Did You Know #14

From an early age I have possessed a strong interest in 19th century American history, especially the American Civil War. In recent years I have been able to "catch up" on long denied reading, even research into this very sad period of our nation's history. It is no surprise that the Bragg family has deep ties in this conflict.

Many members of the Bragg family bravely served on either side of the War Between the States. According to ancestry.com, there were 317 Union and 363 Confederate soldiers named Bragg. Many of these remain relatively unknown to most of us today. There were, however, some with direct relationship to our family occupying high positions in both the Union and Confederate armies. Most notably are perhaps the most despised Confederate General Braxton T. Bragg (third cousin four times removed; cf Did You Know #3) and the highly respected Union General Edward S. Bragg (connection with our family not clearly established as of this time).

Another related family member, Major Charles Venable, served as an aide to Confederate General Robert E. Lee. According to Wikipedia, Charles Venable was

"present at the firing on Fort Sumter in April 1861, serving as a lieutenant in the South Carolina state militia. He then fought as a private in Company A, 2nd South Carolina Infantry. In the spring of 1862, Venable joined the staff of presidential military advisory General Robert E. Lee as an aide-de-camp with the rank of major. He continued serving on Lee's staff when the general took command of the Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862. He served on Lee's staff from the Peninsula Campaign to Appomattox Court House and was promoted to lieutenant colonel." Here is the connection. Our lineage is on the right, his is on the left:

Abraham B Venable & Martha Hannah Davis
Nathaniel Venable b.1733	Hugh Lewis Venable b.1727
Samuel Woodson Venable b.1756	Elizabeth Venable b.1764
Nathaniel E. Venable b.1791	Hugh Lewis Bragg b.1795
Charles Scott Venable b.1827	William Bragg b.1834
	Frank Martin Bragg b.1867
	Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895
	Don Cicero Bragg b.1920

Therefore, Charles Scott Venable and William Bragg (our Great-great-grandfather) were 3rd cousins.

On the Union side, at the end of the Civil War the two most famous Generals had to have been U. S. Grant and William T. Sherman. Both were from Illinois. But I want to look at one of these two men with a direct connection with our Bragg family. William Tecumseh Sherman was born "in Lancaster, Ohio. Orphaned at age nine and raised by a prominent Ohio politician, he graduated from West Point in 1840, saw service in Florida, and, during the Mexican War, in California; he stayed there and in 1853 resigned from the army to become a banker. When the bank failed in 1857, he became superintendent of the Louisiana Military Academy; he resigned when Louisiana seceded early 1861" (source). Sherman is perhaps most notable for the siege of Vicksburg, MS, the capture of Atlanta, GA followed by the famous "march to the sea." Edmund Sherman and Joan Makin were William Tecumseh Sherman 5th great-grandparents. They are also our 11th great-grandparents. Here is the family connection:

Edmund Sherman and Joan Makin
Samuel Sherman	Esther "Hester" Sherman b.1606
John Sherman	Esther Ward b.1623
John Sherman	Daniel Burr b.1660
Daniel Sherman	Elizabeth Burr b.1696
Taylor Sherman	Nathaniel Hull b.1726
Charles Sherman	Ezekiel Hull b.1765
William Tecumseh Sherman	Platt Hull b.1787
	Ezekiel Hull b.1813
	Rebecca L. Hull b.1841
	Frank Martin Bragg b.1867
	Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895
	Don Cicero Bragg b.1920

Did You Know #12

Brief mention was made in Did You Know #8 of an early settler in in America's northeast, Edward Bragg (born in 1616 England), whose growing family thrived in the Salem, Ma area. Since that time, actually well before that time, I have been seeking a legitimate connection with our section of that Bragg family that settled further south in Virginia. Imagine my excitement with I seemed to have found that connection. Imagine my surprise when I found that connection in studying, not my Bragg family ancestors but the Ethington family.

My mother's earliest American ancestors also settled in Virginia, in their case in the Spotsylvania and Culpepper section of the state. First, let's work our way back through the Ethington family, beginning with our grandfather, Luther Ethington.

	Luther Ethington b.1888
	Charles Franklin Ethington b.1862
	Charles Neal Ethington b.1831
	John Lewis Ethington b.1806
	John Ethington b.1774
X	William Ethington b. 1748
	William Ethington (born around 1720)

I have placed an "X" next to our 5th great grandfather, William Ethington (b. 1748). He and his wife, Cathrine (or Caty), became the parents of eleven children. While our specific family descends through their son John (b. 1774), it is the family line of their son William (b. 1748) that we will next trace out. The chart below adds William's descendants in the column to the right of our own family tree.

	William Ethington b. 1748
	John Ethington b.1774	William Ethington b.1773
	John Lewis Ethington b.1806	John Ethington b.1820
	Charles Neal Ethington b.1831	William Preston Ethington b.1845
	Charles Franklin Ethington b.1862	George Floyd Ethington b.1872
	Luther Ethington b.1831	Ralph Price Ethington b.1906

As the above chart illustrates, our grandfather, Luther, and Ralph Price Ethington were 4th cousins. Ralph Price Ethington was born in Shelby Co., Kentucky on Dec. 26, 1906. He married Veda Haymore on Jan. 18, 1927 in Mesa, Maricopa Co., AZ.

It would be in Veda Haymore Ethington's ancestors that took me across the New England Bragg family. First you have to wind your way through 17 generations all the way back to Eleanor Plantagenet. She was, according to Wikipedia , Eleanor was born on Sept. 11, 1311 and died on Jan. 11, 1372. She "was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Philippa, and was in service to her in Ghent when her son Henry was born. John de Beaumont [Eleanor's husband] died in a tournament on 14 April 1342." After the death of her first husband, Eleanor married Richard Fitzalan, the 10th Earl of Arundel, on Feb. 5, 1344, after Richard's previous marriage was officially annulled. They had seven children.

"Eleanor died at Arundel and was buried at Lewes Priory in Lewes, Sussex, England. Her husband was buried beside her; in his will Richard requests to be buried "near to the tomb of Eleanor de Lancaster, my wife; and I desire that my tomb be no higher than hers, that no men at arms, horses, hearse, or other pomp, be used at my funeral, but only five torches...as was about the corpse of my wife, be allowed.""

Veda Haymore Ethington would have then been the 16th great-granddaughter of Eleanor Plantagenent through her Matilda de Beaumont (daughter of Eleanor and John de Beaumont). The third child of Eleanor's second marriage was named after his father, Richard Fitzalan. Proceeding down from Eleanor Plantagenet through her son Richard and across some 11 generations to Zerviah Brigham. She was born 1698 and, sometime around 1730 Zerviah married Ebenezer Bragg, the grandson of Edward Bragg.

Looking over this convoluted journey in our daughter's home in western Missouri, after spending some time just the evening before in Independence, MO, I realized something interesting from this material. continuing from Ebenezer and Zerviah Bragg, this is what I found:

Ebenezer and Zerviah Brigham Bragg

Elizabeth Bragg b.1732

Samuel B. Gates Senior b.1760

Samuel B. Gates Junior b.1783

George William Gates b.1807

George Porterfield Gates b.1835

Margaret Elizabeth ''Madge'' Gates b.1862

Elizabeth Virginia ''Bess' Wallace b.1885

Bess Wallace, then, was the 6th great grand-daughter of Ebenezer Bragg, the 17th cousin 2 times removed of Veda Haymore Ethington. She is, however, best known for her famous husband, the man who brought her to live awhile in the White House, Harry S. Truman.

I know this must be hard to follow, so here is a chart that traces out the lineages presented above:

		Eleanor Plantagenet
		Matilda de Beaumont b.1358	Richard Fitzalan b.1350
		Hugh de Courtenay b.1396	Elizabeth Fitzalan b.1366
		Elizabeth Courtenay b.1447	Margaret de Mowbray b.1387
		Thomas Trethruffe b.1478	Sir John Howard b.1420
		Margaret Jane Trethruffe b.1505	Thomas Howard b.1443
		Francis Buller b.1545	Countess Catherine Howard b.1496
		Richard Buller b.1578	William Rice b.1530
		Katherine Buller b.1600	Henry Rice b.1564
		Richard Parker b.1630	Edmund Rice b.1594
		Richard Parker b.1670	Henry R. Rice b.1617
		Hannah Parker b.1694	Mary Rice b.1646	Edward Bragg
	William Ethington b.1720	Elizabeth Sisson b.1726	Jonathan Brigham b.1674	Timothy Bragg
	William Ethington b.1748	Frances Strange b.1767	Ebenezer Bragg married Zerviah Brigham b.1698
	William Ethington b.1773	Nancy Williams b.1787	Elizabeth Bragg b.1732
	John Ethington b.1820	Benjamin Taylor Jr b.1816	Samuel B. Gates Senior b.1760
	William Preston Ethington b.1845	Lucinda Adeline Taylor b.1847	Samuel B. Gates Junior b.1783
	George Floyd Ethington b.1872	Arthur Samuel Haymore b.1878	George William Gates b.1807
	Ralph Price Ethington b.1906 married Veda Haymore b.1908		George Porterfield Gates b.1835
			Margaret Elizabeth ''Madge'' Gates b.1862
			Elizabeth Virginia ''Bess' Wallace b.1885 married Harry S. Truman

WOW – Kari Ann Bragg Honored

     As was stated in the previous post, Kari Bragg graduated from Freed-Hardeman University in the school’s 140^th Commencement Ceremony in Henderson, TN.  Kari received the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music and Secondary Education.  She was a summa cum laude (Latin for: “summa cum laude “) graduate with a perfect, 4.0 grade point average. Kari was also recognized as being a member of Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship Society.

     In looking over the graduation program I noticed that a special presentation would be made recognizing the one student who best epitomizes the values of FHU, academic excellence, leadership qualities both within the student body and in the local community.  The recipient of the Faculty Scholarship-Leadership Medal, the highest honor for the graduating class, is chosen by the faculty members and is awarded to one individual in each graduating class.  As I reflected the father in me knew that Kari should win.  As Dr. Samuel T, Jones came to the podium to announce the winner of the 2009 Faculty Scholarship-Leadership Medal he explained the history,  importance, nomination process, and the five qualities the award represents.  Then he began the introduction by stated that this years winner was a music major (I thought, “could it be??”).  Then he kept saying, “she,” and that she was a honor’s student (my mind began trying to wrap around the idea that he could very well be talking about Kari).  His next words were, “She was the founding member of Main Street Fuzion …” (an acapella group whose presentations included popular music and 

spiritual  selections).  I could not be more proud that Kari was to be recognized by her instructors (and many other faculty members who never even had her in their classes) for her hard work while a student at FHU.

     So congratulations again to Kari for so admirably completing her course of study at FHU.  Congratulations for winning the 2009 Faculty Scholarship-Leadership Medal.  Congratulations for your new teaching position in Clinton, MO.  We are so proud of you!!!

Congratulations Kari Bragg

     Last Monday Kari Bragg had her first interview for a music teacher position.  She met with Clinton, MO middle school principal, visited with the retiring music teacher and took a tour of the music room (next fall, with the opening of a new high school, the middle school will move to the old high school).  She would, in addition to teaching general music classes, also direct the middle school choral program. 

The interview went well, and she was told that she would get a call on Friday about the position, even if someone else were offered the job.  So she was surprised, and pleased to be offered the position Thursday morning.

     Clinton, MO is just a few miles southeast of Kansas City, MO.  There are two nearby colleges nearby where she can pursue her graduate studies in music education.  The Clinton school and community seems to be vary supportive of the arts, and it seems to be a very good match for Kari.

     From a very young age it was clear to us that Kari would be a teacher.   Then when she began to sing, and learned to play a wide variety of instruments, we were pretty sure that she would be a music teacher.  And there is little doubt that she will be a popular and effective music teacher. 

     Mom and Dad are also pleased that she will live fairly close to their Cape Girardeau home.

     Congratulations Kari!!!!!!

Did You Know? #11

Who in our family tree is most closely connected with the $10 bill?

The famous and infamous can be found in every family tree, especially when you consider just how many other families throughout the generations become entwined by marriages. In just going back a few generations we find just such a connection with a man who, depending on who is telling the story, was “one of the most brilliant students graduated from Princeton in

the eighteenth century”¹ or a treasonous traitor (for a time he not only spent a number of years in a self-imposed exile in Europe but

apparently adopted his mother’s maiden name instead of his surname to escape the relentless dispersions heaped

upon his name).² His is the story of how the famous and infamous can reside in a single person as a moment’s decision taints a lifetime of greatness.

Consider these astonishing achievements:

• Entered Princeton University as a sophomore (at the age of 13).
  
• Graduated from Princeton, with honors (at the age of 16).
  
• A Revolutionary War hero.
  
• Member of the New York State Assembly.
  
• New York Attorney General.
  
• United States Senator.
  
• Vice President of the United States.
  

With such a strong drive to succeed, it may come as no surprise that such a person might have a somewhat inflated self-opinion. That seems to be the

case with Aaron Burr, who is to have remarked, "In the past even I was afraid of my own greatness, therefore I could not stand in front of mirrors."

So what is the family connection? Here is the line of ancestry running through this story:

• Don Cicero Bragg b.1920
  
• Orval Bishop Bragg b.1895
  
• Frank Martin Bragg b.1867
  
• Rebecca L. Hull b.1841 (wife of William Bragg)
  
• Ezekiel Hull
  
• Platt Hull b.1787
  
• Ezekiel Hull b.1765
• Nathaniel Hull b.1726
  
• Nathaniel Hull b.1695
  

On November 29, 1716 our 7th-Great-Grandfather Nathaniel Hull was married to Elizabeth Burr, one of Daniel and Elizabeth Pinkney Burr’s ten children. Elizabeth was one of ten children. Her brother was Aaron Burr, Sr., President of Princeton University and father of Aaron Burr, Vice President of the United States and killer of Alexander Hamilton.

Burr’s father, who served as Princeton’s president, died suddenly of a fever. The vacated Princeton presidency post was then filled

by Aaron Burr, Jr.’s maternal grandfather, the famed Jonathan Edwards. Not long after the death of the elder Burr, Aaron Jr’s mother

contracted smallpox and died. Orphaned at the age of only three (his sister, Sally, was only 1 year old), he was raised by an apparently domineering uncle.

After graduating from college Aaron Burr began practicing law in New York and, at the age of 26, married a widow in her mid

thirties with five children. Two daughters were born of this union, but only one survived birth. Named Theodosia, after her mother, she was widely

esteemed for her gifted intellect.

Burr’s wife died in 1794 after a long bout with stomach cancer, leaving him to raise his eleven

year old daughter. Theodosia would eventually

marry Joseph Alston of Charleston, SC. Shortly after their marriage Joseph become that state’s Governor. The couple had one child, Aaron Burr Alston, who died of the fever at the age of ten. About this same time Theodosia Burr Alston died, perhaps when pirates attacked the ship upon which she was traveling.

But Aaron Burr’s life was pretty well defined by the events that culminated in the early morning

hours of July 11, 1804 along the edge of the Hudson River at Weehawken, New Jersey. It was on that morning that Burr, intent on defending his honor, engaged in a duel with his long-time political foe Alexander Hamilton (pictured on the $10 bill). Burr won the duel, but he lost

any hope of a political future.

Aaron Burr married later in life (at least once). In 1833 seventy-seven year old Burr married Eliza Bowen Juman, a rich widow, but the marriage did not last very long. The couple separated with their divorce being finalized on September 14, 1836, the very day of Burr’s death.

Notes

¹ Alexander Valentine and Alexander Leitch, A Princeton Companion, 1978 Princeton University Press.

² Wikipedia, so it MUST be true.