There were a hatful of details that Lin - Manuel Miranda could n’t fit into the Broadway musicalHamilton — that time Hamiltonclaimedto have communicated with a dead Revolutionary War commander as a laugh , for example , or hisepic rivalrywith New York Governor George Clinton , or amic - dropping diss rapdirected at John Adams .
He also could n’t fit in much about Peggy , the Schuyler sister who , in the show , is worried about being out too late downtown and disappears after the first act . ( The actress who play her becomes Maria Reynolds in the 2d act . ) But in real life sentence , this Schuyler sister was much beloved by Hamilton — and much more than “ and Peggy . ” Here are a few things you should have intercourse about her .
1. Peggy Schuyler’s name wasn’t actually Peggy.
Peggy was a nickname ; reckon on the informant , she was either Margaret or Margarita Schuyler . She was born in Albany inSeptember 1758 .
2. Peggy Schuyler had “a kind of wicked wit.”
The Schuyler family was one of the wealthiest in New York , and each daughter was , according to Hamilton biographer Ron Chernow , “ wise , beautiful , gregarious , and fertile … they collectively charmed and delighted all the visitors to the Schuyler mansion in Albany . ”
Philip and Catherine Schuyler had eight children who live on to adulthood , include three Son ; Peggy , the third of Schuyler ’s daughter , was “ very pretty,”accordingto the Scottish poet Anne Grant , and possess “ a variety of skanky wit . ” The elder Catherine Schuyler ’s biographer , Mary Gay Humphreys , described Peggyas having “ renovate and striking ” features ; as a young fair sex , she was “ lively ” and “ the ducky of dinner party - board and balls ” and , in after in life , was “ bright , high - spirited [ and ] generous . ”
But not all description were so fortunate . In a1782 letterto Hamilton , national leader James McHenry compare Peggy to her sister Angelica ( who he calls “ Mrs. Carter ” because her husband , John Barker Church , was forced to take the alias John Carter during the revolution ) , noting that “ Peggy , though , perhaps a fine char , is not more often than not thought so . Her own sexual activity are discerning that she regard them , poor things , as [ Jonathan ] Swifts [ sic ] Vanessa did ; and they in return do not scruple to be displeased . In short , Peggy , to be admired as she ought , has only to please the men less and the ladies more . ”Accordingto Hamilton biographer Ron Chernow , Peggy was “ sarcastic ” and “ very beautiful but vain and supercilious . ”
3. Peggy Schuyler first became acquainted with Alexander Hamilton via letter.
In 1780 , shortly after Hamilton began courting Eliza ( or , as Hamilton also called her , Betsey ) , Washington ’s aide - de - campwroteto Peggy at duration of his love for her sister ; he include a bit of flattery for good measure :
Between when their courtship began and when he married Eliza in December 1780 , Hamilton became near to all the Schuylers .
4. Alexander Hamilton wrote a piece in which he hoped Peggy Schuyler would serve as the main character.
In October 1780 , Hamilton pen to Eliza , asking her to tell Peggy that he ’d soon open a varsity letter he had from her . “ I am composing a firearm , of which , from the public opinion I have of her qualifications , I shall strive to prevail upon her to move the chief grapheme , ” hewrote . “ The championship is ‘ The mode to get him , for the benefit of all single ladies who desire to be tie . ’ You will ask her if she has any objection to taking part in the piece and tell apart her that if I am not much misguided in her , I am sure she will have none . ” ( He summate to his soon - to - be married woman , “ For your own part , your business is now to study the elbow room to keep him , which is said to be much the most difficult task of the two , though in your subject I thoroughly consider it will be an prosperous one and that to succeed effectually you will only have to care it sincerely . ” )
5. Peggy Schuyler once faced off against some Tories.
In 1781 , Albany was not much safer than the warfront : Local aboriginal American clan and British stalwart had been running raids all over the area . Philip Schuyler , who was the mastermind of a spy ring , was even the discipline of a British kidnapping plot ; on August 7,accordingto Chernow , a group of Tories and Native Americans surrounded the Schuyler mansion and forced their way into the home seek for the paterfamilias . The family line — include Angelica and Eliza , both fraught — fled up the stairs during the assault , realizing too late that they ’d leave behind Catherine Schuyler ’s baby girl ( also bring up Catherine ) . When Peggy swipe downstairs to recover the baby , who was in a cradle near the doorway , one of the raider stepped in front of her with a musket and demanded to have intercourse where General Schuyler was . According to Chernow , Peggy respond , coolly , that he had “ Gone to alarm the Ithiel Town . ” The raiders , afraid that troops were coming , fled — and Peggy grabbed infant Catherine and ran back up the stair . According to legend , one raider threw a tomahawk at her but miss , hit the Sir Roger Gilbert Bannister , which still has a mark .
6. Peggy Schuyler married well.
In June 1783 , when she was almost 25 , Peggy espouse a distant cousin , Stephen Van Rensselaer III , 19 ; it was likely an elopement . ( In fact , Eliza was the only Schuyler sister whodidn’telope . ) Stephen was a descendant ofKiliaen Van Rensselaer , an Amsterdam merchandiser who was the first patroon — a someone granted land and privileges by the Dutch authorities of New York — of a immense tract of country that included Albany county . This made Stephen a patroon as well , and he had plenty of money and servants . After her wedding , Peggy earned another nickname , this one bestowed upon her by Hamilton : “ Mrs. Patroon . ” By 1789 , the mates had three tyke , only one of whom would pull round to adulthood .
7. Peggy Schuyler died young.
By 1801 , Peggy had been ominous for two years . Hamilton , who had resigned as Treasury Secretary six eld before , was in Albany on business that March when Peggy took a turn for the worse . He often wrote to Eliza , at household in New York City , about her baby ’s health . “ Your Sister Peggy has bit by bit grown big & is now in a situation that her looseness in the opinion of the Doctor is not likely to be long delayed , ” hewroteon February 25 . The situation was dire enough , he said , that Peggy ’s hubby had requested that their only surviving son , then 11 , be land home .
But by March 9 , things were somewhat better . “ Your Sister Peggy had a good dark last dark than for three weeks past and is much gentle this morning , ” HamiltontoldEliza . “ Yet her situation is such as only to authorise a inkling of hope . ” On March 10he indite again , telling her that he would return home but for “ the position of your Sister Peggy , her postulation that I would stay a few days longer and the like request of your sire and mother … There has been picayune alteration either way in Peggys [ sic ] state of affairs for these preceding four days . ”
It would n’t be long before thing fuck off much unfit . On March 16 , Hamiltonwroteto Eliza with the sorry news that her babe , not yet 43 , had fall away : “ On Saturday , My Dear Eliza , your babe read leave of her sufferings and friends , I trust , to regain repose and happiness in a good nation . … consider all that she had endure for so long a clip , I could not but feel a relief in the termination of the tantrum . She was sensible to the last and release to the important change . ” He contrive to outride for the funeral and leave for New York City the day after . “ I long to come to cabinet and comfort you my darling Betsey , ” he wrote . “ Adieu my sweet-scented angel . think the obligation of Christian Resignation . Ever Yrs , A H. ”
