How Aaron Burr’s Wife Hired Alexander Hamilton’s Son To Help Obtain Her Divorce
The most famous duel in American history continued to have strange connections years after the fact
One of the most notorious acts of violence in American history was when Vice President Aaron Burr shot and killed former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in a duel. The conflict arose out of a personal political rivalry and is as shocking now as it was more than 200 years ago. Despite the lethal conclusion of their fight, the two men ended up being linked in life later on; most notably when Burr’s wife hired Hamilton’s son as a lawyer when she was seeking a divorce.
The American Presidential election of 1800 was the genesis of Burr and Hamilton’s contentious relationship. That year Burr ran against eventual President Thomas Jefferson on the ticket.The results were razor thin with each candidate holding 73 electoral votes. Although Hamilton didn’t like Jefferson from when they had a rocky relationship as members of President George Washington’s cabinet, he was dead set against Burr’s politics. Accordingly, he used all of his influence to help get Jefferson elected on the 36th electoral ballot for the final vote, with Burr thus becoming the Vice President.
