Esther Edwards Burr
Esther Edwards Burr was an influential 18th-century figure recognized for her connections to notable historical personalities, including her father, Jonathan Edwards, a prominent theologian and leader of the Great Awakening, and her son, Aaron Burr, who later became the Vice President of the United States. She married Aaron Burr, Sr. after a brief courtship, and they had two children together. Burr maintained a close relationship with her father throughout her life, evidenced by their extensive correspondence. Her daily letters to her friend Sarah Prince serve as a significant historical document, culminating in the publication of "The Journal of Esther Edwards Burr, 1754—1757." This work is one of the earliest surviving accounts of a colonial woman's life, offering unique insights into her thoughts and experiences. Notably, Burr's writings reflect her intelligence and strength, as demonstrated by her spirited defense of women's engagement in intellectual discourse. Tragically, both she and her husband succumbed to smallpox shortly after each other in 1758, marking a poignant end to her life and legacy.
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Subject Terms
Esther Edwards Burr
Writer
- Born: February 13, 1732
- Birthplace: Northampton, Massachusetts
- Died: April 7, 1758
- Place of death: Princeton, New Jersey
Biography
Esther Edwards Burr, a prominent historical figure in her own right, was also the daughter of Jonathan Edwards, the famed theologian and a leader of the Great Awakening, and the mother of Aaron Burr, a future vice president known for his duel with Alexander Hamilton, which resulted in Alexander Hamilton’s death.
Burr shared her father’s spiritual nature and remained close to him in adulthood, corresponding with him regularly. She married Aaron Burr, Sr., after only a five-day courtship and an engagement of less than a month; the couple had two children, Sally and Aaron, Jr. Her husband ministered in addition to serving as president of the College of New Jersey, which would become known as Princeton.
During this time, Burr chronicled her life experiences and spiritual ruminations in detailed daily letters to her close friend, Sarah Prince. These astounding letters would later be published asThe Journal of Esther Edwards Burr, 1754—1757, a work that is among the earliest surviving records of a colonial woman’s life, if not, indeed, the earliest surviving record. Burr’s journal gives fascinating insight into her private life and thoughts. The letters reveal a strong and intelligent woman who once embarrassed and silenced a Yale University tutor with her passionate retort to his ill-advised comment that women should refrain from conversing on matters they do not understand.
The elder Aaron Burr died in 1757 from malaria, and Burr died soon after that, on April 7, 1758. Burr and her father were inoculated with the same smallpox vaccine that would end their lives, and daughter followed father in death.