Philip Schuyler was a Major General appointed directly under Washington at the outset of the Revolution and a significant member of the Continental Congress and Senate (later succeeded by Vice President Aaron Burr). He is the father of the three Schuyler sisters in the show and belongs to the Schuyler family, a prominent military and political family in British America closely intertwined with the Hamilton family.
Relevant Biography[]
Phillip Schuyler was born in November of 1733 to Cornelia and Johannes Schuyler. His three daughters that appear in Hamilton were Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy Schuyler. He had more daughters and sons, John Bradstreet, Philip Jeremiah, Rensselaer, Cornelia and Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler. In the show he doesn't have any sons, but he did historically. He had a total of 15 children, but many died young. Philip hosted an annual winter's ball in which the men are in attendance as well as several ladies; mentioned in "A Winter's Ball" and part of the setting for "Helpless" and "Satisfied." Philip also had a son in law, Alexander Hamilton; he had more than eight grandchildren.
In 1789, Schuyler was elected senator to New York. He lost his seat to Aaron Burr in 1791. He was reelected in 1797 and served until 1798 where he resigned due to his poor health. Schuyler died in 1804, a few months after Hamilton's death.
Song References[]
- "Take Philip Schuyler, the man is loaded"
- — Aaron Burr, "The Schuyler Sisters"
- "Look! Grandpa's in the paper! 'War hero Philip Schuyler loses Senate seat to young upstart Aaron Burr"
- — Philip Hamilton, "Schuyler Defeated"
- ""My father makes his way across the room to you, I panic for a second, thinking, 'We're through' ""
- — -Elizabeth Schuyler, "Helpless"