Aaron Burr
Cyrus built castles and shot statesmen.
By Rebecca Lehman ’02
Aaron Burr, Jr. was born in 1756, the son of the President of the College of New Jersey. After his father’s death in 1757, and that of his mother shortly thereafter, Burr lived with his uncle and studied with a private tutor to prepare for entry into the College.
He first applied in 1767, at the age of eleven, but was rejected, despite his parental ties, on account of his age. Undaunted, young Burr continued his private studies and was accepted two years later.
At Princeton, Burr developed his precocious interests in politics and the spending of money, two practices upon which he would expand throughout the course of his life. He was known as an effective orator and sound leader, and was well respected by upperclassmen. When he joined the fledgling American Cliosophic Society in 1771 under the pseudonym “Cyrus,” he would have gained the opportunity to debate against James Madison, a member of the rival American Whig Society, with whom Burr somehow managed to stay on friendly terms. He also corresponded extensively with Moses Allen, one of the founders of the Cliosophic Society. At commencement, Burr was asked to deliver an address on the subject of “Castle Building.”
After graduation, Burr began the study of divinity, largely to please his uncle, though this pursuit was soon dropped in favor of law. Study was interrupted, however, upon the outbreak of the American Revolution, in which Burr fought bravely and won several honors, despite his poor health. Following the war, Burr completed his legal training and entered political life. While Vice President, in 1803, he was awarded an honorary L.L.D. from Princeton. In sharp contrast with the station of his alma mater, Burr was an early believer in sexual equality in education. His wife, Theodosia, was a strong and independent-minded woman, and after her death Burr devoted great efforts to the education of their only daughter, of the same name.
Burr fled from public life after mortally wounding Alexander Hamilton in an 1804 duel.
