Description:

"Dear Theodosia": Aaron Burr Writes of the Birth of Beloved Daughter

3pp of a bifolium, measuring 7" x 9.25", Albany, dated July 3, 1783. Addressed to an unknown recipient and signed "A. Burr" at the conclusion. Burr shares news of the birth of his daughter, Theodosia, and also discusses the care of a young charge who is staying with him. An insightful letter into the mindset of Burr as a new father. With flattened folds, light toning, soiling, and foxing. Wax seal remnants on verso. Boldly signed by Burr.

In full:
"On the 21st ulto Mrs. Burr presented me a sweet little girl. Thus apologizes for all our neglect. Mrs. Burr gains strength very fast. I feel much indebted to you for allowing me the charge of your little [illegible] & wish to render him every service in my power, that I might have his conduct & concerns under my immediate care. I took him into my own family. His mother arrived unexpectedly a few days after, & took her residence with a Mr. Gilliband before I knew of her arrival, since which, she keeps the child entirely with her, & puts it out of my power to pay further attention to his concerns. Indeed her presence renders it less necessary. Two or three Gentlemen of Character propose going to Canada in a few days. I expect Mrs. Conolly & her son will go in company with them & shall take care that they are recomme3nded to particular attention. The wine, lemons & hat came safe. We cannot sufficiently thank you for your punctuality. The wine is very genuine and passes with our connoisseurs for Old Madeira. The hat suited exactly. Permit me again to request a visit. Mrs. Burr will soon be well. We flatter ourselves we can make a few days agreeable to your even in Albany. Every part of the family joins me sincerely in this request & will not be refused."

On verso an additional note reads: "Mama leaves us next week."

Aaron Burr (1756-1836) was a prominent lawyer before becoming Vice President of the United States, and studied at Princeton before moving to Connecticut to study law. Following the American Revolution, Burr continued his studied and was admitted to the bar in 1782. He continued to practice law until the election of 1800, when he was elected Vice President. Burr's life took entered a downward spiral following his single term at VP, with his duel with Hamilton and his 1807 conspiracy trial inflicting great damage upon his reputation. After his trial for treason, Burr fled to Europe where he lived in self-imposed exile from 1808 to 1812. He finally returned to New York and his law practice in 1812 and lived out the remainder of his life in relative peace.

Burr's daughter, Theodosia (1783-1813), was his only child with Theodosia Bartow Prevost. Burr doted on Theodosia and made sure that she possessed all the opportunities that any male child might receive. By the age of three, she had learned to read and write, and by her tenth birthday she had finished all six volumes of Edward Gibbons’s "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire". Upon his wife's death when Theodosia was ten, Burr fully took over his daughter's education - even going as far as to invite her governess’s aristocratic young charge, Natalie Delage, to live with Theodosia as her companion and model of European sophistication. Theodosia would act as her father's hostess until her marriage to Joseph Allston in 1801. On December 31, 1812, Theodosia set sail aboard the schooner "Patriot" on a trip to New York. Tragically the schooner was mysteriously lost at sea and Theodosia and the rest of the passengers were never heard from again. Burr was devastated by the loss of his beloved daughter.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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