Jul 7

Jul 7 From the Brothel to Businesswoman - The Ascent of Eliza Jumel

Eliza Jumel was a wealthy art collector who married and divorce Aaron Burr in short order.

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Eliza Jumel

In 1865, Eliza Jumel died at 90 years old.

By this time she was a well known eccentric from New York who had demonstrated her ability as a prudent businesswoman and an important art collector.

Unfortunately, due to a combination of malicious rumor spread by her enemies and tall tales she told about herself, Jumel’s early life is difficult to track.

Today we attempt to recount her fascinating life.

Troubled Youth

Eliza Jumel was born Eliza Bowen in Providence, Rhode Island.

Her family was extremely poor and she even lived for a time as a child in a brothel (though whether or not she was ever a prostitute is still up for debate).

The family traveled around New England before settling in North Carolina, but when she came of age Eliza decided to set off on her own.

France

Jumel travelled to New York City and changed her name for the first time, now going by Eliza Brown.

During this period she worked as an extra in the theater and may have worked as a housemaid.

It was here that she met Stephen Jumel, a wealthy Frenchman who had also travelled to New York and changed his name.

The two lived together for several years before marrying (with Eliza again changing her name, this time to Jumel) and moving to France.

Businesswoman

Although Eliza began collecting artwork in France, which would later put her among the first major patrons in New York, she did not survive there long.

She left Stephen behind and returned to New York where she began operating the North American part of his mercantile business.

While the French office began to fail, Eliza was able to improve the American office. She became known as a shrewd businesswoman who could negotiate deals with the most cold-blooded of men.

Aaron Burr?

When Stephen died, Eliza, now 58-years-old, married a man who was by then 77.

That man happened to be former Vice President of the United States Aaron Burr, by then almost 30 years removed from his famous duel.

This union quickly deteriorated and they separated within six months.

So began one of the most popularized scandals of the 1830’s. Jumel sued for divorce during a time where that goal was only successful if it could be proven that someone had an affair.

The two parties threw hearsay at one another (with Burr noting he was too old for that kind of thing) until the divorced was eventually finalized...on the day of Burr’s death.

Here are some other FOUNDING MOTHERS:

Amelia Simmons - The Mother of American Cookbooks

Rebecca Biddle Feeds Weary Continental Soldiers

Dorothy Quincy’s Destination Wedding

Although there are several books about Jumel, I found most of the accurate information in a book about Aaron Burr.

‘Fallen Founder’ is one of my favorite biographies of a revolutionary and can’t recommend it enough.

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).