Dear Carter "Cousins" The following information about John Barker Carter, I found referenced in the book "A Fatal Friendship: Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr" by Arnold A. Rogow. I was interested to learn that some biographers think the most important woman in Alexander Hamilton's life was his sister-in-law, Angelica Schuyler the wife of John Barker Carter. Hamilton & Angelica may have met in 1779 or 1780 when she was pregnant with her first child and Hamilton was preparing to marry her sister, Betsy Schuyler on 17 Dec 1780. Hamilton was known for his (discreet) "dalliances" with the ladies. His affair with his wife's sister may have begun before 1787 and continued for many years, whenever she traveled from London to visit her sister, Betsy & her brother-in-law, Alexander Hamilton. But--about Angelica's husband. John Barker Carter was born 1748 in Lowestoft, England and by 1776 he emigrated to America- presumably bancrupt -to escape debts run up from speculating & gambling. Some of Hamilton's biographers believe Carter left England because he killed someone in a duel; another legend is that he was fleeing an unhappy love affair. In America, within a year he eloped with & married on 23 June, 1777 -beautiful, gay, witty, Angelica Schuyler the oldest child of one of the oldest established, most respected & wealthiest families in New York State, Philip & Catherine Van Rensselaerwyck Schuyler. A man of few admirers, John Barker Carter's major interest was gambling but in America he made a fortune in a variety of ventures & investments. More than six years after his marriage he changed his last name (late in 1783) & was known as John Barker "Church" thereafter. Church returned to England (perhaps by 1787) a wealthy gentleman, won a seat in the House of Commons and established friendships with noteable people including the Prince of Wales, who became King George IV. This circle of friends all disregarded society's conventions, marital & otherwise which may be why John Barker (Carter) Church tolerated his wife's relationship with her sister's husband. Three years after Hamilton's death, John Adams in a letter to Benjamin Rush, condemned the profligacy of Hamilton's life, "his fornications, adultries, and his incests". Alexander Hamilton died July 12, 1804 having been shot in a duel with Aaron Burr. Angelica Church died in N.Y. 13 Mar 1814 and her sister, Betsy died in Washington at age 97 on 9 Nov 1854, more than 50 years after her husband. All three are buried in Trinity Church. John Barker (Carter) Church, his fortune much reduced, died in London on 27 Apr 1818. ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]