okay so i never fully remembered what my question was but!! i did remember that it had to do with philip’s social life or hobbies and so my new question is do we have any information on that? like if he had hobbies besides going to bars and not paying his bills or like who his friends were (besides price yk). i imagine there’s not much on this but anything helps!!! love you bestie <33
Philip seems to have taken notable interest in theater and literature. Both of his friends, Thomas Rathbone and Stephen Price had a considerable relation to theater. As Rathbone, one of Philip's old classmates, writes to his sister about his death;
At the theatre I was informed of it about 9 O'clock Monday evening - I immediately ran to the House near the State Prison from whence I was told they dare not remove him - Picture yourself my dear Girl my emotions which must have assailed me on my arrival at his room to which I was admitted as his old College classmate.
Source — Historical Magazine: And Notes and Queries Concerning the Antiquities, History, and Biography of America, Volume 1
Additionally, both Price and Philip were going to see the play, The West Indian by Cumberland, when they happened to encounter Eacker. [x] Stephen Price would also go on to be very influential to America's theater business, and became the founder of theater management.
Philip also enjoyed reading. At the young age of eight, he was already requesting books about geography;
I enclose for my little friend Philip a copy of the elements of Geography, which I mentioned.
Source — Tench Coxe to Alexander Hamilton, [10 July 1790]
He also seemed to have dabbled in poetry with Hamilton mentioning that Eliza would give him an Ovid, referring to the Roman poet, Publius Ovidius Naso, who is often ranked as one of the three canonical poets of Latin;
Your Mama has got an Ovid for you and is looking up your Mairs introduction.
Source — Alexander Hamilton to Philip Hamilton, [December 5, 1791]
Prior to his death he was also borrowing a book from the local library. [x] There is also the possibility of him being given his father's old books. [x]
When Philip was older, he was also part of a literature society. It was a Literature Society composed mainly of boys in their early twenties. It looks as though the members belonged to the same generational group, and were all rather acquainted with each other. A reappearing pattern being that; most of them were from New York, studied law, and graduated from Columbia in the 1790s.
About this time, Mr. Jones was a member of a literary society, (of which the late Peter A. Jay was president,) composed, among others, of Nathan Sandford, Charles Baldwin, John Ferguson, Jas. Alexander, Rudolph Bunner, Goveurneur Ogden, the first Philip Hamilton, William Bard, Wm. A. Duer, Philip Church, John Duer, and Beverley Robinson; of whom the last five are the only survivors.
Source — Memorial of the Late Honorable David S. Jones
Funny enough, there are a lot of familiar faces, and two of which would later assist Philip in his duel against George Eacker. David Samuel Jones, who was a 1796 graduate of Columbia College, would later help Philip convince his uncle John Barker Church to lend them his guns for the encounter and was one of his second's. Additionally, Philip's cousin also went there, Philip Church, who would also later be his second. Philip seems to have had a close relationship with his cousin Church, as Church was usually visiting the Hamiltons' and assisting his uncle Hamilton in Law or the Quasi-war.
Overall, Philip was quite “popular” and well-liked by many other boys his age, likely due to the importance of his surname. He was known for being very smart, gregarious, and handsome, with his charming rebellious side he appealed to plenty of adolescent men from his generation. The Evening Post considered him; “a young man of most amiable disposition and cultivated mind; much esteemed and affectionately beloved by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.” [x]
He seemed to make friends easily, other than just the previously mentioned Price and Rathbone, but also Washington's step-grandson; George Washington Parke Custis (Also known as Wash or Washy), who he attended school with for a period of time [x], they were also childhood playmates — as the Hamilton children visited the Washingtons' often when the two families lived in Philadelphia. Wash even wrote Hamilton a condolence letter after Philip's death, and in it he said; “We were brought up as it were, together in our earlier years and that mutual friendship which then existed between us, would I have no doubt have at a future time ripened into esteem.” [x]
There was also the small portion of time when Lafayette's son, Georges Washington de Lafayette, stayed with the Hamiltons' in 1795 while they awaited for conflict to die down so he could stay with Washington. [x] (Which actually brings up a funny story about Hamilton losing Lafayette's son) Georges and Philip were only three years apart in age, so it's imaginable they may have found each other's company agreeable. The only opposition being that Georges seemed in a state of despondency during his time with the Hamiltons' - likely missing his home country and parents - he was described as losing weight and being depressed, if not absent from their home and off with his tutor. [x] And later on he never wrote about his stay with them at all. So, I can't affirm it was a pleasurable experience for him, and there isn't any considerable evidence to suggest a friendship between the boys.
Another apparent interest of Philip's was traveling, and he traveled to Providence, Rhode island, and Philadelphia on his own during his youth. In a condolence letter, Rush says Philip was a charming guest at their residence during the last trip and says he made great friends with his son, who was likely Richard Rush since there was only two years difference between the boys;
It may perhaps help to sooth your grief when I add to that united expression of Sympathy, that your Son had made himself very dear to my family during his late visit to Philadelphia, by the most engaging deportment. His visits to us were daily, and after each of them he left us with fresh impressions of the correctness of his understanding and manners, and of the goodness of his disposition. To One of my Children he has endeared himself by an Act of friendship & benevolence that did great honor to his heart, and will be rememb[e]red with gratitude by Mrs. Rush, and myself as long as we live. My Son has preserved a record of it in an elegant and friendly letter which he received from him After his return to New York.
Source — Benjamin Rush to Alexander Hamilton, [November 26, 1801]
For even more options, there is a catalog of graduates at Columbia College which show the names of Philip's classmates. [x]
Hope this helps!
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