William Godwin's Diary

Burr, Aaron (junior)

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This person is mentioned in the diary a total of 91 times, but was not at home (N) 5 times, and was a venue (V) 5 times.

You may also examine their meals and meetings in more detail.

1808

29  October  1808 30  October  1808 2  November  1808 6  November  1808 8  November  1808 12  November  1808 (NV) 1  December  1808 5  December  1808 6  December  1808 7  December  1808 9  December  1808 11  December  1808 (N) 16  December  1808 18  December  1808 20  December  1808

1809

31  March  1809 6  April  1809 7  April  1809 13  April  1809 (N) 16  April  1809 18  April  1809 23  April  1809 24  April  1809 25  April  1809

1811

27  January  1811 16  October  1811 17  October  1811 18  October  1811 19  October  1811 19  October  1811 20  October  1811 20  October  1811 27  October  1811 27  October  1811 29  October  1811 (N) 1  November  1811 2  November  1811 5  November  1811 6  November  1811 (V) 7  November  1811 12  November  1811 13  November  1811 17  November  1811 1  December  1811 2  December  1811 6  December  1811 7  December  1811 8  December  1811 12  December  1811 21  December  1811 23  December  1811

1812

1  January  1812 9  January  1812 11  January  1812 13  January  1812 19  January  1812 22  January  1812 23  January  1812 24  January  1812 (V) 28  January  1812 (V) 29  January  1812 7  February  1812 14  February  1812 (V) 15  February  1812 17  February  1812 18  February  1812 23  February  1812 24  February  1812 25  February  1812 28  February  1812 1  March  1812 4  March  1812 5  March  1812 6  March  1812 6  March  1812 7  March  1812 10  March  1812 12  March  1812 13  March  1812 14  March  1812 15  March  1812 16  March  1812 17  March  1812 18  March  1812 20  March  1812 21  March  1812 22  March  1812 23  March  1812 (N) 24  March  1812 25  March  1812 26  March  1812

  • Name: Burr, Aaron (junior)
  • Gender: Male
  • Birth Date: 6  February  1756
  • Death Date: 14  September  1836
  • Occupation: soldier
  • Occupation: senator
  • Occupation: vice-president
  • Occupation: political adventurer

Burr was Thomas Jefferson's Vice-President from 1801-5. He was involved in a duel with Alexander Hamilton in 1804, resulting in H\milton's death. Jefferson had not intended having him as his vice-president for his second term even prior to the duel. Burr was charged with treason in 1807 for mobilising against Spanish control of Mexico, but was found not guilty. He sailed for England in 1808, arriving on 13 July. In England he made Godwin's acquaintance, having been a supporter of Mary Wolllstonecraft's work, and was also close to Jeremy Bentham. On 14 April 1809 he was arrested by the British authorities and told to leave the country - on 25 April Godwin noted that he saw Burr ppc (pour prendre congé ie to take his leave). He arrived in Sweden in May 1809 and then travelled through Europe. On 20 July 1811 he boarded a ship in Amsterdam for America, but the ship was captured by the British and Burr was forced back to England. He called on Godwin again in October 1811 and sees him frequently until taking his leave again (ppc) on 26 March 1812. He arrived back in America on 4 May 1812.

Burr was extremely financially pressed, especially during his second stay in London, although he tried to ensure that his friends were not aware of the full extent of his distress, and it seems likely that Godwin helped him financially.

A letter from Burr to Godwin, dated 28 November 1819, introduces Dr Tairks, astronomer, to Godwin. There is no record in the diary of Godwin meeting Tairks.

Note also the letter from John Howard Payne who refers to Godwin's old friend Colonel Burr and his wife's attempt to divorce him two months after their marriage for using her money to seduce a number of young ladies.

  • MS. Abinger c. 13, fols. 85-6: 28 November 1829
  • MS. Abinger c. 14, fols. 21-2: 30 Nov. 1833
  • DNB (entry for his father Aaron Burr)
  • Memoirs of Aaron Burr with miscellaneous selections from his correspondence, ed. by Matthew L. Davis (New York, 1836)

This table lists the people this person is most frequently noted with in the diary.

Name Number of Meetings
Godwin, Mary Jane (Clairmont) (née de Vial) 7
Curran, Amelia 4
Hume, Joseph 2
Clairmont, Clara Mary Jane (Claire) 1
Imlay, Fanny (Godwin) 1
Coleridge, Samuel Taylor 1
Hopwood, 1
Aldis, Lady Mary Frances (née Berridge) 1
Aldis, Charles 1
Curran, John Philpot 1
Hume, Alexia 1
Robinson, Henry Crabb 1