Revolutionary Lives: Hear Them Now - Stories of the Enslaved at Schuyler Mansion

Philip Schuyler is most known for his role as a Major General in the Continental Army during the American Revolution, his extensive properties in Albany and Old Saratoga (what is now Schuylerville), and his familial connection to our nation’s first secretary of the treasury, Alexander Hamilton. However, what is not as well known is the fact that much of his wealth was built on the labor of the people he enslaved – at least 60 people over his lifetime. By looking at primary source documents, including letters, petitions, receipts, and ledgers, this presentation will highlight some of these individuals, bringing to light their own stories, and discussing the challenges faced by archival research on these topics.
Kayla Whitehouse is the Historic Site Assistant at Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, where she oversees the museum collections, conducts research, and offers guided tours of the historic mansion. Prior to this position, she worked as the Executive Director at the National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa, as well as other roles in a variety of historical, natural history, and science and technology museums.
Revolutionary Lives is a free series produced by the Folklife Center at Crandall Public Library to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Saratoga with a yearlong Folklife Gallery exhibition, a free-access online StoryMap, and this series, made possible by generous grant funding from the Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership, with additional support from the New York State Council on the Art supported by the Governor's Office and the New York State Legislature.