Reynolds, Maria Lewis, 1768-1828

Maria Reynolds (née Lewis; March 30, 1768 – March 25, 1828) was the wife of James Reynolds, and was Alexander Hamilton's mistress between 1791 and 1792. She became the object of much scrutiny after the release of the Reynolds Pamphlet and central in America's first political sex scandal. Maria Reynolds, born as "Maria Lewis," was born in New York City on March 30, 1768, the daughter of Susanna Van Der Burgh and her second husband, Richard Lewis. On July 28, 1783, when she was 15, Maria Lewis married James Reynolds.[2] Reynolds had served in the Revolutionary War in the commissary department, and was older than Maria by at least several years. After the war, he tried frequently to claim damages and obtain reimbursement from the government.[3] Maria had one child with Reynolds, a daughter named Susan, born August 18, 1785, later baptized in October.[2] At some point before 1791, James Reynolds moved with Maria and their daughter from New York to Philadelphia. It was there in summer 1791 that 23-year-old Maria visited 34-year-old Hamilton at his Philadelphia residence and asked for help, claiming her abusive husband had abandoned her. Due to Hamilton's political office, he could very easily help her move back to New York City. Hamilton organized a meeting for later that evening to give Maria the money. Once Hamilton arrived at the boarding house where Maria was lodging, she brought him upstairs and led him into her bedroom, where he recounts that "Some conversation ensued from which it was quickly apparent that other than pecuniary consolation would be acceptable”. Thus beginning the infamous Reynolds Affair. From December 15 to December 19, 1791, Reynolds sent threatening letters to Hamilton, and after a personal meeting instead of seeking redress from dueling, he asked for financial compensation.[6][7][8] Hamilton complied, paying to Reynolds the requested $1,000 and discontinuing the affair, as he had wished to do for some time. In summer 1797, journalist James T. Callender published a collection of pamphlets entitled The History of the United States for 1796, in which he promised to uncover public wrongdoing on Hamilton's part.[22] On August 25, 1797, unwilling to let the charges of public misconduct lie, Hamilton published what is known as The Reynolds Pamphlet, a 95-page account of Hamilton's affair with Maria and the blackmail scheme set up by her husband. After the Pamphlet was released, Maria was publicly scorned and she and her second husband decided to move to Britain. Having returned to Philadelphia without Clingman some years later, she went by the name of Maria Clement. No record of her divorce from Clingman has been found. Soon thereafter, she became the housekeeper of Dr. Mathew.