Papers: 1757–1834

            Aaron Burr Jr. was a Revolutionary War soldier, lawyer, businessman, United States Senator, and third Vice-President of the United States.

Born to a prominent Presbyterian family in the Province of New Jersey, he was orphaned at two years old and raised by uncle. Burr initially studied theology at Princeton University but then moved to Connecticut to study law. He joined the Continental Army in 1775 and went with the Quebec expedition under Benedict Arnold. General Richard Montgomery promoted him to aide-de-camp and Burr distinguished himself at the Battle of Quebec, New York Campaign, and the Battle of Monmouth.

In 1779, Burr resigned his army commission and continued his study of the law in New York City, being admitted to the bar in 1782. By 1789, he became New York’s Attorney General, then was elected to United States Senate in 1791.  He held the position of Vice President of the United States 1801-1805 with Thomas Jefferson as President.

Burr is known for his 1804 duel with Alexander Hamilton where Hamilton was killed. In 1806, he led an expedition down the Mississippi River.  As a consequence, he was put on trial for treason and acquitted in 1807. From 1808 to 1812 he lived in Europe.
 
In his personal life, Burr married Theodosia Bartow Prevost in 1782 (who died 1794). Burr had one legitimate daughter who survived to adulthood, Theodosia Burr Alston, who predeceased Burr in 1812 just after his return from Europe. He had several illegitimate children (including Aaron Columbus Burr and Charles Burdett), some of whom he acknowledged and some he did not (John Pierre Burr and Louisa Burr Webb/Darius). From 1814 to 1815 Burr sought compensation from New York for services during the American Revolution. He married Eliza Jumel in 1833 but were separated after four months and he suffered a stroke in 1834 and died two years later.             

            
Series I: Correspondence and Public Papers (Reels 1-11) 

Letters written by and to Burr, records of his public career, and miscellaneous business documents. Families included in personal and legal documents include: Bartow, Blodget-Smith, Bradstreet, Eden, Edwards, Livingston, Prevost, Smith, Stillwell, and Walton.

Documents are arranged chronologically, then alphabetically. Detailed targets are filmed with information on the origin of the documents they precede, which should be used in citations and copyright questions.

Reel 1 1757-1785

Reel 2 1786-1791

Reel 3 1792-1796

Reel 4 1797-1801

Reel 5 1802-1804

Reel 6 1805-May 1812

Reel 7 June 1812-June 1817

Reel 8 July 1817-February 22, 1820

Reel 9 February 23, 1820-October 16, 1823

Reel 10 October 16, 1823-September 26, 1826

Reel 11 September 27, 1826-n.d.

Series II: Orderly Books and European Journal (Reel 12) 

Reel 12 Orderly Books and European Journal

Two groups of manuscripts and material bound in volumes from the New York Historical Society and the Huntington Library respectively. Frames are not numbered.

Series III: Legal Papers (Reels 13-27) 

Records of legal practice. Targets include date of earliest document, case title, case number, and description of type of action involved.

Reel 13 New York City Mayor’s Court (NYCMC) Minutebooks, 1785-1821 (frames 1-228)

NYCMC Case: 1-241, February 1784-May 1816 (frame 229 et seq.)

Reel 14 NYCMC Cases: 242-311, June 1816-January 1826 (frames 1-385)

New York Supreme Court (NYSC), Minutebooks, 1782-1836 (frame 386 et seq.)

Reel 15 NYSC Causes: 1-291, March 1782-September 1790

Reel 16 NYSC Cases: 292-526, October 1790-October 1820

Reel 17 NYSC Cases: 527-561, October 1820-July 1833 (frames 1-321)

New York Court of Chancery and Court of Equity (NYCh) Minutebooks, 1785-1834 (frame 322 et seq.)

Reel 18 NYCh Cases: 1-45, March 1784-April 1786

Reel 19 NYCh Cases: 46-128, April 1786-1790

Reel 20 NYCh Cases: 129-209, February 1791-May 1813

Reel 21 NYCh Cases: 210-230, September 1813-June 1816

Reel 22 NYCh Cases: 231-247, July 1816-February 1818

Reel 23 NYCh Cases: 248-269, March 1818-March 1825

Reel 24 NYCh Cases: 270-275, July 1825-October 1826

Reel 25 NYCh Cases: 276-291, December 1826-July 1834

Reel 26 New York Court of Errors (NYCE) Minutebooks, 1788-1829 (frames 1-66)

NYCE Cases: 1-24, January 1792-May 1828 (frames 67-624)

Cheesecocks Patent (frames 625-685)

State Courts Cases: 1-5, June 1796-May 1811 (frame 686 et seq.)

Reel 27 United States (U.S.) Court Minutebooks:

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1789-1802 (frames 1-25)

U.S. Circuit Court for the District of New York, 1790-1800 (frames 27-49)

United States Supreme Court, 1790-1828 (frames 50-59)

U.S. Cases: 1-11, March 1795-September 1824 (frame 60 et seq.)
            

            "The Papers of Aaron Burr: Guide to the Microfilm Collection," ed. Mary-Jo Kline (HIL-MICGDL E 302.6 B9 K45). Includes key to abbreviation for manuscript source institutions.  Includes General Index, Legal Subject Index, and Index to the Private Journal of Aaron Burr.