The Remarkable Rise of Eliza Jumel

September 21, 2015
Art historian Oppenheimer (The French Portrait) vibrantly recreates Eliza Jumel’s rise from poverty to affluence, skillfully peeling away generations of rumors about this intelligent and resourceful woman. Born in Rhode Island in 1775, Betsy Bowen, as she was originally known, grew up in a brothel and was later placed into indentured servitude. After a series of family deaths, 28-year-old Betsy moved to burgeoning New York City and transformed herself into Eliza Brown, working as a stage extra. There she attracted a wealthy French merchant, Stephen Jumel, whom she married in 1804. They spent time abroad among the Parisian elite, where Eliza amassed an art collection—an almost unthinkable act for a woman of the time. She returned to the U.S. alone and arranged lucrative property deals that gave her control of land rents. Soon after she was widowed, Eliza married scandal-prone former vice president Aaron Burr, divorcing him when it became clear he intended to drain her finances. Oppenheimer demonstrates a faculty for describing places, particularly New York and Paris, where Betsy took control of her life. This fascinating story could have benefited from stronger connections with early 19th-century women’s history, but Oppenheimer does well in presenting a woman who should not be forgotten.

October 15, 2015

At the time of her death in 1865, 90-year-old Eliza Jumel was one of the richest women in the United States. The subsequent lengthy legal battle among her heirs over her estate produced scandalous headlines for years. Oppenheimer (The French Portrait) presents the unlikely story of Jumel's dramatic rise from humble origins as an indentured servant to wealthy art collector, astute and ruthless businesswoman, and short-term wife of Aaron Burr. Oppenheimer's well-researched biography of an exceptional woman who defied societal expectations provides an illuminating window into the history and expectations of women in 19th-century society in both New York and France. The author convincingly refutes false stories about Jumel's life and addresses her subject's darker sides in reasonably evenly structured prose. However, Oppenheimer's writing is sometimes dry and flat, and Jumel's deeper personality often remains stubbornly enigmatic. VERDICT Despite some problems, this volume is ideal for researchers, history fans, or general readers interested in women's history, gender roles, or 19th-century New York society.--Ingrid Levin, Salve Regina Univ. Lib., Newport, RI

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2015
Eliza Jumel was born two weeks before the Revolutionary War began and died two months after the Civil War ended. In the 90 years between, Oppenheimer writes, she was raised in a brothel, indentured as a servant and confined to a workhouse when her mother was in jail. She would marry twice, once to Aaron Burr; own a mansion in Manhattan (now known as the Morris Jumel Mansion) and a summer home in Saratoga Springs; amass a fortune; and build a collection of 242 European paintings, becoming the first major American woman art collector. Jumel and her first husband, wealthy French merchant Stephen Jumel, lived together, and at times separately, in New York and Paris, and on both continents Eliza sought to upgrade her social standing, aiming for the American upper class and a place at the French royal court. After her death, a protracted legal fight over her estate featured claims by long-lost relatives and scurrilous stories about her life and origins. Oppenheimer's portrait of a remarkable woman, rich in period detail, sets the historical record straight.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)