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To describe John Barker Church in one word: simple.
John Barker Church was a simple man. That said, he was by no means stupid. He just refused to involve himself with the tricky complexities of revolution and business and politics. After all, he’d seen what it could do to a man. His father one of those men.
To describe his father in one word: restless.
His father was a restless man. Always taking and taking and taking. He never waited. He had no time for the ‘frivolities’ of stopping to appreciate the life he’d made. He had no time for his family. And when his mother died, it was John holding vigil over her bedside, not a hide nor hair or his father. And when he too followed her to the early grave, John Barker Church swore that he would never become so blinded by the glint of the gold that had hung his father by the neck.
To describe Angelica Schuyler in one word: impossible.
John Barker Church would say it’s impossible to describe her in one word. Beautiful. Intelligent. Eloquent. Fierce. Passionate. It barely scratched the surface of the brilliance that was the eldest Schuyler sister. She magnetic, a flame shining with fervour, and he, well he was a measly moth drawn in by her light.
To describe what Angelica Schuyler thought of John Barker Church in one word: dim-witted.
John Barker Church was a dim-witted fool. He lacked connections. He lacked the charm or the wit. He lacked the finesse and prose to navigate life in the parliamentary chamber or the dinner party. But he was rich. Very rich. And yet… unassuming. He didn’t say anything he didn’t mean. No hidden meanings. No backhanded compliments. No tricky rhymes or riddles. He was no puzzle of a man. And it puzzled her. So she allowed his affections, as simple and rudimentary as it first seemed.
And eventually, with her Alexander now married, she agreed to be his wife.
John Barker Church was a simple man. That said, he was by no means stupid. He knew that the love of his life was in love with someone else. He knew that on their wedding night, she did not think of him— she thought of her Alexander, her love, all the way across the sea. He knew of the letters, the way she’d smile, a little love-struck grin that would grace her lips as she leafed through his letters, the way her eyes would light up when a new letter from her brother halfway around the world would travel to their doorstep. Reserved for her dear Alexander. But he didn’t stop her. He didn’t confront her. John Barker Church was a simple man. Those letters made Angelica happy, who was he to stop that?
To describe what John Barker Church thought of Alexander Hamilton in one word: restless.
Alexander Hamilton was a restless fool. Always taking and taking and taking. Never stopping. Even from across the sea, he could tell. After all, he’d seen what it could do to a man. He knew it had happened when Angelica stormed in, eyes alight with betrayal, from a love who loved another. And that night, John Barker Church held his wife in his arms; and come morning, waved her off on a ship headed across the sea.
John Barker Church was a simple man. And his wife had a pig slaughter. So if it made Angelica happy, who was he to stop that?