ABSTRACT
Elizabeth Kortright was born on June 30, 1768, the second of five children of Captain Lawrence Kortright, a merchant and former captain in the British colonial army, and his wife, Hannah Aspinwall Kortright. Elizabeth, along with her brother, John, and sisters Hester, Maria, and Sarah, grew up in New York City. Hannah Kortright died the year Elizabeth turned nine years old. Hester Kortright, Elizabeth's paternal grandmother, played a significant role in forming the young girl's character after the death of her mother. A strong and independent woman, Hester Kortright started and maintained her own business after her husband's death, refusing all offers of matrimony.
