“Did you know that a Founding Father has a playground named after him?” asks the breeze rustling through the trees here at Gouverneur Morris Playground. This isn’t just any playground it carries the name of Gouverneur Morris. He was a statesman and New Yorker.
Gouverneur Morris was born at his family estate Morrisania. Today that area is part of the Bronx. Morris entered New York politics in 1777. He was elected to the New York Provincial Congress.
From 1777 to 1778 Morris helped write the New York State Constitution. He worked alongside John Jay and Robert Livingston. At the national level, Morris was important. He secured the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of religious toleration. However, he wasn’t able to abolish slavery. His fight to institute a strong executive was also unsuccessful.
Morris was quite the character. Legend says he lost a leg jumping from a woman’s window. He was trying to escape a jealous husband. The official story was a carriage accident. Despite the wooden leg, Morris continued to dance. He rode horses and climbed church steeples.
He served as minister to France. He had an affair with a married countess in the Louvre. Later in life at age 57, he married his housekeeper Anne Cary Randolph.
Morris died after trying to clear a urinary blockage himself. He used a piece of whalebone as a catheter. The attempt caused internal injuries and infection.
He spoke more than any other delegate at the Constitutional Convention. Morris delivered 173 speeches. James Madison and James Wilson spoke less.
Morris also wrote the preamble to the U.S. Constitution. He changed it to “We the People of the United States.” Before that, it listed all the states.
Theodore Roosevelt even wrote a biography of Morris. He called him a brilliant genius. Roosevelt admired the charismatic Founding Father.
Morris helped plan the growth of New York City. He helped devise Manhattan’s street grid system. Straight streets and right angles were cheap and convenient.
So, as children laugh and play here at Gouverneur Morris Playground remember the man behind the name. Gouverneur Morris a New Yorker a Founding Father and a man of many stories. This playground is a reminder of his contributions. It is a tribute to a life well-lived even with a wooden leg and a few scandalous tales.