Robert Livingston
Married Alida Schuyler
9Jul1679
http://www.raken.com/american_wealth/encyclopedia/profile.asp?code=1486
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Parents |
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John
Livingstone and Janet Fleming |
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Married |
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Alida
(Schuyler) Van Rensselaer (1656-1727) |
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Fortune |
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22,800 |
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£ |
1725 |
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13,800 |
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£ |
1700 |
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Activity |
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Manor Lord
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Main property |
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Livingston Manor 160'000 acres in later Dutchess
and Columbia counties New York |
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Other activities |
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merchant |
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Biographical
sketch :
Scottish
born and Dutch educated pioneer fur trader and Secretary
of Indian Affairs in Albany, New York. He acquired land
and was granted manorial rights for his Livingston Manor
in 1686, a 160'000 acres property in nowadays Dutchess
and Columbia counties. He married Alida (Schuyler) Van
Rensselaer, daughter of Philip Pieterse Schuyler and
widow of “Dominie” Nicholas Van Rensselaer, a younger
brother of patroon Jeremias Van Rensselaer. To ascertain
his wealth and social position, Robert Livingston held
numerous public offices, including town clerk and rent
collector of Albany, as well as eight terms in the New
York Provincial Assembly of which he was a Speaker for
eight years. Livingston descendents became the probably
most prominent family of Colonial New York. |
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http://www.geocities.com/livvyboy/Robert_Livingston.html
ROBERT LIVINGSTON
13th December 1654 - 1728
First Lord of the Manor, New York
Robert Livingston, youngest
son of John, was born at Ancrum, Roxburghshire, Scotland during his
father`s term of ministry at the parish. When John was banished to
Rotterdam in 1663, Robert joined him there alongwith his mother and
sister, Elizabeth. Throughout the intervening years before he returned
to Scotland on the death of his father, he attained a complete knowledge
and mastery of the Dutch language.
This ability to speak both English and Dutch with equal fluency was to
be of much benefit to him in his future career.
On 28th April, 1673 he set sail from Greenock to New England where he
made his way to New York when that state was on the point of
transferring from the Dutch to the English. He set up
base in Albany, second to
New York in importance.
Albany, being near to the frontier, was the centre of lucrative trading
between the Indian trappers and the Dutch settlers.
The British administrators, appreciating the importance of Livingston
with his command of the Dutch and English languages, were quick to offer
him important posts.
He was initially appointed to the position of secretary to the
Commissioners who superintended the officers of the Albany District.
Further promotion followed in quick succession, the town-clerk,
collector and receiver of customs, and secretary of Indian affairs.
He strengthened his position still further when he married Alida
Schuyler, the young widow of Dominie Nicholas Van Rensselaer and sister
of Peter Schuyler in 1679. This marriage into two of the most
influential Dutch families brought him instant social connections.
A period of enforced idleness followed when he became caught up in
various state and trading dealings with the Iroquois Indians, and
complex power power struggles between British (American) and French
(Canadian) interests. This led to a dispute between him and influential
people over money lent by him for the security of Albany that resulted
in it being taken to London for settlement. It is worth noting that his
case was backed by a certain William Kidd, master of a brigantine.
During enforced idleness brought about while his case was slowly being
dealt with, which he eventually won with resultant financial gain, he
prepared a scheme to combat the various pirates that preyed on Colonial
sea trade.
With no available naval vessels, there being a war with France, the
Adventure Galley was fitted out as a privateer with William Kidd as
captain. This vessel was commissioned to seize and plunder enemy ships
as well as pursuing pirate ships.
Richard Coote, Earl of Bellomont, underwrote the fitting out of the
vessel while Livingston contributed a bond of £10,000. Kidd did
likewise with one of £20,000.
Kidd was no stranger to Livingston, in fact he had ingratiated himself
with the establishment in defending the state from the menace of
pirates. Unfortunately for his backers, Kidd turned pirate himself and
his notoriety and wealth increased as time went on.
The Earl of Bellomont was appointed Governor of New York, Massachusets
Bay, and New Hampshire in 1697 and one of his main priorities in office
was to suppress piracy.
This appointment was bad news for Kidd as it turned out. New York was
the only port which would not deny him entry in pursuit of supplies, he
supposedly thought. His notoriety had premptied safe havens elsewhere.
On arrival at New York, Kidd was taken into custody on Bellomont`s
instructions. Kidd suggested he might be tried there in the hope of a
sympathetic hearing but this was denied. The pirate was despatched to
London where his trial took place at the Old Bailey on the 8th and 9th
May, 1701. Found guilty of piracy and murder, he was sentenced to be
hanged.
Livingston and Bellomont were subjected to politically motivated
attempts to implicate them in the affair but their loyalty to the
Crown`s service was proved. Complete exoneration was theirs.
Meanwhile Robert established himself by acquiring 3,000 acres of land in
1683 and by 1715 it had increased in size to 160,000 acres thus forming
what was to become known as Livingston Manor of which he was first lord.
Controversy was not at an end for him. He had begun to press the
Government in London to set up Christian missions among the Indians when
his friend Bellomont died.
His enemies had been awaiting this moment and, gaining a majority on the
State Council, began a campaign to destroy him. He was accused of
subverting State funds. His estate was confiscated and loaded with an
indemnity of £17,000.
He was further dismissed from all public offices he held in 1701 and
found himself in a worse state than in which he came to the New World
thirty years before.
On his way to England to lay his case before the Lords of Trade, his
ship was boarded by a French privateer, and despite the raider fleeing
on sighting a frigate, his personal papers were among those plundered.
Despite the loss of vital records, Livingston successfully pursued his
claim and an order for reinstatement of all his estates was granted in
1705. He returned to America with his position strengthened and soon
resumed public duties. By 1715 he had become a member of the Colonial
Assembly and four years later its Speaker.
Infirmity led to his resignation in 1725 and he died in 1728.
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