i F127 .C8 L78 ^^0^ "XV » ' * o* O <%^. -:'^: :^, ^^°<. 4 o !v, •' » . s ^^ •^ m .^' ^ 0' ; ^ -o's' ;;:€i>:', "-,^*-^ ^m^^.%.^' .<;^* 0" "^^^ l-^rV ^^' v4IC#. ^^-■i^ • %^ ^^#C^^"'\/'^iite ..^'"'^. ^'^ '^^'^^^V .^ ' l^- o V •7^ V^ ^' ■\^ ^ V <^. -?> o ^ K^ 4 o <^ .^' ^ V V bV -Jy'' V ts: U^^ ^^,?,l^^ \/ .'^, U^^^^ ,-,..^,^.-, %.^/ <, O ' . . s * , *% ., . •0' ^"-^ '- '^o ..-2^- .^:;^% '^ ^ :^f((i?^. -^^ A-- -t^o^ n , o " o « ,^ LIVINGSTON MANOR THE LIVINGSTON MANOR ADDRESS WRITTEN FUR THE Nl<;\\ YORK BRANCH OF THE ORDER OF COLONIAL LORDS OF MANORS IN AMERICA 7. .1, JOHN HENRY LIVINGSTON President, Nciv York Branch Monograph F'iZJ ROBERT LIVINGSTON, IST LORD OF THE MANOR, BORN 1654, DIED 1728 Original portrait in the possession of Herman Livingston, Esq., of Oak Hill, Columbia County, N. Y. Published by permission of the Author of "The Livingstons of Livingston Manor." THE LORDSHIP AND MANOR OF LIVINGSTON Before beginning my address let me explain that I have done everything possible to obtain access to old papers, letters, etc., owned by members of the family, which might throw new light upon the Livingston Manor, but in the majority of cases such papers were not available. Hence I am compelled to fall back almost entirely upon material already well known, and shall merely sketch to you a concise account of the creation and duration of the Manor of Livingston, introducing such items of interest as I could obtain to enlighten us somewhat as to the lives of the owners of one of those vast estates, which were decreed by Royal authority to be "Lordships and Manors." It is well known that the men of greatest influence in the early days of our Colonial history were from the aristocratic class, numbered among which were the Livingstons. Their names constantly occurred in the early historical records of Scotland. Their first ancestor, as far as has yet been traced was a Saxon Thane or Noble, named Leving or Living, who seemed to have settled in Scotland in the latter part of the nth or the early part of the 12th century, as is shown by his donation of the Church of his "Villa" or "Manor" to the Abbey of Holyrood founded in 11 28. From 1 165-12 14 we find his grandsons, Alexander, William and Henry, all witnesses to further charters. Were we able to trace beyond Leving's time, we should probably find that his ancestor was named "Liv" or "Lif " for the termination " ing " means " family of " and when, in about a century after Leving's time, surnames came into use, his descendants naturally adopted that of "de Livingstoun " which would mean the Estate of the family of "Liv" or "Lif." Passing over a century or two we find that Sir William Livingston married the heiress of the House of Callcndar about 1345, whence the Callendar Arms entered into tJic Livingston shield and now form its 2nd and 3rd quarterings. '■ From this time onwards the Livingstons are continually appearing in Scottish history as ln)lders of office of respon- sibilitv including; the liisli office of Custodian of the Royal Palace of Linlithgow, where was ])orn Mary Queen of Scots. Among her Maids of Honour was not only Mary Livingston (one of the "Four Maries"), but also her younger sister Magdaleine. They were the daughters of William sixth Lord Livingston of Callendar, ist cousin of the Rev. Alexander Livingston, great grand father of Robert first Lord of the Manor of Livingston. It was in 1458 that the Estates of Sir James Livingston, the then representative of the family, were formed into the free Barony of Callendar and shortly thereafter he was created a "Lord of Parliament." In 1600 Alexander, seventh Lord Livingston of Callendar was created Earl of Linlithgow by King James VI. In regard to the Arms of the Livingstons of Callendar, which are those borne by the Livingstons of America, we find the rather unusual charge of a "double tressure" in the Liv- ingston cjuarterings, indicative either of royal descent or of some distinguished service. It is as yet unknown when this was granted, or for which reason, therefore we of the present day have the alternative of believing ourselves descended either from some one of the Kings of Scotland or from some very valourous ancestor, according as our tastes incline. About 1500 William, fourth Lord Livingston of Callendar mar- ried Agnes Hepburn of that family which alas! was to become too celebrated in later vears by its representative James, Earl of Bothwell. They had three sons, Alexander, fifth Lord Livingston, James who was killed at Pinkie Field in 1547 and William. James was the great great grandfather of Robert first Lord of the Manor of Livingston. (See "Select Biographies," Vol. I, pp. 127, etc.) This Robert, the 14th child and 8th son of the Rev. John and Janet (Fleming) Livingston, in 167,^ after the death of his father set out to make his fortune in the New World. He landed at Charlestown, near Boston, l)ut very soon decided not to remain there, for in 1674 he came over to New York and proceeded up the Hudson to All)any. There he soon ob- tained many public appointments including the Secretaryship of Indian Affairs. On the 9th of July, 1679, in the Presby- terian Church at Albany he was married to Alida, daughter of Philip Peterse and Margareta (Van Schlectenhorst) Schuyler. The latter was the only daughter of Brandt Van Schlectenhorst the celebrated Director of Rensselaerwvck. Thus Robert Liv- ^vtf". ^Jw»#i.C»^ n»ff?9tc*.h*-.■ n!>1j>K„ .,h?».»t»iftv* «.A.AnuSLo-h„><^..-,rr.-.*' .iaSM^^;. - 1 a^l^!U1^>M{»H^?' VHtWa^.i/f^.t- ^• »MW>S« irfiS! .".-.^iHloirft-fc,: •fnfk'&ViV.^U^ » •?■ r'ip^ kTii-? ill..- f»l^l«.,ijJ»,V.,. rS«^«»«..A. •-'?/ fe/y-. Tlie estates of the Schuyler family like those of the Van Rensselaers were meas- ured' by square miles rather than by acres. It has been authoritatively stated to me by one of his descendants that the head of the Schuyler family refused kni^dithood and de- clined to accept a grant of ''Lordship and Manor" for his vast estate. " Robert soon saw that the power of the Colony lay with the great land owners and on July 22nd, 1686, he obtained from Gov- ernor Dongan a Manor 'grant of the lands lying for 10 miles on the east bank of the Hudson River, about ,:;o miles south of Albany and extending to the New England boundary line, a total of al)out 160,000 acres. On this estate in i6oq he built his Manor house, the site of which was on the Hudson River near to what is now the railway station of Linlithgow. It remained standing for over a century, but about 1800 it was taken down by the great great grandson of the founder. While credulous natives will still point out various old Livingston houses as "Manor Houses" and one may even see such designations on picture postal cards sold in the vicinity, this information is absolutely erroneous and without any au- thority whatsoever. The Livingston Manor House is not now, nor has been in existence, for over 100 years. Owing to the uncertainty of the original boundaries of the Manor and the difficulty in identifying the Indian landmarks, Robert in 17 13 petitioned the Government for a new patent. This was granted and on October 12th, 171 5, a confirmatory Manor grant was executed by Governor Hunter, whereby the Manor of Livingston was given a representative in the General Assembly, an honour which had been conferred in 1685 upon the Manor of Rensselaerwyck and in 1697 upon the Manor of Cortlandl. From 1716 until his retirement from active life in 1725, Robert represented his Manor in the General Assembly and for seven years was its Speaker. When Col. Robert Hunter resigned his ofiice as Governor of the Colony of New York, his successor, William Burnet, son of the celebrated Bishop Burnet, found in Robert Livingston "a capable and willing adviser." Owing however to his ad- vancing age, the latter was compelled to discontinue the numerous duties attached to his various offices and he thereupon l)laced his resignation as Secretary of Indian Affairs, etc., etc., in the hands of Governor Burnet with the request that the ofifices held by him should be given to his eldest surviving son Philip, who had been his deputy for many years. This wish on the part of the first Lord of the Manor was warmly approved by Governor Burnet, who wrote to the Lords of Trade urging that this request be granted. This the Lords of Trade fully endorsed and laid stress upon the fact the father had been "very serviceable since the year 1675 in all transactions and treaties with the Five Nations of Indians at New York." The King duly granted the request and Philip was appointed his father's successor in office. On October ist, 1728, Robert first Lord of the Manor of Livingston died bequeathing the bulk of his estate, including the Manor House to his son Philip. The southwesterly por- tion of the Manor however he left to his son Robert, of whom a brief account will I^e given later. Before concluding this abbreviated account of the eventful career of the first Lord of the Livingston Manor, his great interest in the Colony of New York should be noted. This is shown by his long letter to the Lords of Trade, dated at New York, May 13th, 1701, in which he recommends the appointment of a soldier as Governor and the repairing and preservation of the forts about New York and Albany, as well as the storing of supplies, &c., in short, general "preparedness" in which the British Go^•ernment seemed to have been very lacking. Also by his letter to the Lords of Trade dated at Whitehall, December i8th, 1703, he seemed to have been solicitous for the spiritual welfare of the Indians. In this letter he asked that missionaries be sent out to him by "the Right Hon'"'"' the "Society for propagating the Gospell in foreign parts." This request was granted in part. Two missionaries were sent out, but John Chaml^erlayn, Secretary to the "Society for the "Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts" in his letter dated at Westminster "i Feb"" 170!" writes that "Mr. "Livingston, Secretary of the Indian aiTaires of the above "mentioned Govern* (New York) acquaints us that four more "missionaries are still wanting, that is to say three more for "the Five Nations and one for the River Indians." In this same letter Chamberlayn states "that the Society (not without "a great deal of pains and time spent to that purpose) have "found out two Reverend Divines, Mr. Smith and Mr. Moor "whom they think well qualified for that Errand." One of these, the Rev"" Thorogood Moor, an Englishman, was pre- 12 PHILIP LIVINGSTON, InU LORD OF THE MANOR, BORN 1686, DIED 1749 Original portrait in the pus^ession of Crawford Livingston, Esq., of St. Paul, Minn. Published by permission of the Author of "The Livingstons of Livingston Manor." vented "by a great fall of snow" and later by opposition on the part of the fur traders from doing any missionary' work among the Indians. Subsequently he was invited to lake charge of a church at Hopewell, New Jersey, but having offended Lieut. Governor Ingoldsby of that Colony he was cast into jail. From this he escaped and attempted to return to England. He was lost at sea together with the ship in which he sailed. (See "Documents relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," Vol. IV, pp. 870-879, and pp. 1077-78.) Upon retirement from public life by the first Lord of the Manor, as mentioned above, Philip his eldest surviving son succeeded him in his various offices and soon became one of the well known and distinguished men of the Colony, much appreciated by Governor Burnet. At his father's death (his elder brother Col. John Livingston having died before his father, without issue) Philip ])ecame the second Lord of the Manor of Livingston and continued to take a prominent part in the political affairs of the Colony. In her "History of the City of New York," Vol. I, p. 319, Mrs. Martha J. Lamb gives a description of the second Lord of the Manor. "He was unlike his father in many respects, — ■ "was less subtile, less persevering, less of financier and a much "handsomer man. In his youthful days he was dashing and "gav; he had a winning way with women, and went about "breaking hearts promiscuously." This "dashing and gay" period of his life must have been of short duration, for very soon after becoming of age, on the 19th of September, 1707, he married Catharine, the only daughter of Peter and Sarah (Cuyler) Van Brugh. Peter Van Brugh was for many years Mayor of Albany and a member of the Assembly. He was "a near relation of Sir John Van Brugh, and of Capts. Charles "and Philip Van Brugh, commanders of men of war in the "EngHsh Navy." (See Holgate's "American Genealogy," p. 163.) Mrs. Lamb also states that Philip supported three princely establishments, one in New York, one in Albany and his Manor House, and that he lived in a style of courtly mag- nificence. (See Vol. I, p. 598, of her "History of the City of New York.") As the first Lord of the Manor was much interested in the religious welfare of the Indians, so was the second exidcntly likewise interested in regard to the tenants of his Manor, for his great grandson has related that he was continually building 15 PHILIP LIVINGSTON, SIGNER OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, BORN 1716, DIED 1778 Orignud portrait in the possession of John Henry Livingston, Esq., of Clermont. CHRISTIXA TEX BROKCK, WII'E Ol" PlUI.Il' MXIXCSTOX, THE SIC'.XEK BORN 171cS, DIED l.SOl Original portrait in the possession oj John llcnry Livingston, Esq., of Clermont. churches in his Manor, all of which he painted red. It was probaljly due to his example that a very old Dutch Reformed Church in Dutchess County, very near to the Manor line was painted red, and its successor, now standing, but become a "Monument Historique," is still known as "The Red Church." Philip continued to retain his seat in the Council Foard and to take a leading part in public affairs until his death on the 4th of February, 1748 '9. He was survived by nine of his eleven children, of whom the best known were Robert the eldest, who succeeded his father as third Lord of the Manor, Peter Van Brugh, the second, a distinguished member of the Committee of "One Hundred" and of the Provincial Congress, of which he was the first Presi- dent, Philip the fifth, a member also of the Committee of "One Hundred" and of the first and second Continental Con- gress, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, &c., &c., and William the eighth, who became the celebrated War Governor of New Jersey. It was William's daughter, the beautiful Sarah Van Brugh, who married Chief Justice Jay. It is related that, when in Paris she and her husband entered the Royal box at the Opera, the whole house rose, supposing that she was the Queen Marie Antoinnette, so great was the resemblance. Philip's funeral was conducted with great pomp. Sedgwick, in his "Life of William Livingston," page 164, in speaking of Philip states as follows: "He died as has "been said in New York, but his obsequies (for so they may be "called) were performed both at that place and at his residence "in the Manor of Livingston. In the City the lower rooms of "most of the houses on Broad street, where he resided, were " thrown open to receive the assemblage. A pipe of wine was "spiced for the occasion and to each of the eight bearers, "with a pair of gloves, mourning scarf and handkerchief, a "monkey spoon was given. At the Manor the whole cercmon}- "was repeated, another pipe of wine w^as s])iced and besides "the same presents to the bearers, a pair of I)lack gloves and "handkerchief were given to each of the tenants." In a note in regard to the "Monkey Spoon" Sedgwick adds "It would "be desirable to know the origin of this custom now entirely "obsolete. This spoon differed from the common spoon in "having a circular and very shallow bowl, and took its name "from the figure of an ape or monkey, which was carved "/// .solido at the extremitv of the handle." 18 WILLIAM LIVINGSTON, GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY, BORN 1723, DIED 1790 Original porlrail in the possession oj Miss Catharine McVicker of Bujalo, N. Y. Published by permission of the Author of "The Livingstons of Livingston Manor." Robert llie lliird Lord of tlu' Manor of Lixinj^slon, was born December lOtli, 170S, and married May joth, 17,^1, Mary daughter of Walter and Sara (\'an Dam) Tong. Her name is also written Maria Thong, evidently the Dutch way of writing it. Her father Walter, according to one of the family charts, was the grandson of Sir Nicholas Tong of Tong Caslle, 'I'unslall, Kent, England. In 1737 Robert took his seat in the General Assembly as representative of the Manor of Livingston, succeeding his uncle Gilbert and retaining it for 21 years through se\-en General Assemblies, when he "retired in favour of his talented "younger brother William, then recognised as the leader of "the Presbyterian or opposition party in the province, of which "the Livingstons had become the champions, and which at "this period had l)ecome so identified with this family that "it was generally known as 'the Livingston party;' w^hile the "Episcopalian, the party in power, took the name of 'the "De Lancey party ' from their leader, the lieutenant-governor — the Honourable James De Lancey." (See "The Livingstons "of Livingston Manor," p. 162.) Though represented as of a very quiet peaceable disjiosition the third Lord of the Manor seemed quite capable of taking care of the interests of his Manor which was much troul)led by scjuatters from Massachusetts. In a letter dated January i6th, 1755, he writes to the Governor of Massachusetts complaining of the attempts of a man named Ingersol and his adherents "wdio are endeavouring with my "wicked tenants to get my lands claimed by your Government, "&c., then to get grants of it from them, that they may have "Estates at my expense defended by your Government, and "thus embroil our two Governments in a land quarrel, it seems "some folks delight to fish in troubled waters they can not "live at rest and therefore will not that any others should, "unhappy mortals, but I trust Providence will not suffer them "to depart this life unpunished "Coll" Hofman told me some time ago that Ingersol offered "him £1000 if he would join him in petitioning your Province "for Lands lying in this, this restless monster cannot nay will "not be easy, till he be severely punished in an exem])lary "manner which (I) hope may soon happen to deter others "from the like carryings on that have a tendency of inbroiling "two neighbouring Governments who want each others assist- "ance, for should he succeed in his devilish sclieme must not 21 "the consequence be very great disturbance and perhaps "bloodshed for I am firmly resolved never to give up a foot of "my just possessions acquired by my ancestors at their very "great expense nor suffer any body to settle within my manor "bounds but under me without sending them to Goal and deal- "ing with them according to law." (Extract from a letter belonging to Miss Laura Livingston McKinstry of San Francisco.) His fears of disturbance and bloodshed in connection with the settling of the boundaries of New York and Massachusetts were well founded. By letter dated February 23rd, 1756, Gov. Sir Charles Hardy writes to the Lords of Trade "With "regard to the dispute between this and the Massachusetts "Government it is and may be, attended with Great evils, "the Inhabitants of that Province indiscriminately dispossess "the Tenants of the Proprietors of the Manors of Livingston "and Ransaleer, and have violently and by Force seized and "committed all who opposed them in their outrages." On December 22nd, 1756, the Governor again writes to the Lords of Trade as follows, "After the many conferences and 'letters that have passed between me and Gov"' Shirly on 'this subject and the assurances he gave me, I had con- 'ceived hopes, that care should be taken on the side of the 'Massachusetts Government to prevent their People commit- 'ting any further outrages and violences upon the Lands and 'Tennants of Mr. Robert Livingston and Mr. John Van 'Ransaleer, Proprietors of those two Mannors within this 'Province and which estates has been handed down to them 'by their ancestors from old Times." Furthermore on July 30th, 1757, Lieutenant-Governor De Lancey wrote to the Lords of Trade as follows, "It is a melan- 'choly consideration as your Lordships observe that in such 'times as these, the Dis])ute between this Province and Massa- 'chusetts Bay should have been the occasion of Riot and 'Bloodshed: I hope your Lordships taking it into considera- 'tion, will find a speedy remedy, which is so greatly wanted 'for it gives me great concern to be obliged to acquaint your 'Lordships that blood has been again shed in this unhappy 'dispute on the 7th of May last, wherein James Burton on 'the part of Massachusetts Bay and Casper Ham on the part 'of Mr. Livingston lost their lives." (See "Documents 'relative to the Colonial History of the State of New York," Vol. VII, pp. 38, 206 and 273.) 22 ROBERT LIVIXC.STON, .M^U I.l.'Kl) OF TUK MAXOR, liOKX 170S, DIKI) 1790 Original portrait in the possession of R. M. C. Livingston. Esq., of Nice, France., As early as 1753 the life of the Lord of the Manor was endangered. In fact he then escaped only through the timely warning from his neighbour H. Van Rensselaer of Claverack, who begged him to be on his guard "as he had been credibly "informed that the New England people intended to carry "him off either 'dead or alive.'" Again three years later the threats of murder and arson were so serious that the New York government sent a military force to guard the Manor and the iron mines. (See "The Livingstons of Livingston "Manor," p. 316.) The third Lord of the Manor personally held no position under the Government of the revolting Colonies, but he showed his loyalty to it by placing at the disposal of the Committee of Safety his iron mines and foundry. Also he was well represented by his sons. Peter R. in addition to being a member of the Provincial Congress and of the Assembly, was Colonel of the Manor Regiment during the Revolutionary War. Walter, also a member of the Provincial Congress and Speaker of the Assembly, was Deputy Commissary General of the Northern Department, John was Aid-de-Camp to Gov- ernor Clinton, and Henry the youngest was Lieutenant-Colonel of and Commander of the Manor Regiment at the battle of Saratoga. His eldest son Philip seems to have been a popular, attractive man. He died many years before his father on the 3rd of April, 1756, in his 23rd year. The third Lord of the Manor lived through the Revolution, which broke the entail of the Manor Estate. He died Novem- ber 27th, 1790. A letter (in the collection of the late Mrs. Wil- mot Townsend Cox,) written by the Hon. James Duane, a son- in-law, to Major Valentine Gardiner, another son-in-law, gives the summary of his Will, by which he bequeathed that part of the Manor "which lies on the West side of the great highway "leading to Albany" to his son Peter R. for his life with remainder to his children and all "on the East side" to his four younger sons, Walter, Robert Cambridge, John and Henry, who inherited also his houses in New York. To his daughters he gave property in Saratoga. Of these five sons, four, Peter R., Walter, John and Henry built residences upon the Manor. All however, except John's have passed out of the family. John Livingston's residence, Oak Hill, built in 1795, has descended to and is now owned by his great grandson Herman. Here may be seen the original portraits of the tirst Lord and Lady of the Manor together 24 with very many pieces of old family furniture and family relics. With the death of the third Lord ends the manorial life of this portion of the Manor. We must now turn back to the first Lord, who bequeathed to his second surviving son Robert all the Manor lands on the Hudson River south of the Roeliff Jansens Kill. Of him, Mrs. Julia Delafield, in her "Biograi)hy of Francis "and Morgan Lewis," Vol. I, p. 122, after mentioning that his father had sent him to Scotland to be educated, states as follows, "The first summer that young Robert passed with "his father at the Manor, his attention was attracted one "afternoon by what seemed to him an unusual number of "Indians skulking around and keeping within the shadow of "the woods. That night, after he was in bed, he heard a "noise in the chimney. He lay quite still and watched; pres- "ently a pair of legs descended upon the hearth, Robert sprang "from his bed, seized the fellow before he could extricate "himself, exclaiming at the same time; 'Villain confess!' "The man, utterly confounded, confessed that he was one of a "gang who had fixed upon that night to rob and murder the " whites. His father was so pleased with his intrepidity that he "gave him the lower end of the Manor — ^a tract consisting of "about thirteen thousand acres." Upon his father's death in 1728, Robert took possession of this estate and built about 1730 on a cliff close to the Hudson a large brick and stone mansion, which he called Clermont. Set on fire by the British in 1777, all but the north and south walls, was destroyed, but it was rebuilt on the exact plan of the original house in 1778. After the destruction of the Manor House, Clermont became the oldest Livingston residence on the Manor and still stands today an interesting example of Colonial architecture, with hall and staircase very similar to those at Mt. Vernon and with much of the beautiful woodwork for which that period is noted. Roljert of Clermont (as he was called to distinguish him from his nci)hew the third Lord) represented the Manor in the i8th and 19th General Assemblies, retiring in favour of his younger brother Gilbert. Otherwise he seems to have taken no active part in the politics of the Colonies, but was a most strenuous advocate of their independence, as is evidenced by the conversation related by Mrs. Delafield in the above named biogra})hes, Vol. I, p. 134. 25 1 <1 ''In the autumn of 177,^, as the e\cning was closing in. the "old man with his son, Judge Robert Livingston, his grandson "Robert, and Montgomer\-, the husband of Janet, his eldest "granddaughter, were sitting round the fire, talking of public "affairs, when he made the prediction which has often been "quoted, but seldom quite correctly: 'This co'untry,' he said, " 'will be independent, but I shall not live to see it, neither "will you Robert' — this was addressed to his son, the Judge. "Then turning to his grandson Robert (afterwards the Chan- "cellor), he added, 'You, Robert, will and Montgomery may!' "When he heard that hostilities had commenced, he told the "Judge that he wished to go to Boston. The Judge answered, " 'Father, what could you do there?' He replied, 'If I stopped "a bullet, I might save a better man!' " .... "An "exaggerated report of our losses on Breed's Hill gave him a "shock that obliged him to take to his bed, from which he "never rose "His last consecutive words were "addressed to his daughter-in-law, 'Peggy what news from "Boston.' " He died June 27th, 1775. His son followed him in December and Montgomery was killed at Quebec December 31st, 1775, while his grandson lived to see the Col- onies a free, independent and well established nation, thus fultilling his prophetic words quoted above. It is interesting to note that patriotism was at this time be- coming prevalent in the Upper Hudson, for about six months after Robert of Clermont uttered his prophetic words, Lieut. - Governor Cadwalader Colden wrote to the Earl of Dartmouth, "The Act to regulate elections for Representatives in general "Assembly for the City and County of Albany is thought "necessary to prevent the exorbitant Influence which the very "large Mannors in that County give to the Proprietors or Lords "of the Mannors as they are called: There are two Mannors "and a Borough, my Lord in that County which each send a "Representative to the Assembly The present "Representatives of the Mannors have distinguished themselves "in opposition to Government and were the warmest suj^portcrs "of the Congress." (See above-mentioned Documents, \'ol. VIII, p. 565.) At that time the Manor of Rensselaerwyck was represented in the General Assembly by Abraham Ten Broeck and the Manor of Li\ingston l)y Peter R. Li\-ingston, eldest surviving son of the third Lord of the Manor. To return to Robert of Clermont. On November nth, 1717, he married Margaret daughter of Thomas and Catherine (Bcdlow) Howarden whose maternal grandfather Captain Bedlow, a wealthy Englishman, became involved pecuniarily with Lord Cornbury, Governor of the Colony with the result usual to all those who lent any money to that Governor. They had but one child, Robert or Robert R. as he is called, afterwards to become the well known Judge Livingston of the Admiralty Court and of the Supreme Court of New York. Of him Governor Moore writes from New York January 21st, 1769 to the Earl of Hillsborough urging his appointment to a vacancy in the Council of the Province, saying, "He is a branch "of the most considerable family in the Prov'^''; his father (who " is very far advanced in years) possessed of a very great landed "Estate, which will come to him undivided, as he is an only "son. He is married to the richest Heiress in the Country "whose Father is likewise very old and infirm; so that in all "prol)al)ility he must very shortly be the greatest Landholder "without any exception, in this province, the very large Estate " which must center (sic) in him, can not fail of giving him great "weight here, and puts it very much in his power to support "Govern', which all my letters to his Majty's Ministers have "showed to be very weak and to stand much in need of every "assistance which can be obtained. Mr. Livingston is a "Member of the Church of England as by Law established "and very well affected to his Majty's person and Govern*. "He is at this time one of the Judges of the Supreme Court "and has there given frequent proofs of his abilities to serve "his Countr\'. He has likewise been several years a member "of the House of Assembly, where I must acknowledge myself "indebted to him, for his readiness and assistance in some "difficulties I laboured under during the troubles I was engaged "in, on my first arrival liere &c., &c." (See above-mentioned Documents, Vol. VIH, p. 148.) Though, through the adverse inlluence of Lieut. -Governor Golden, whose" cherished scheme for "strengthening the prerogative of the Crown" Judge Livingston had strenuously opposed, the latter did not obtain this appoint- ment, this letter shows the high esteem in which he was held by the Governor Sir Henry Moore, notwithstanding the lil)eral principles which he had already frequently exhibited. In 1765 he had been chosen a member of the Stamp Act Congress in the deliberations of which he had taken an active part. An address to the King praying for " the invaluable rights of taxing "ourselves and trial by our peers," drawn up by Judge Living- ston had been adopted by the Congress. 28 JUDGE ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON OF CLERMONT, BORN 1718, DIED 1775 Original portrait in the possession oj the Estate of the late Robert R. Livingston. Esq., oj Nortli- wood, Columbia County, N. Y. Published by permission oi the Author of "The Livingstons of Livingston Manor." MARGARET BEEKMAX, WIFE OF JUDGE ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON OF CLERMONT BORN 1724, DIED 1800 Original portrait in the pos'iession of the Estate of Ihelale Robert R. Livingston. Esq., of Northivood, Columbia County, N. Y. Published by permission of the Author of "The Livingstons of Livingston Manor." Time and s])ace forbid enlarginji; furllicr upon the eari'er of this eminent Christian, Statesman and Patriot of whom one of his most intimate friends, William Smith, the historian and Chief Justice of Canada, was accustomed to say, "If I were to "be placed on a desert island, with one book and one friend, "that book should be the liible and that friend Robert R. "Livingston." (See Hunt's "Life of Edward Livingston," p. 27.) On December 8th, 1742, in New York Robert R. Livingston had married Margaret the only surviving child and the heiress of Colonel Henry and Janet (Livingston) Beekman of Rhine- beck and granddaughter of Robert Livingston "The Nephew," so called from his being the nephew of Robert first Lord of the Manor. Their married life was a very happy one and lasted nearly one-third of a century. The Judge died on December gth, 1775, lea\'ing surviving him, his widow and ten children. The Judge's widow Margaret (Beekman) Livingston sur- vived her husband 25 years and died in 1800, while sitting at the head of her dinner table at Clermont. Previous to her death, with the consent and approval of her eldest son, Robert R. she divided the large Beekman Estate of 240,000 acres, which she received from her father, among her ten children. Clermont had passed to her eldest son upon his father's death. His career is so well known that I shall only mention its main incidents. Entering politics at an early age, he was one of the Committee of five appointed to prepare the Dec- laration of Independence, was Secretary of Foreign Affairs at the time of the Revolution, Chancellor of the State of New York, one of the most influential and able advocates of the adoption of the United States Constitution by his State, Minister to France, Negotiator of the Louisiana Purchase, &c., &c. He had made experiments with boats propelled by steam and one day when in Paris, returning to his apartment, he remarked to his family that he thought he had found a man who could aid him. This proved indeed to be true, for the man was no other than Robert Fulton and the little boat wdiich at last crowned their united efforts with success, was called "The Clermont," after Chancellor Livingston's beloved count re- seat. After retiring from public life, he lived until his death in 1813 upon this esitate, which is now in the possession of his great grandson. 33 CH.\MCELLOR ROBliRT R. LIVIMGSTONr OF CLKRMOMT, HORN 1746, DIED 1813 Orisinil partrail by Gilbert Slimrl in the possession of John Uenry Livingston, Esq., of Clermont. Published by permission of the Author of "The Livingstons of Livingston Manor." The Chancellor's brothers and sisters were, with scarcely an exception, either prominent themselves in the alTairs of their country, or married to men who were so. They were Janet, who married Gen. Richard Montgomery, Margaret who mar- ried Surgeon General Thomas Tillotson, Catharine who mar- ried the Rev. Freeborn Garretson, Henry Beekman, a Colonel in the Revolutionary Army, John R., who did good ser\ice to his country in the supi)lying of gunpowder, Gertrude, who married Gen. Morgan Lewis, Governor of the State of New York, Joanna, who married Hon. Peter R. Livingston, Speaker of the New York Assembly, President of the Senate, &c., Alida, who married Gen. John Armstrong, Minister to France, &c., and Edward, Secretary of State, Minister to France, author of the Penal Code of Louisiana, &c. Though the Revolution ended the entail in this the younger line as it had in the elder, iVIanorial customs long survived and we read of Chancellor Livingston still paying his visits in a grand gilded coach drawn by four horses. From this we may surmise that, while politically the strictest of democrats, the style of living congenial to him continued to be that of the Lords of the ISIanor. NOTE. The Author is under great obligations to those from whose works cjuotalions in this address are taken and especially to Edwin Brockholst Livingston, Esq., for permission to draw largely from his exhaustive worlv, "The Lixingstons of Living- ston Manor." 37 1 ^1 B^ 1 3 6- -v*' '<-. -'>' l^^^i^^J-' ;" ^t^ -^ .(•■^ 'O- \'^ > V^ ^\ ^ ..-S*^' sr''' -^ V^iK^ .^ ^ c,^- .'^ .. s • * ^ r^ .^0 f ..... '^- ^>" ^^ 'o^^.aV)^'* A^'^ '^. :^ ^ c- / ^^-^^. 'J 1 1 '^,^ ' ^-^ ^ O M O 4VJ ,r^ tit' 0)> ^ ^^^ .N^ ^0 HO, :v'. ;;^. .0 ^^-nu. ^^' ty . " • o -^ .'w^; ^<^ HO, <^ . * « o ■" LKRAtly aiNOINQ ■^A* L • ''Sk " ^U a"*" ^°-;^, .f ;; ST. .-.:>[iSTINE '"^ LA. 32084 ^•^^4*' ^^'% LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 012 609 346 9