Robert Livingston the Younger (1663 – April 1725), sometimes known as Robert Livingston Jr., or The Nephew was a wealthy merchant and political figure in colonial

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York City ...

Early life

Livingston was born in 1663 in

Edinburgh, Scotland Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

. He was the son of James Livingston (1646–1673) and nephew of

Robert Livingston the Elder The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

. Once established in Albany, his uncle wrote to his father in Edinburgh, advising him to send his son Robert. Robert the Younger emigrated to North America, by way of London, in November 1687. He settled in Albany, where he managed his uncle's Albany enterprises.

Career

After arriving in North America in 1687, Livingston's first job involved assisting his uncle as city and County Clerk. In 1699, he was appointed Deputy Secretary and Deputy Clerk, positions he held until 1707, when his cousin

Philip Livingston Philip Livingston (January 15, 1716 – June 12, 1778) was an American merchant and statesman from New York City. He represented New York at the October 1774 First Continental Congress, where he favored imposing economic sanctions upon Great B ...

became of age. In 1708, Livingston was elected Alderman for the First Ward. In 1709, he was appointed Recorder (or Deputy Mayor) of the City. At the same time, he was able to prosper in business, using family connections and experience to supply both settler and military customers. In 1710, Livingston was appointed mayor of Albany, succeeding

Johannes Abeel Johannes Abeel (March 23, 1667 – January 28, 1711) was an Albany, New York, merchant and public official. He was the second and thirteenth mayor of Albany. Early life Johannes (sometimes written John) was born on March 23, 1667 in Albany, New ...

and serving in that role until 1719 when he was succeeded by

Myndert Schuyler Myndert Schuyler (January 16, 1672 – October 18, 1755) was a colonial trader and merchant with extensive real estate holdings who served as Mayor of Albany, New York, twice between 1719 and 1725. Early life Schuyler was born on January 16, 16 ...

. During his tenure, Albany grew from a trading post to the area's major supply and services center. Livingston was also appointed as one of the English colony's

Commissioners for Indian Affairs The Commissioners for Indian Affairs were a group of officials of colonial Albany, New York charged with regulating the fur trade and dealing with the Iroquois. History Originally the local magistrates, functioning informally, performed these ta ...

Personal life

In 1697, Livingston married Margareta (or Margarita) Schuyler (b. 1682), the daughter of

Pieter Schuyler Pieter Schuyler (17 September 1657 – 19 February 1724) was the first mayor of Albany, New York. A long-serving member of the executive council of the Province of New York, he acted as governor of the Province of New York on three occasions ...

(1657–1724), the first mayor of Albany, and Engeltie Van Schaick (d. 1689). Their children "married into the best provincial families and enjoyed great success in the business of New York, Montreal, and the lands in between. Together, they had six children: * Engeltje "Angelica" Livingston (1698–1747), who married

Johannes Van Rensselaer Johannes Van Rensselaer (January 3, 1708 – February 21, 1783) was a member of the prominent colonial Van Rensselaer family. Early life Van Rensselaer was born on January 3, 1708, at the family estate, "Rensselaerswyck", in what is now Waterv ...

(1708–1793), son of

Hendrick van Rensselaer Hendrick van Rensselaer (October 23, 1667 – July 4, 1740) was director of the Eastern patent of the Rensselaerswyck manor. The estate was composed of land in Columbia County, New York, and land opposite Albany, New York, on the Hudson River, ...

(1667–1740). * James Livingston (1701–1763), who married Maria Kierstede (1704–1762) * Janet Livingston (1703–1724), who married Col.

Henry Beekman Henry Beekman (January 4, 1687 – January 3, 1775) was a prominent colonial American politician and landowner. Early life Beekman was born in Kingston, New York. the son of Judge Hendrick "Henry" Beekman (1652–1716) and his wife, Johanna ( n� ...

Rhinebeck, New York Rhinebeck is a village (New York), village in the Rhinebeck (town), New York, town of Rhinebeck in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,657 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie, New York, Poughkeepsie– ...

* Pieter "Peter" Livingston (b. 1706), fur trader, killed by Seneca Indians near

Geneva, New York Geneva is a City (New York), city in Ontario County, New York, Ontario and Seneca County, New York, Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is at the northern end of Seneca Lake (New York), Seneca Lake; all land port ...

* Johannes "John" Livingston (1709–1791), who married Catharine Ten Broeck (1715–1802), the sister of

Abraham Ten Broeck Abraham Ten Broeck (May 13, 1734 – January 19, 1810) was a New York politician, businessman, and militia Brigadier General of Dutch descent. He was twice Mayor of Albany, New York and built one of the largest mansions in the area, the Ten ...

. * Thomas Livingston, who died young. In April 1725, Robert Livingston the Younger died and was buried in the Dutch church at Albany. Margarita survived her husband by many years; her death date is unknown but occurred between 1756 and 1784.

Descendants

Through his eldest daughter Angelica, he was the grandfather of: *

Catherine Van Rensselaer Catherine Van Rensselaer Schuyler ;, also known as "Kitty", (November 10, 1734 – March 7, 1803) was a Colonial and post-Colonial American socialite and the matriarch of the prominent colonial Schuyler family as wife of Philip Schuyler. Early l ...

(1734–1803), who married Gen.

Philip Schuyler Philip John Schuyler (; November 18, 1804) was an American general in the Revolutionary War and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler. Born in Alba ...

(1733–1804) in 1755 *

Jeremiah Van Rensselaer Jeremiah Van Rensselaer (August 27, 1738February 19, 1810), from the prominent Van Rensselaer family, was Lieutenant Governor of New York and a member of Congress in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing New York in the 1st United Sta ...

(1738–1810) *

Robert Van Rensselaer Robert Van Rensselaer (December 16, 1740 – September 11, 1802) was Brigadier General during the American Revolutionary War, a member of the New York Provincial Congress from 1775 to 1777 and later a member of the New York State Assembly in the ...

(1740–1802) * Henry Van Rensselaer (ca 1742–1813) * James Van Rensselaer (1747–1827), a Captain and aide de camp of

Maj. Gen. Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

Montgomery who fought in the Canadian campaign of

Fort Chambly Fort Chambly is a historic fort in La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec. It is designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. Fort Chambly was formerly known as Fort St. Louis. It was part of a series of five fortificat ...

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

and was Captain in the

2nd New York Regiment The 2nd New York Regiment was authorized on May 25, 1775, and formed at Albany from June 28 to August 4 for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel Goose Van Schaick. The enlistments of the first establishment ended on Dece ...

under Colonel

James Clinton Major General James Clinton (August 9, 1736 – September 22, 1812) was an American Revolutionary War officer who, with John Sullivan, led in 1779 the Sullivan Expedition in what is now western New York to attack British-allied Seneca and ...

and later aide de camp of General

.Calendar of the Military Papers of Peter Gansevoort, eniorJuly 4, 1754 through December 31, 1780 New York State Archives AO13

pp. 10 Through his son James, his granddaughter was Margaret Livingston (1738–1809) who married Peter Robert Livingston (1737–1793), the son of Robert Livingston (1708–1790), Robert Livingston (grandson of

). Margaret's brother, Robert James Livingston (1725–1771), was the father of his Robert Livingston the Younger's great-grandson,

Maturin Livingston Maturin Livingston (April 10, 1769 – November 7, 1847), a member of the prominent Livingston family, was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Life Maturin Livingston was born on April 10, 1769 in New York City. He was the son ...

(1769–1847). Through his son John, he was the grandfather of: * Margaret Livingston Chinn (1742–1820) * James Livingston (1747–1832) * Anne Livingston Jordan (1749–1788) * Jennet Livingston Vanderheyden (1751–1825) * Abraham Livingston (1753–1802) * Catherine Livingston Willard (1755–1827) * Maria J. Livingston (1759–1839). Through his granddaughter, Catherine Schuyler, he is the ancestor of the entire

Hamilton family The Hamiltons of the United States are a family of Scottish origin, whose most prominent member was Alexander Hamilton (1755/57–1804), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Their ancestors and relations in Scotland included the Lai ...

, minus Alexander Hamilton, all descendants of General Philip J. Schuyler, several members of the

Morgan family The Morgan family is an American family and banking dynasty, which became prominent in the U.S. and throughout the world in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Members of the family amassed an immense fortune over the generations, primar ...

(through his daughter Juliet Pierpont Morgan Hamilton), the socialite

Helen Morgan Hamilton Helen Morgan Hamilton (June 12, 1896 – January 25, 1985) was an Army Officer, serving as deputy director of and ultimately achieving the rank of Lieutenant colonel of the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps. She is also the granddaughter of investment ...

, and several more relatives of heavily influential families of America.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Livingston, Robert the Younger 1663 births 1725 deaths Robert Younger Mayors of Albany, New York People of the Province of New York Kingdom of Scotland emigrants to the Thirteen Colonies 17th-century Scottish people English emigrants

Early life

Career

Personal life

Descendants

See also

References