Robert James Livingston

Robert James Livingston (December 11, 1811 – February 22, 1891), a member of the Livingston family, was a prominent businessman from New York.

For other people named Robert Livingston, see Robert Livingston (disambiguation).
Robert James Livingston
Born(1811-12-11)December 11, 1811
New York City, US
DiedFebruary 22, 1891(1891-02-22) (aged 79)
New York City, US
Alma materYale University
Spouse(s)
Louise Matilda Storm
​
​
(m. 1832; died 1883)​
Children2
Parent(s)Maturin Livingston
Margaret Lewis
RelativesPeter R. Livingston (uncle)
Morgan Lewis (grandfather)
Alexander Hamilton Jr. (brother-in-law)

Early life

Livingston was born on December 11, 1811 in New York City. He was the son of Maturin Livingston (1769–1847), a former Recorder of New York City, and Margaret (née Lewis) Livingston (1780–1860). His parents had twelve children, including: Morgan Lewis Livingston, Gertrude Laura Livingston, Julia Livingston, Alfred Livingston, Mortimer Livingston, Susan Mary Livingston, Maturin Livingston Jr., Henry Beekman Livingston, Angelica Livingston, and Blanche Geraldine Livingston. His younger sister Angelica married Alexander Hamilton Jr., the son of acting Secretary of State James Alexander Hamilton and grandson of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury.

His mother was the only daughter and sole heiress of New York Gov. Morgan Lewis and Gertrude (née Livingston) Lewis. His maternal grandmother, Gertrude, was the daughter of Judge Robert Livingston and Margaret Beekman Livingston, and the sister of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston.[1] His father inherited his maternal grandfather's estate, the Staatsburgh House in Staatsburg, Dutchess County, upon the death of his father-in-law in 1844.[2]

His paternal grandparents were Robert James Livingston and Susanna (née Smith) Livingston, herself the daughter of Chief Justice William Smith.[3] His uncle was Peter R. Livingston and all of his Livingston family members were descended from Robert Livingston the Younger, through the Younger's eldest son, James Livingston.[4]

Career

After graduating from Yale University where he studied civil engineering,[5] he went to work for the United States Coast Survey Service, and was in the expedition that first triangulated the entire coast.[6]

After retiring from the Service and subsequent to his 1832 marriage, he went into business on Wall Street, becoming a member of the firm, Christmas, Prime, Livingston, & Costa.[6] The business failed 10 years later, and he retired to his country place near New Brunswick, New Jersey. In 1860, he returned to New York.[5]

Philanthropy

Livingston was one of the founders of the Children's Aid Society in 1853, and served as one of its first directors.[6] He was also one of the founders of the Home for Incurables and at the time of his death, one of the longest serving members of the New York Hospital, where he was President of the Board of Governors.[6]

Personal life

In 1832, he was married to Louisa Matilda Storm (1810–1883),[7] daughter of Garrit Storm (1778–1851) and Laura Gouverneur (1778–1835), who was born in Sint Eustatius, Dutch West Indies. Together, the couple had two children:[1]

He was a member of the Union Club, the Knickerbocker Club, and the Century Club of New York, and considered himself a War Democrat, although he never held political office.[6]

Livingston died of pneumonia at his residence 10 East 48th Street, in New York City,[10] and was buried at the family vault at St. James Church in Hyde Park, New York.[6] He left his entire estate, which included real estate in Delaware, New York, his house on East 48th Street near Fifth Avenue, his stable at 19 East 52nd Street, also near Fifth Avenue, and his farm in Raritan, New Jersey to his daughter.[11][12]

Descendants

He was the grandfather of Robert Livingston Gerry Sr. (1877–1957) and Peter Goelet Gerry (1879–1957), a U.S. Representative and Senator from Rhode Island.[13]

References
  1. Reynolds, Cuyler (1914). Genealogical and Family History of Southern New York and the Hudson River Valley: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Building of a Nation. Lewis Historical Publishing Company. p. 1343. Retrieved 11 September 2016. Maturin Livingston married Margaret Lewis.
  2. Site, Clermont State Historic (30 April 2013). "Clermont State Historic Site: It All Started Here: Livingstons and the Mansions of the Hudson Valley". Clermont State Historic Site. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  3. Wardell, Pat (October 2010). "Early Bergen County Families" (PDF). njgsbc.org. The Genealogical Society of Bergen County. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  4. Lamb, Martha Joanna; Harrison, Mrs Burton (1896). History of the City of New York: History of the city of New York : externals of modern New York. A. S. Barnes. p. 547. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  5. University, Yale (1900). Obituary Record of Graduates of Yale University | Deceased during the Academical Year ending June, 1891. Yale University. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  6. "OBITUARY | ROBERT J. LIVINGSTON". The New York Times. 23 February 1891. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  7. "Obituary 3 -- No Title". The New York Times. 1 June 1883. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  8. "Obituary 2 -- No Title". The New York Times. 27 March 1920. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  9. "RITES IN CATHEDRAL FOR ELBRIDGE GERRY; Bishops Manning and Shipman Officiate at the Funeral of Children's Protector. PRIVATE SERVICE EARLIER No Honorary Pallbearers, as Mr. Gerry Had Desired Simplicity -Burial at Hyde Park". The New York Times. 22 February 1927. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  10. "IN NEED OF AN UMPIRE.; A LONG AND FUTILE ATTEMPT AT ARBITRATION". The New York Times. 16 August 1883. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  11. "THE WILL OF ROBERT J. LIVINGSTON". The New York Times. 28 February 1891. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  12. Times, Special To The New York (27 April 1920). "Mrs. Gerry Left $600,000 to Family". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  13. "GERRY CHILDREN GET $8,000,000 ESTATE; Two Sons and Two Daughters Share Equally in Property -- Nothing Left to Charity. GAVE MUCH DURING HIS LIFE Heirs Will Continue the Work of Founder of Gerry Society, "Best Friend Children Ever Had."". The New York Times. 15 March 1927. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
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