Robert Livingston The Elder (1654-1728)

1st Lord of the Manor of Livingston, New York

He was born in Scotland at Ancrum, south of Edinburgh, but after his father (a Dissenting Puritan) was exiled the family settled at Rotterdam in Holland. Fluent in Dutch, he became a merchant and emigrated to North America to seek his fortune. In 1674, he settled at Albany, New York, and traded between there and Boston. He and his brother-in-law, Colonel Pieter Schuyler, persuaded Governor Dongan to grant Albany a Municipal Charter and he was appointed Clerk of the City and County of Albany. He served as Secretary for Indian Affairs (1695-1728) and was repeatedly elected to the New York Provincial Assembly, serving as Speaker in 1718. In 1715, he obtained a Royal Patent granting him 160,000-acres along the Hudson River south of Albany. This became known as Livingston Manor and covered land in both Columbia and Dutchess Counties.

In 1699, he built the manor house, "Linlithgo", on the north bank of Roeliff Jansen's Kill. Its design was more suited to fending off attacks from hostile Indians than it was for comfort and it was dismantled in 1800 by his descendant, Robert Thong Livingston, but the land itself remained in the Livingston family until 1918. In 1679, Robert married Alida Schuyler (the former Mrs Van Rensselaer) and they had nine adult children (listed). The bulk of his considerable estate including the manor house passed to his eldest surviving son, Philip. His second son, Robert, was given 13,000-acres and built Clermont Manor

Parents (2)

Rev. John Livingston

Covenanting Minister of Ancrum; and, Rotterdam, Holland

1603-1672

Janet Fleming

Mrs Janet (Fleming) Livingston

1613-1693

Spouse (1)

Alida (Schuyler) Livingston

Mrs Alida (Schuyler) Van Rensselaer, afterwards Livingston

1656-1727

Children (9)

Johannes Livingston

Captain "John" Livingston, Merchant, of Connecticut

1680-1720

Margaret (Livingston) Vetch

Mrs Margaret (Livingston) Vetch

1681-1758

Joanna Philipina Livingston

Died in childhood

1683-1689

Col. Philip Livingston

2nd Lord of Livingston Manor, New York

1686-1749

Robert Livingston of Clermont

Robert Livingston I, of Clermont Manor, New York

1688-1775

Gilbert Livingston

Lt.-Colonel "Gilbert" (Hubertus) Livingston

1690-1746

William Livingston

William Livingston, died in infancy

1692-1692

Joanna (Livingston) Van Horne

Mrs Joanna Philipina (Livingston) Van Horne

1694-1733

Catherine Livingston

Catherine Livingston, died in infancy

1698-1699