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 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 his death in 1728.
