New York State History

Philip Livingston was the son of Rob­ert Livingston, of the Manor. His mother was the lovely Alida Schuyler, daugh­ter of Philip P. Schuyler, and widow of Dominie Nicholas Van Rensselaer. In Robert Livingston's Bible are the follow­ing quaint records:

"1679, I Robert Livingston was wedded to my worthy helpmeet Alida Schuyler, widow of Dominie Nicholas Van Rensselaer, in the Presbyterian church at Albany, America, by Dom. Giddon Staats. May God be with us and bless us !"

"1686, on the 9 of July, being Friday evening, at 10 of the clock, my second son Philip was born. God grant he may grow up in wisdom! He was named after my wife's father, and on the 25 was baptized by Dom. Giddon Staats; the witnesses were Uncle David Schuyler, and Brother Philip Schuyler as God Father, he was held to baptism by Sister Corneles Schuyler, Brother Brant's wife."

Philip Livingston married. Catrina, daughter of Peter Van Brugh, and was second Lord of the Manor. He resided in New York, in a fine old house on Broad Street, where he died in 1749, and was buried in the family vault at Linlithgo, Columbia County. His funeral services were held at his New York house, as well as at the Manor. As usual, there was the spiced wine, and each of the eight bearers was given a pair of gloves, a monkey-spoon,* and a mourning ring. This cere­mony was repeated at the Manor, and an additional present of a kerchief was given the tenants. The cost was £500.

The Livingstons claim descent from Livingus, who lived in 1124, through a long and complicated line of nobility, for the truth of which we can not vouch. This love of ancient ancestry is laughably dis­played by the Lewis family of England, who are said to have in their possession a picture of the Ark, with Noah emerging from it, bearing a large trunk, labelled, ^"Papers belonging to the Lewis Family."

This we do know, however, that the Livingstons were a remarkable family. All the daughters married distinguished men, and the sons held prominent posi­tions in the state. Eobert Livingston emigrated to America in 1674, and was first Lord of the Manor. His son Eobert married Margarita Schuyler, and was head of the Clermont Manor. Another son, Gilbert, married Cornelia Beekman, and was head of the Poughkeepsie Manor. The daughter of this marriage, Joanna, married General Pierre Van Cortlandt. Of Philip Livingston's children-Sarah married Lord Stirling-_; Alida married, first, Henry Hawson, second, Martin Hoffman; Gatherina married John I. Lawrence; Peter married Mary, daughter of James Alexander; John married Cathe­rine, daughter of Abraham De Peyster; William married Susanna French, and be­came the celebrated Governor of New Jer­sey, called the ''Don Quixote of the Jer­seys''; Eobert married, first, Mary Thong, and second, Mrs. Gertrude Schuyler; Phil­ip was one of the signers of the Declara­tion of Independence.

On the corner of State and Pearl streets stood one of the oldest trees in Albany. Tradition whispers that in 1736 Philip Livingston, one of the signers of the Dec­laration, saved the life of this historical elm by staying the hand of a sailor who was threatening to cut it down with his penknife. The frosts of centuries had been powerless to kill the old elm; but at last Pearl Street required widening, and about two years since the venerable land­mark joined the things of the past.

* Used for liquor, and so called from the figure of a monkey carved in solids on tire handle, it had a circular and very shallow bowl.