Edward Philip Livingston (November 24, 1779 in Kingston, Jamaica – November 3, 1843 in

Clermont, New York Clermont is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,965 at the 2010 census. The name of the town is French for "Clear Mountain", in reference to the mountain views in the town. The town is in the southwestern c ...

) was an American politician.

Early life

He was the son of Philip Philip Livingston (1741–1787, son of

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 ...

) and Sara (Johnson) Livingston (ca. 1749–1802). He was a grandnephew of

William Livingston William Livingston (November 30, 1723July 25, 1790) was an American politician who served as the first governor of New Jersey (1776–1790) during the American Revolutionary War. As a New Jersey representative in the Continental Congress, he sig ...

, Governor of New Jersey; grandson of

, a signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence or declaration of statehood or proclamation of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of th ...

; first cousin once removed of

Walter Livingston Walter Livingston (November 27, 1740 – May 14, 1797) was an American merchant, lawyer and politician. Early life He was a son of Robert Livingston (1708–1790), 3rd Lord of Livingston Manor, and Maria Thong Livingston (1711–1765), a grand ...

Speaker of the New York State Assembly The speaker of the New York State Assembly is the highest official in the New York State Assembly, customarily elected from the ranks of the majority party. As in most countries with a British heritage, the Speaker (politics), speaker presides o ...

; first cousin once removed and nephew by marriage of

Edward Livingston Edward Livingston (May 28, 1764May 23, 1836) was an American jurist and statesman. He was an influential figure in the drafting of the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825, a civil code based largely on the Napoleonic Code. Livingston represented both ...

, Secretary of State; and second cousin of Henry Walter Livingston, a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

from New York. Livingston was a 1796 graduate of Columbia College.

Career

After his father-in-law's death, Edward P. Livingston became the master of

Clermont Manor The Clermont State Historic Site, also known as the Clermont estate, the Clermont Manor or just Clermont, is a New York State Historic Site in southwestern Columbia County, New York, United States. It protects the former estate of the Livingston ...

. He resided at

from 1802 until the time of his death. Livingston was a member of the

Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York The Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York is responsible for the general supervision of all educational activities within New York State, presiding over University of the State of New York and the New York State Education Depa ...

from 1827 to 1831. He served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the militia, was aide-de-camp to Governor Dewitt Clinton, and served as Judge of the Columbia County Court of Common Pleas. He was aide to Governor

Daniel D. Tompkins Daniel D. Tompkins (June 21, 1774 – June 11, 1825) was an American politician. He was the fifth governor of New York from 1807 to 1817, and the sixth vice president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. Born in Scarsdale, New York, Tompkins ...

, and private secretary to his father-in-law

Robert R. Livingston Robert Robert Livingston (November 27, 1746 (Old Style November 16) – February 26, 1813) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat from New York, as well as a Founding Father of the United States. He was known as "The Chancellor", afte ...

(1746–1813), then US Minister to France.

New York State Senate

Edward P. Livingston was a member of the New York State Senate (Middle D.) from 1808 to 1812, and lost his seat to

Martin Van Buren Martin Van Buren ( ; nl, Maarten van Buren; ; December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862) was an American lawyer and statesman who served as the eighth president of the United States from 1837 to 1841. A primary founder of the Democratic Party, he ...

. He was a

presidential elector The United States Electoral College is the group of presidential electors required by the Constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of appointing the president and vice president. Each state and the District of Columbia app ...

1820 Events January–March *January 1 – Nominal beginning of the Trienio Liberal in Spain: A constitutionalist military insurrection at Cádiz leads to the summoning of the Spanish Parliament (March 7). *January 8 – General Maritime T ...

, voting for

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American statesman, lawyer, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. A member of the Democratic-Republican Party, Monroe was ...

and

; and again a member of the State Senate (3rd D.) in

1823 Events January–March * January 22 – By secret treaty signed at the Congress of Verona, the Quintuple Alliance gives France a mandate to invade Spain for the purpose of restoring Ferdinand VII (who has been captured by armed revolutio ...

and 1824.

Lieutenant Governor of New York

He was proposed in 1830 for Governor of New York, but his candidacy was questioned by some opponents in the

Democratic-Republican Party The Democratic-Republican Party, known at the time as the Republican Party and also referred to as the Jeffersonian Republican Party among other names, was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the earl ...

on the grounds that he had been born on the island of

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

. As a naturalized citizen of New York, Livingston was eligible to run, but his foreign birth was used to prevent his nomination. Instead

Enos T. Throop Enos Thompson Throop ( ; August 21, 1784 – November 1, 1874) was an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat who was the tenth Governor of New York from 1829 to 1832. Early life and career Throop was born in Johnstown, New York on August 21 ...

, who had succeeded to the governorship when

became

United States Secretary of State The United States secretary of state is a member of the executive branch of the federal government of the United States and the head of the U.S. Department of State. The office holder is one of the highest ranking members of the president's Ca ...

, was nominated for a full term as governor, and Livingston was nominated for lieutenant governor. Throop and Livingston won, and Livingston served from 1831 to 1832. He was again a presidential elector in

1832 Events January–March * January 6 – Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison founds the New-England Anti-Slavery Society. * January 13 – The Christmas Rebellion of slaves is brought to an end in Jamaica, after the island's white plant ...

Return to NY Senate

He was again a member of the State Senate (3rd D.) in 1838 and

1839 Events January–March * January 2 – The first photograph of the Moon is taken, by French photographer Louis Daguerre. * January 6 – Night of the Big Wind: Ireland is struck by the most damaging cyclone in 300 years. * January 9 – ...

. He resigned his seat on October 9, 1839.

Personal life

On November 20, 1799, he married Elizabeth Stevens Livingston (1780–1829), the eldest daughter of Chancellor

. Their children included: * Margaret Livingston (1808–1874), who married David Augustus Clarkson (1793–1874) * Elizabeth Livingston (1813–1896), who married

Edward Hunter Ludlow Edward Hunter Ludlow (1810 – November 27, 1884) was an American physician and real estate broker. His granddaughter Anna Hall Roosevelt was the mother of First Lady of the United States Eleanor Roosevelt. Early life A scion of a prominent Hu ...

(1810–1884) * Clermont Livingston (1817–1895), who married Cornelia Livingston (1824–1851), daughter of Herman Livingston (brother of

Robert Le Roy Livingston Robert Le Roy Livingston (October 10, 1778April 14, 1836) was a United States representative from New York. Early life Robert Le Roy Livingston was born on October 10, 1778 in Claverack, Columbia County to John Livingston (1749–1822) and ...

). * Robert Edward Livingston (1820–1889), who married Susan Maria Clarkson de Peyster (1823–1910), sister of

Frederic James de Peyster Frederic James de Peyster (February 5, 1839 – May 10, 1905) was a prominent American soldier, lawyer, and member of New York Society during the Gilded Age. Early life Frederic James de Peyster was born on February 5, 1839, in New York City. ...

. * Mary Livingson (1823–1898), who married Levinus Clarkson (1813–1861), a first cousin of David A. Clarkson, in 1849. After the death of his wife in 1829, and while he was Lt. Governor of New York, Livingston happened to look in the gallery of the Senate Chamber in Albany, where he saw Mary Crooke Broom (1804–1877) seated, and was struck by her beauty. She was "reckoned the most beautiful girl in all this region." They married in 1832. She was the eldest child and daughter of William Broom and Ann Crooke Barber. Livingston died in Clermont on November 3, 1843. He was buried at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery in

Poughkeepsie, New York Poughkeepsie ( ), officially the City of Poughkeepsie, separate from the Town of Poughkeepsie around it) is a city in the U.S. state of New York. It is the county seat of Dutchess County, with a 2020 census population of 31,577. Poughkeepsi ...

. Upon his death, he left

to his son Clermont. After his death, his second wife remarried to Judge Charles Herman Ruggles.

Descendants

Through his eldest daughter, Margaret, Livingston was the grandfather of Thomas Streatfeild Clarkson (1837–1894), namesake of

Clarkson University Clarkson University is a private research university with its main campus in Potsdam, New York, and additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region and Beacon, New York. It was founded in 1896 and has an e ...

. Through his second daughter, Elizabeth, he was the grandfather of Mary Livingston Ludlow (1843–1919), who was the mother of Anna (née Hall) Roosevelt (1863–1892) and grandmother of First Lady

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

(1884–1962), Livingston's great-great-granddaughter who married her distant cousin,

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

. Through his eldest son, Clermont, he was the grandfather of

John Henry Livingston John Henry Livingston (May 30, 1746January 25, 1825) was an American Dutch Reformed minister and member of the Livingston family, who served as the fourth President of Queen's College (now Rutgers University), from 1810 until his death in 182 ...

(1848–1927), who married Catherine Livingston Hamersley (d. 1873) the sister of J. Hooker Hamersley and the daughter of John W. and Catherine Livingston ( née Hooker) Hamersley and granddaughter of Hon. James Hooker, in 1871, with whom he had one child. After her death, he married Emily Evans, the daughter of William E. Evans and niece of Mrs. Gouverneur Ogden, in 1880. Also through his son Clermont, he was the grandfather of Mary Livingston (d. 1876), who married Col. Frederic de Peyster (1843–1874), a son of Maj. Gen. John Watts de Peyster (1821–1907), in 1874, with whom he had two children. Through his youngest child, Robert, he was the grandfather of Catharine Goodhue Livingston (1856–1931), Robert Robert Livingston (1858–1899), who married Mary Tailer (1863–1944) Edward De Peyster Livingston (1861–1932), and Goodhue Livingston (1867–1951), who married Louisa Robb (1877–1960).

References

;Notes ;Sources

The history of Clermont Manor

Letter by E. P. L. to David Hosack

Short Bio

''History of Columbia County, New York'' by Captain Franklin Ellis (Everts & Ensign, Philadelphia PA, 1878)
''A Genealogy of the Wives of the American Presidents and Their First Two Generations of Descent''
by Craig Hart (McFarland, 2004, , ; page 198) {{DEFAULTSORT:Livingston, Edward Philip 1779 births 1843 deaths Edward Philip Lieutenant Governors of New York (state) New York (state) state senators Emigrants from British Jamaica to the United States People from Kingston, Jamaica People from Columbia County, New York 1820 United States presidential electors 1832 United States presidential electors Columbia College (New York) alumni