When I hit brick walls, I start looking around at the family that I do have and see what information I can pick up. This method has proven very helpful at times and come up with some interesting people at others---Here is one of them:
WILLIAM
LIVINGSTON
How related to
the children of Herbert Blanchard Leadbeater
father-in-law of 4th great grand uncle
William
Livingston (1732 - 1790)
father-in-law of
4th great grand uncle
daughter
of William Livingston
4th great grand uncle
husband of
Susannah Livingston
5th great grandfather
father of
John Cleves Symmes
4th great grandfather
son of
Timothy Symmes (Rev)
3rd great grandfather
son of
Timothy Symmes (Judge)
2nd great grandmother
daughter
of Peyton Short Symmes
great grandmother
daughter
of Anna Rachel Symmes -SKINNER
paternal grandmother
daughter
of Harriet Louise Skinner -BLANCHARD-BATCHELDOR
father
son of Helen
Muriel Blanchard
Birth: N ov.
30, 1732
Death: Jul.
25, 1790
US Constitution
signator, Continental Congressman, 1st New Jersey Governor, Revolutionary War
Brigadier General of the New Jersey Militia. Born at Albany, New York, the
fifth son of Catharina (Van Brugh) and Philip Livingston. He was a brother of Philip Livingston, singer of the Declaration of
Independence. He spent much of his time growing up with his Dutch maternal
grandmother. He would boast that he had no English blood in him, only a mixture
of Scottish and Dutch. He was graduated from Yale in 1741 after which he
studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1748. He practiced law in New York
and married Susanna French. They had thirteen children. "As many children
as there are states in the Union," he would boast. He had simple tastes
and he a love of the country. He never wore a wig and was described as
"plain and genteel." His own description of himself was "a long
nosed, long chinned, ugly looking fellow." He was elected to the New York
Legislature in 1759, but started buying land near Elizabethtown, New Jersey in
1760. He did not move there until 1772 and then lived in the village until 1733
until "Liberty Hall" was completed and he could move in with his
family. As the revolution approached he said "We have crossed the Rubicon.
We cannot recede nor should I wish we could." He was soon appointed
Brigadier General of the New Jersey Militia. He once wrote, "I can assure
you I never was more sensible of my own 'nothingness' in military affairs...the
fatigue I have lately undergone; constantly rising at two o'clock in the
morning to examine our lines which are very extensive, till daybreak." He
did not regret that this would only last for three months when on August 31,
1776 he was elected Governor of New Jersey. Twice his home "Liberty
Hall" was attacked by the British with the objective of capturing him, but
each time he was forewarned and he eluded them. Once when he was warned that
nine fellows were without arms and "dressed like countrymen" to try
and capture him he wrote in reply "They are as great blockheads as they
are rascals for taking so much pain and running such risk to assassinate an old
fellow whose place might instantly be supplied by a successor of greater
ability and greater energy." He was a prolific writer, often using
pseudonyms for articles, but his writing was such that George Washington would at times enlist his aides to read
his dispatches. After his wife's death his health declined rapidly and he would
live just another year. He was followed as governor, by his friend William Paterson, who's daughter would marry his brother's
grandson. His wife and he were both buried first in the family vault in Trinity
Churchyard, in Manhattan, New York City and were reintered with their son
Brockholst Livingston in a vault at Green-Wood Cemetery on May 7, 1844. (bio by: D C McJonathan-Swarm) Family
links: Children: Susannah Livingston Symmes (1748 -
____)* Catherine Livingston Livingston
(1751 - 1813)* Sarah (Sally) Van Burgh Livingston
Jay (1756 - 1802)* Brockholst Livingston (1757 - 1823)* *Calculated relationship Search Amazon for
William Livingston
Burial: Green-W ood Cemetery BrooklynKings CountyNew York, USAPlot:
Section 98, Lot 564/565 Maintained by: Find A GraveRecord added: Aug 02,
1998 Find A Grave Memorial# 3278
