Philip Livingston
Encyclopedia
Philip Livingston was an American
merchant and statesman from New York City
. He was a delegate for New York
to the Continental Congress
from 1775 to 1778, and signed the Declaration of Independence.
, to Philip
(1686-1749), 2nd Lord of the Manor
. Philip, however, was Lord Livingston's fourth son, and thus could not inherit. The wife of the 2nd Lord of the Manor
was a daughter of Albany, New York
, Mayor Pieter Van Brugh
. On 14 April 1720 he married Christina Ten Broeck, daughter of Dirk and Margarita (Cuyler) Ten Broeck. Their son Philip Philip Livingston's daughter Christina (1774-1841) married John Navarre Macomb (1774–1810) who was the son of Alexander and Catherine (Navarre) Macomb and brother of Major General Alexander Macomb.
in 1737. He then settled in New York City and pursued a mercantile career. He became prominent as a merchant, and was elected Alderman in 1754. He was reelected to that office each year until 1763. Also in 1754, he went as a delegate to the Albany Congress
. There, he joined delegates from several other colonies to negotiate with Indians and discuss common plans for dealing with the French and Indian War
. They also developed a Plan of Union for the Colonies which was, however, rejected by King George
.
Livingston became an active promoter of efforts to raise and fund troops for the war, and in 1759 was elected to the Province of New York
assembly. He would hold that office until 1769, serving as Speaker in 1768. In October of 1765, he attended the Stamp Act Congress
, which produced the first formal protest to the crown as a prelude to the American Revolution
. Philip became strongly aligned with the radical block in that Congress. He joined New York City's Committee of Correspondence
to continue communication with leaders in the other colonies, and New York City's Committee of Sixty
.
When New York established the New York Provincial Congress
in 1775, he was the President. They also selected him as one of their delegates to the Continental Congress
that year. In the Congress, he strongly supported separation from Great Britain
and in 1776 joined other delegates in the Declaration of Independence.
After the adoption of the new New York State Constitution, he was appointed to the New York State Senate
(Southern D.) in 1777, while continuing to sit in the Continental Congress. He died suddenly while attending the sixth session of Congress in York, Pennsylvania
and is buried in the Prospect Hills Cemetery there. Livingston was a Presbyterian
, a Mason
, and an original promoter of King's College, which became Columbia University
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
merchant and statesman from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was a delegate for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
from 1775 to 1778, and signed the Declaration of Independence.
Family history
He was born in Albany, New YorkAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, to Philip
Philip Livingston (1686-1749)
Philip Livingston was an American politician.He was born in Albany, New York in his father's town house. Upon the death of his father, Robert Livingston the Elder, he became the Secretary of Indian Affairs, as well as the second Lord of Livingston Manor. He was a member of the Provincial Council...
(1686-1749), 2nd Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
. Philip, however, was Lord Livingston's fourth son, and thus could not inherit. The wife of the 2nd Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
was a daughter of Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Mayor Pieter Van Brugh
Pieter Van Brugh
Pieter Van Brugh was the Mayor of Albany, New York from 1699 to 1700 and from 1721 to 1723.Pieter Van Brugh was a member of the Dutch aristocracy of Albany. His sister, Catharina, was the daughter-in-law of Rensselaerswyck patroon, Jeremias van Rensselaer, and Pieter was the great-granduncle of...
. On 14 April 1720 he married Christina Ten Broeck, daughter of Dirk and Margarita (Cuyler) Ten Broeck. Their son Philip Philip Livingston's daughter Christina (1774-1841) married John Navarre Macomb (1774–1810) who was the son of Alexander and Catherine (Navarre) Macomb and brother of Major General Alexander Macomb.
Career
Philip attended and graduated from Yale CollegeYale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 1737. He then settled in New York City and pursued a mercantile career. He became prominent as a merchant, and was elected Alderman in 1754. He was reelected to that office each year until 1763. Also in 1754, he went as a delegate to the Albany Congress
Albany Congress
The Albany Congress, also known as the Albany Conference and "The Conference of Albany" or "The Conference in Albany", was a meeting of representatives from seven of the thirteen British North American colonies in 1754...
. There, he joined delegates from several other colonies to negotiate with Indians and discuss common plans for dealing with the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
. They also developed a Plan of Union for the Colonies which was, however, rejected by King George
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
.
Livingston became an active promoter of efforts to raise and fund troops for the war, and in 1759 was elected to the Province of New York
Province of New York
The Province of New York was an English and later British crown territory that originally included all of the present U.S. states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Vermont, along with inland portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Maine, as well as eastern Pennsylvania...
assembly. He would hold that office until 1769, serving as Speaker in 1768. In October of 1765, he attended the Stamp Act Congress
Stamp Act Congress
The Stamp Act Congress was a meeting on October 19, 1765 in New York City of representatives from some of the British colonies of North America. They discussed and acted upon the Stamp Act recently passed by the governing Parliament of Great Britain overseas, which did not include any...
, which produced the first formal protest to the crown as a prelude to the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Philip became strongly aligned with the radical block in that Congress. He joined New York City's Committee of Correspondence
Committee of correspondence
The Committees of Correspondence were shadow governments organized by the Patriot leaders of the Thirteen Colonies on the eve of American Revolution. They coordinated responses to Britain and shared their plans; by 1773 they had emerged as shadow governments, superseding the colonial legislature...
to continue communication with leaders in the other colonies, and New York City's Committee of Sixty
Committee of Sixty
The Committee of Sixty was an extra-legal group formed in New York City, in 1775, by rebels to enforce the Continental Association, a boycott of British goods enacted by the First Continental Congress...
.
When New York established the New York Provincial Congress
New York Provincial Congress
The New York Provincial Congress was an organization formed by rebels in 1775, during the American Revolution, as a pro-rebellion alternative to the more conservative Province of New York Assembly, and as a replacement for the Committee of One Hundred.A Provincial Convention assembled in New York...
in 1775, he was the President. They also selected him as one of their delegates to the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
that year. In the Congress, he strongly supported separation from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and in 1776 joined other delegates in the Declaration of Independence.
After the adoption of the new New York State Constitution, he was appointed to the New York State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
(Southern D.) in 1777, while continuing to sit in the Continental Congress. He died suddenly while attending the sixth session of Congress in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
and is buried in the Prospect Hills Cemetery there. Livingston was a Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
, a Mason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, and an original promoter of King's College, which became Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.