Tag: Chancellor Robert R. Livingston
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The Saga of Timothy Tickler
In late 18th century America, the most petty, brutal political battles were often duked out on newspaper pages. It was common practice for one to publish their political opinions under a pseudonym. John Dickinson penned his famous series of essays under the simple “A Farmer”, Thomas Paine often wrote as “Vox Populi”, and the writers…
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The Chancellor’s Coffee Urn: Coffee and Consumption in the Colonies
“When I first came to this House it was late in the Afternoon, and I had ridden 35 miles at least. “Madam” I said to Mrs. Huston, “is it lawfull for a weary Traveller to refresh himself with a Dish of Tea provided it has been honestly smuggled or paid no Duties?” / “No sir,…
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The Chancellor’s Dessert Service: Pots de Crème
Dartes Freres, Pots de Crème set, ca. 1804, porcelain and gold enamel. Clermont State Historic Site. According to the Livingston family lore, “Chancellor Livingston’s Dinner Set,” which includes approximately 60 pieces, was brought back by the Chancellor from Paris, France around 1805 at the end of his diplomatic tenure as the Minister to France. Select…
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Remembrances of a Founder: Robert R. Livingston in Popular Memory
If you haven’t been to Clermont yet this season you have missed out on our gallery exhibit “Remembrances of a Founder: Robert R. Livingston in Popular Memory.” This exhibit explores the way Livingston has been remembered in recent memory rather than how he lived. The founding generation knew that they would be remembered for…
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The Roosevelts and The Livingstons: Centuries of Intertwining
The Livingston family and the Roosevelt family have been linked by business and marriage for centuries going back to the 1790’s when Chancellor Robert R. Livingston worked with Nicholas Roosevelt to invent a practical steamboat. The familial relationship to the Livingstons is even more fascinating though. Elliott Roosevelt (1860-1894), President Theodore Roosevelt’s younger brother,…
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Charles Goodwin Ridgely: Early American Naval Hero
On December 1, 1822, Charles Goodwin Ridgely married Cornelia Louisiana Livingston in Clermont. Cornelia was the daughter of Margaret Maria Livingston, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston’s granddaughter. This meant that she was one of the most sought-after women in the young country. Marrying into the Livingston family was akin to marrying royalty. So, who was this…
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Making the Worst Situation Worse: The Cruelty Of Naming Enslaved People
The institution of slavery was dehumanizing for the enslaved. It had to be. In order to keep the belief that the people held in bondage were less than, their enslavers had to treat them as subhuman. One of the ways that they did this was to name the enslaved. It was an attempt to…
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Full House: George And Martha Washington Visit Clermont
George Washington and Martha Washington visited Clermont in the summer of 1783. George was on his way to visit the northern theater of the war and Martha would be staying with Margaret Beekman Livingston while George was in the north. When this incident is talked about at the site it is told as “George and…
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Apoplexy: Losing Everything in a Stroke
Chancellor Robert R. Livingston died on February 25, 1813, at the age of 66. He had suffered a paralytic stroke in November of 1812. Although he showed some improvement in the next few months, he remained bedridden. In February 1813 he suffered another stroke that left him unable to speak. He passed away soon thereafter.…
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“Good Fishing Before the Door”: How Robert Livingston Would Have Fished
On May 17, 1776, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston wrote to his friend John Jay. Livingston had been searching for lodging for the two of them and their wives close to Philadelphia but outside the city proper. They were both planning to return to the Continental Congress after extended absences. Livingston wrote “However I have…
Clermont State Historic Site 