Maturin Livingston


Maturin Livingston, a member of the prominent Livingston family, was an American lawyer and politician from New York.

Life

Maturin Livingston was born on April 10, 1769 in New York City. He was the son of Robert James Livingston and Susanna Livingston, sister of Chief Justice William Smith and daughter of Judge William Smith. His brother was Speaker Peter R. Livingston and they were among the great-grandchildren of Robert Livingston the Younger, through the Younger's eldest son, James Livingston.
He graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1786.

Career

In 1796, Livingston exchanged correspondence with Alexander Hamilton regarding Hamilton's understanding that Livingston had spoken ill of Hamilton's character. Livingston's daughter later married Hamilton's grandson, Alexander Hamilton, Jr.
Livingston was a delegate to the New York State Constitutional Convention of 1801, and was appointed Recorder of New York City from 1804 until 1806, and again from 1807 to 1808. He was First Judge of the Dutchess County Court from February 3, 1823 until 1828.
In 1831, he was one of the original incorporators and directors of the Jackson Marine Insurance Company, in New York City, and was appointed one of the three commissioners to receive subscriptions.

Personal life

On May 28, 1798, he married Margaret Lewis, the only daughter and sole heiress of Gov. Morgan Lewis and Gertrude Lewis. Gertrude was the sister of Chancellor Robert R. Livingston and the daughter of Judge Robert R. Livingston and Margaret Beekman Livingston. In 1844, upon the death of his father-in-law, they inherited Gov. Lewis's stately home Staatsburgh House in Staatsburg, Dutchess County, New York. Together, the couple had twelve children:
He died at the residence of his son-in-law Maj. Joseph Delafield, in New York City.

Descendants

His granddaughter, Louisa Matilda Livingston, married Elbridge Thomas Gerry, grandson of the 5th U.S. Vice President Elbridge Gerry. Louisa was the mother of Robert Livingston Gerry, Sr. and Peter Goelet Gerry, a U.S. Representative and Senator from Rhode Island.
His granddaughter, Elizabeth Livingston, through his son, Maturin Jr., married William George Cavendish-Bentinck, the son of The Rt. Hon. George Augustus Frederick Cavendish-Bentinck and Prudentia Penelope Leslie. Elizabeth and George and had two daughters. Elizabeth had a twin sister, Ruth T. Livingston, who was the wife of Ogden Mills, and the mother of Ogden Livingston Mills, the United States Secretary of the Treasury.