Peter Van Brugh Livingston

Peter Van Brugh Livingston (bp. November 3, 1710 Albany, New York – December 28, 1792 Elizabethtown, Union County, New Jersey) was a Patriot during the American Revolution who was a wealthy merchant and who served as the 1st New York State Treasurer from 1776 to 1778.

Livingston's mother was the only child of his namesake, Pieter Van Brugh (1666–1740), the Mayor of Albany, New York from 1699 to 1700 and from 1721 to 1723. His grandfather's sister, Catharina Van Brugh, married Hendrick van Rensselaer, the son of Jeremias van Rensselaer, patroon of Rensselaerswyck. Livingston's maternal great-grandfather, Johannes Pieterse van Brugh (1624–1697), was one of the early settlers of New Netherland and was prominently connected with the Dutch West India Company.

His paternal grandparents were Alida Schuyler (1656–1727) and Robert Livingston the Elder (1654–1728), and his uncle was Robert Livingston (1688–1775) of Clermont.

In 1748, he helped found the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and became one of its original trustees, serving until 1761. In 1755, he furnished the supplies for the expedition of Governor William Shirley to Acadia.

In 1775, he was a member of the Committee of One Hundred. He was a delegate to the New York Provincial Congresses, and was President from May 1775 to August 1775 and from September 1776 to March 1777. He was also Chairman of the Committee of Safety from September 1776 to March 1777. In 1776, he was appointed Treasurer by the Provincial Congress, and remained in office until 1778, after the establishment of the State Government.

Personal life His home in New York City was a large mansion on the east side of what is now Hanover Square, with grounds extending to the East River. Later he removed to Elizabethtown, N.J., and died there at the Liberty Hall.

On November 3, 1739, Peter Van Brugh Livingston married Mary Alexander (1721–1767), the daughter of James Alexander and Mary Spratt Provoost, and the sister of his business associate, Lord Stirling. Before her death in 1767, they had twelve children, including:

Philip Peter Livingston (1740–1810), who was known as "Gentleman Phil," and who married Cornelia Van Horne (b. 1759). Mary Livingston (1742), who died in infancy. who married Capt. John Brown.

Livingston's daughter Susan Niemcewicz established a scholarship at the College of New Jersey, named in honor of her father.