Albany 26 Jan 1778.

Honored Sir

We had the pleasure of finding that the family was well by two letters Sally lately received from Cornelia & Dolly and with your present enjoyments may be continued to you but unless something more effectual is done to fortify the River you will be in a very precarious situation as soon as the Ice breaks up. General Gates has most shamefully neglected the trust which Congress reposed in him last fall and it is very evident that he purposely staid at Albany when he had nothing to do and ought to have been at New Windsor & the Highlands. Instead of making Laws to regulate our state the Assembly ought rather to take the necessary steps to secure us against the Enemy and xx that we have xx state and property which we can call our own.

It is good in a Time of trouble to have our refuge in the Lord, while we use the xx of safety to look up to him. I commit ourselves & families to his care & Love. May our present Tryals be Sanctified in that way to you all and then your afflictions will surely work together for good!

Sally has been not so well as usual this week past but begins now to recover again, upon the whole she has more strength & health than before and we have hopes she mayxx xx know what health is again. She sends her love with mine to yourself & mother & all the family. We are much affected with the Loss in Harry's House. Death in every shape brings horror to the living but so young a child, such blooming life cut down with an unexpected stroke is a call louder than thunder to us all "be ye also ready". Our prayers are for you and I am

Sir

Your most affectionate son

JH Livingston

The 20th Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Vol.6, p.456
LIVINGSTON, John Henry, educator, was born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., May 30, 1746; son of Henry and Susan (Conklin) Livingston

Grandson of Gilbert and Cornelia (Beekman) Livingston and of John Conklin, and great grandson of Robert Livingston, the immigrant. He was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1762, A.M., 1765, and commenced the study of law, which he abandoned for the ministry. He was graduated from the University of Utrecht, Holland, in 1767, and with the degree of D.D. in 1770; was invited to take charge of one of the Reformed Dutch churches in New York, and was ordained by the classis of Amsterdam June 5, 1769.

Upon his return to New York city in September, 1769, he was made pastor of the Fulton Street Reformed Dutch church, and was instrumental in settling the dispute in the church between the Coetus and Conferentic parties. He was chaplain of the provincial congress held in New York in 1775 and upon the occupancy of New York by the British army in September, 1776, he removed to Livingston Manor, N.Y., serving as pastor at Kingston, in 1776; Albany, 1776-79; Lithgow, 1779-81, and Poughkeepsie, 1781-83, resuming his pastorate in New York city in 1783. He was at that time the only active Dutch Reformed clergyman in New York city, the three other collegiate churches being without pastors.

In 1784 he was appointed professor of theology for the church by the general synod upon the recommendation of the theological faculty of Utrecht, Holland, and upon the opening of a theological seminary at Flatbush, L.I., in 1795, he assumed charge, but closed the doors in 1797 for want of support.

He was president of Queen's college, New Brunswick, N.J., and professor of theology, 1807-25. He was vice-president of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel among the American Indians and was a regent of the University of the State of New York, 1784-87.

He was married to Sarah, daughter of Philip and Christiana (Ten Broeck) Livingston.

He is the author of: Funeral Service; or Meditations Adapted to Funeral Addresses (1812); and A Dissertation on the Marriage of a Man with his Sister-in-Law (1816). He was chairman of a committee appointed in 1787 to compile Selection of Psahos for Use in Public Worship.

He died in New Brunswick, N.J., Jan. 20, 1825.

Additional Biographical Information

Livingston Genealogy Reuben Hyde Walworth, p. 19
Dr. Henry Livingston b. 8 Sept. 1714 at Kinston, son of Gilbert Livingston and Cornelia Beekman, m. Susan Conklin, daughter of John Conklin. They settled at Poughkeepsie, where he had a grant, for life, of the clerkship of Dutchess County. He was for many years a member of the Provincial Assembly from the County of Dutchess; was a Whig of the Revolution; and d. 10 Feb 1799 at his family residence, near Poughkeepsie, in the 85 year of his life.

Additional Biographical Information