Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Livingston, Philip, 1686-1749 to Robert Livingston, Jr. re: decision to move to Dutchess County

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03107.03229 Author/Creator: Livingston, Philip, 1686-1749 Place Written: New York, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1770/01/25 Pagination: 3p. : address : Height: 23 cm, Width: 18.6 cm Order a Copy

Robert, Jr.'s nephew Philip J. Livingston writes that he will be moving to Dutchess County from New York City, and explains "My Reasons for this proposed change of settlement arise from the great Decline of Business in our Profession in the City, owing as well to the Badness of the Times, as to the Increasing Number of attornies, who if not shortly restrained as to Numbers, will overrun the whole Province." He mentions Red Hook as a possible place of settlement, and asks Robert, Jr. if he thinks it a good place to make a decent living. Docketed on address leaf.

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources