Questions that pulled me away from writing my speech
(Tales of procrastination)
I’m supposed to be writing a speech to deliver at the upcoming Friends of Clermont Revolutionary Garden Party. A speech. Just talking. No doodles to hide behind. Can’t seem to bring myself to write it. I blamed it on my Martin Van Buren presentation, which was last week and no longer an excuse.
Then I blamed it on my Revolutionary War presentation, which was yesterday and no longer an excuse.
I’m out of excuses…
And yet…
I keep running off to explore various things instead of writing. Productive procrastination? Setting myself up for failure?
It’s too soon to tell.
This is a place for me to corral these thoughts and questions so they don’t feel neglected or hog any desperately-needed brain space. I’m putting a pin in a few of these things and vow to finish exploring later. 📌
Some of the questions and details I’m chasing:
Gilbert Livingston (Smith Thompson’s father-in-law) “worked in shipbuilding” (methinks not actually building the ships, but I don’t know) with Peter Tappan, his brother-in-law. Was Peter Tappan related to the Tappan brothers — the wealthy merchants, abolitionists, philanthropists who financed a lot of anti-slavery efforts?? 📌
I don’t know… but their father (Benjamin Tappan) was a Revolutionary War veteran.
America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick, by Bob Crawford
Robert Fulton (partners with Robert Livingston… who owned the place where I’m giving the speech… assuming I finish it) got his start as an artist. His medium? Human hair. Which is a thing I did not know, but I was sent an article by J and when J sends an article, I read it because it will be fascinating.
Oh, I think I have photos of artwork made from hair when I visited Hingham! I don’t remember the specifics though. 📌
Catherine Ten Broeck Livingston Willard (married to Dr. Elias Willard, brother of my several-greats-grandfather) is buried in Albany Rural Cemetery. I should make a list of people to visit at Albany Rural Cemetery. 📌
Let’s get started:
⬜️ Catherine Ten Broeck Livingston Willard
⬜️ [Prince] John Van Buren (Martin Van Buren’s son)
⬜️ Edward Livingston Van Buren
(I didn’t even know he existed! But he’s Smith Thompson Van Buren’s son… grandson of Martin Van Buren)
⬜️ His mom, Ellen King James Van Buren is also buried here (but not his dad).
She’s the one who financed the renovation of Lindenwald!! (But died, apparently at age 26, before it was finished.)
⬜️ Thurlow Weed
⬜️ Stephen Van Rensselaer II and Catherine Livingston Westerlo, daughter of Philip Livingston (not buried at Albany Rural Cemetery) and Christina Ten Broeck Livingston (buried at Albany Rural Cemetery)
The guy who cried to President Jackson to keep his job!!! Also, he lived at Cherry Hill and I plan to visit there soon, too!
⬜️ …speaking of … John Ezra Whipple … who was murdered at Cherry Hill
⬜️ Abraham A Lansingh (grandfather of John’s wife, Elsie); his wives Elsie Van Rensselaer Lansingh and Elsie Lansing are also buried at Albany Rural Cemetery (but his granddaughter Elsie is not)
⬜️ Abraham Douw Lansingh (John’s wife Elsie’s dad) is buried at Albany Rural Cemetery… it looks like he died when he was only 30… and that would make Elsie (1801-1832) only four years old…? Putting all the pins in this because I have something planned. 📌📌📌📌📌📌📌📌📌
⬜️ Robert Yates
⬜️ Robert “The Younger” Livingston
⬜️ President Chester Arthur (already visited him, but it’d be rude to stop by without saying hello)
POSTSCRIPT
I eventually finished writing my speech (see exhibit A, below). Catherine Ten Broeck Livingston Willard, Dr. Elias Willard, Martin Van Buren, [Prince] John Van Buren, William Learned Marcy, and Smith Thompson all had cameos in said speech. I guess maybe procrastination paid off, yet again!
Exhibit A
