The indenture would seem to relate to a transaction between Robert Cambridge Livingston and Amos Laforgee regarding a property on Reade Street in New York City.
Robert Cambridge Livingston (1742-1790) was a notable figure from Hudson, Columbia County, New York. Born to Robert Livingston (1708-1790) and Maria (Thong) Livingston (1711-1765), he was a part of the prominent Livingston family. His moniker "Cambridge" was attributed to distinguish him from other Robert Livingstons and to highlight his education at Cambridge University in England.
Livingston's family life included his marriage to Alice (Swift) Craufurd (1751-1816) and their five children: John Swift Livingston (1785-1867), James Duane Livingston (1786-1837), and Maria (Livingston) Stevens (1788-1865), among others. His brother, Walter, built Teviotdale on land received from their father, while Robert inherited Great Lot No. 2.
Robert Livingston's involvement in the American Revolution was marked by ambiguity regarding his loyalties. In 1775, he returned to England, ostensibly due to "ill health," but speculation suggests his journey might have been to protect his business interests or to engage in espionage on behalf of the American cause. His allegiance was further questioned in 1778 when he returned to America on a British ship, only to be captured with incriminating documents and taken prisoner. Upon release, the Americans also doubted his loyalty, likely influenced by his wife's family's Loyalist sympathies.
Robert Cambridge Livingston's life, intertwined with personal achievements, familial connections, and the complexities of allegiance during the Revolutionary War, presents a multifaceted historical figure of the late 18th century.