Edward Livingston
A slaveholding architect of American law who crafted Louisiana's civil code, blending Napoleonic principles with frontier realities.
1764–1836 (age 72)·American politician and jurist·Birthday: May 28
Biography
Edward Livingston’s life was a study in political reinvention and legal ambition. Born into a prominent New York family, he served in Congress before a financial scandal sent him fleeing to New Orleans, a move that would define his legacy. There, he immersed himself in the complex legal tapestry of a territory shifting from French and Spanish rule to American. His monumental achievement was the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825, a digest that translated the Napoleonic Code into the language of a burgeoning American state, systematically organizing laws on property, succession, and obligations. His career later took him back to the national stage as Andrew Jackson's Secretary of State and envoy to France, but his true mark remains on the legal structure of Louisiana, a system still in force today, crafted by a man who operated in the fraught intersection of Enlightenment ideals and the institution of slavery he personally upheld.
#1 When Edward Was Born
The biggest hits of 1764
Edward's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1764Born
1769Started school
1777Became a teenager
1780Could drive
1782Could vote
1785Turned 21
1794Turned 30
1804Turned 40
1814Turned 50
1824Turned 60
1834Turned 70
1836Died at 72
Key Achievements
- Authored the Louisiana Civil Code of 1825, a foundational legal document that remains influential in the state's law.
- Served as the U.S. Secretary of State under President Andrew Jackson from 1831 to 1833.
- Represented two different states, New York and later Louisiana, in the United States Congress.
- Served as the 47th Mayor of New York City early in his political career.
Did You Know?
He was appointed to clean up New York's sanitation as mayor but resigned amid a financial scandal involving a subordinate.
His brother, Robert R. Livingston, famously administered the presidential oath to George Washington.
He initially opposed the War of 1812 but later served as a volunteer aide to General Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans.
“The wise and the good never form a majority of any large society and it is necessary to have some check to the excesses of the majority.”
