Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Livingstone, Thomas
LIVINGSTONE, Sir THOMAS, Viscount Teviot (1652?–1711), lieutenant-general, born in Holland about 1652, was elder of the two sons of Sir Thomas Livingstone, who was created a baronet by Charles I, and was colonel of a regiment of foot in the Dutch service. His mother was the daughter of Colonel Edmond of Stirling. He succeeded his father as second baronet of Newbigging, and acquired military reputation as an officer in the Scots brigade in the pay of Holland. Swift states (Creighton, Memoirs) that he was well known in Scotland, as in the course of his Dutch service he was repeatedly sent over to recruit for the brigade. He came to England with William of Orange in 1688, as colonel of a regiment of foot, and on 31 Dec. 1688 was appointed colonel of the royal regiment of Scots dragoons, now the Royal Scots Greys. The regiment (which Dalrymple and other historians have confused with the royal regiment of Scots horse, afterwards disbanded) was in England at the time, and its colonel, Charles Murray, first earl of Dunmore [q. v.], had refused to serve against King James. Livingstone served in Scotland under General Hugh Mackay [q. v.], and when in command at Inverness, by forced marches with a body of horse and dragoons, surprised and completely routed the Jacobite forces under General Thomas Buchan [q. v.] at Cromdale, on 1 May 1690. The engagement put an end to the resistance of the clans. Livingstone succeeded General Mackay as commander-in-chief in Scotland, and was sworn of the privy council. On 1 Jan. 1696 he became major-general on the English establishment, and on 4 Dec. 1696 was created Viscount of Teviot in the peerage of Scotland, by patent to him and his heirs male.
Livingstone married Macktellina Walrave de Nimmeguen, from whom he appears to have separated. She ‘pursued’ him in the Scottish courts in November 1703 for the sum of 500l., to pay her debts contracted since he left her, and alimony at the rate of 400l. a year. The lords of session ‘recommended, under the circumstances of the case, to cause pay her bygone debts, and to settle somewhat upon the lady yearly with the time coming, and to treat with the viscount to that effect’ (see Lauder, Sir John, Lord Fountainhall, Decisions, ii. 200). As a result probably of this litigation, Teviot sold the colonelcy of the Scots Greys on 7 April 1704 to Lord John Hay [see Hay, Lord John, d. 1706]. In the ‘Great Seal Registers’ are charters of resignation by him of the lands of Lethington on 23 June 1702, and of the lands of Waughton on 26 July 1709. Teviot became a lieutenant-general on 1 Jan. 1704. He died in London, aged 60, on 14 Jan. 1711, when having no heirs male the viscountcy became extinct, and the family baronetcy devolved on his brother, Sir Alexander Livingstone, third baronet. Teviot was buried in Westminster Abbey, where his brother is said to have erected to his memory (Wood) a sumptuous monument which no longer exists. By his will, dated 27 Sept. 1710, he left his house and estate, known as Livingstone House, Wimbledon, Surrey, with furniture, plate, &c., to Lady Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of Charles Gordon, second earl of Aboyne. The lady, at this time a child, died unmarried in 1770. The remainder of his property went to his brother, Sir Alexander, except a legacy of 1,000l. to his cousin-german, John Cornelius Edmond, then residing in Holland.
[Douglas's Peerage of Scotland, ed. Wood, ii. 589; Brit. Mus. Eg. MS. 2551, f. 5 b, patent of baronetcy, 1660; Swift's Works, vol. XII. (Memoirs of Creighton); Some Account of the Scotch Brigade, London, 1794; Cannon's Hist. Rec. 2nd Royal North British Dragoons or Scots Greys; Chester's Westminster Registers, p. 271.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.183
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
| Page | Col. | Line | |
| 403 | i | 5 f.e. | Livingstone, Sir Thomas, Viscount Teviot: for 1796 read 1696 |