his maternal grandparents were capt. john conklin and annetje (née storm) conklin. his paternal grandparents were lt. col. hubertus "gilbert" livingston (b. 1690), himself the son of robert livingston the elder, 1st lord of livingston manor, and cornelia (née beekman) livingston, a granddaughter of wilhelmus beekman, mayor of new york, and niece of gerardus beekman.