Robert Livermore
| Robert Livermore | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | October 1799 Springfield, Essex, England |
| Died |
14 February 1858 (aged 58) Alameda County, California |
| Occupation | Rancher |
| Known for | Namesake of Livermore, California |
Robert Thomas Livermore (October 1799 – 14 February 1858) was an English rancher and landowner influential in the early days of California. His holdings eventually formed the basis of the city that bears his name: Livermore, California.
Born in Springfield, Essex, Livermore was a stonemason's apprentice as a youth. At the age of 17, he decided to go to sea, joining the crew of an English merchant ship. Arriving in Baltimore, Maryland, he enlisted in the United States Navy and traveled to South America. He subsequently was part of Lord Cochrane's crew in 1820 during the Peruvian War of Independence against Spain. After Peru, he signed on with an English trading ship bound for California.
In 1822, he deserted from his ship in San Pedro, where he met another British ship-jumper - the Scot John Gilroy (namesake of the city of Gilroy). At that time, there were only a handful of English-speakers in Alta California, and Livermore probably also met the American Joseph John Chapman.
Livermore worked for a time at Mission San Gabriel and then moved north, working as the mayordomo (ranch foreman) at Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo of Joaquín de la Torre, near Castroville. On 20 June 1823, Robert was baptized at the Mission Santa Clara into the Catholic faith, given the name Juan Bautista Roberto y José. At about the same time, in Monterey, he requested and was given permission by Governor Pablo Vicente de Solá to remain in California.
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