Louise A. Livingston Residence (Upper Brookville, New York)

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  John R Toher (guest)

  I grew up on Donna Drive in Upper Brookville from 1961 till 1979. When I was 12 I discovered the Livingston Estate just through the woods. There were numerous root cellars, greenhouses, large mature shrubs and other curiosities. So much so that it became a place to play in after school. One day we were discovered and taken to Ms Livingston who appeared to be older than my grandmother, so she was old. But she was the sweetest woman in the world to me. She had her cook/maid make french cookies, which she said were her favorites. She told me to come over by 4pm and she would have fresh cookies for me. She also flew pigeons and had over 30 birds she flew everyday. She gave me 2 birds as a gift and told me to keep them in the cage for 2 weeks an feed them and then they will come back when I release them. Of course she was just being kind to a young boy. As soon as I released them I watched them make a bee-line back to her house. The next day when I visited and saw them she said I could visit them when I wanted. Eventually I found other after school interests and stopped visiting her. Then about 4 years later I met a boy who lived there and that was when I knew she was gone. She was a woman who never had children that loved children, I can only hope she is at peace, she was a gentle soul.

  11 years ago | reply | hide comment
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  Amy (guest)

  Thank you for sharing this memory, John. I just came across your post three years after you wrote it. I grew up with the furniture from this house because it was bequeathed to my step-mother who was Alida's first cousin. I grew up with stories about the meals prepared by Camille the French cook you describe and am sadly auctioning off all the plates and glasses with the family crest on them. I have kept a few things but the stories are priceless and I have seeds saved from the gardens you played in. Everything was immaculately preserved and documented.

  7 years ago | reply | hide comment