Edward Livingston, a political powerhouse who served as the 11th U.S. Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and the 46th Mayor of New York City, was born on May 28, 1764. During his mayoral term, a devastating yellow fever epidemic swept through New York City, and while Livingston stayed behind to care for the sick, he contracted the deadly virus himself and barely survived. His profound resilience was a family trait, as his older brother Robert R. Livingston was a Founding Father who helped draft the Declaration of Independence and negotiated the historic Louisiana Purchase.
