Background
William Livingstone was born on January 21, 1844 at Dundas, Ontario, Canada. His parents, William Livingstone, a ship's carpenter, and Helen (Stevenson) Livingstone, moved to Detroit while he was a child.
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William Livingstone was born on January 21, 1844 at Dundas, Ontario, Canada. His parents, William Livingstone, a ship's carpenter, and Helen (Stevenson) Livingstone, moved to Detroit while he was a child.
He completed a common-school education and learned the machinist's trade in Detroit.
Livingstone began his career with the lake merchant marine, a career which lasted more than sixty years and included all grades of service and all types of shipping. "Sailor Bill, " as he was known, mastered each step of ship operation and carrier management. In 1864 he was in partnership with Robert Downie as ship chandler and general merchant.
He owned a line of tugs which assisted sailing freighters between Lake Erie and Lake Huron. He founded Michigan Navigation Company in 1880, and then served as general manager of Percheron Steam Navigation Company.
A Republican in politics, he early became a party leader. He served for many years as chairman of the Republican State Central Committee. He represented his district in the Michigan legislature in 1875, was collector of revenue for the port of Detroit under President Arthur, and chairman of the Michigan delegation to the National Convention in 1896.
In 1892, with Senator Thomas W. Palmer, he purchased the defunct Detroit Journal. This paper he made a respected organ of the Republican party and a financial success. He was proud of his capabilities as a newspaper writer and later wrote and printed privately Livingstone's History of the Republican Party (1900), in two volumes.
In 1884 he helped organize the Dime Savings Bank (now the Bank of Michigan), which he served as vice-president, 1884-1900, and as president from 1900 to his death. He was president of the American Bankers Association and of the Detroit Clearing House Association.
Throughout his career he was a force among the lake carriers. It was he who saw the possibilities of consolidating into a single body the voluntary associations of shippers. From its incorporation in 1902 until his death he was president of the Lake Carriers' Association. In this capacity he personally took charge of the relief work during the memorable storms of 1917, and succeeded in freeing many ships and in saving immense sums in ships and cargoes.
He was active in social and philanthropic circles and possessed a host of friends among owners, seamen, statesmen, and politicians. Death came to him suddenly one afternoon, while he was at work in the office of the Lake Carriers' Association.
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He was a member of the Republican Party.
He was a member of more than one hundred clubs.
He was both stern and busy but he was always ready to aid and advise the sailor, the captain, or the bank employee who asked his help. Tall, lean, broad-shouldered, "straight as an arrow, " he was a figure to be remembered. Untiring physically, mentally alert, efficient and self-sufficient, he overcame all odds and made a success of each activity.
In June 1866, Livingstone married his partner's daughter, Susan.