1810-1844
In 1801 President Jefferson appointed Robert R. Livingston, then
Chancellor of the State of New York, as Minister to France. On his
return, in 1804, Livingston brought with him some sheep from Spain,
then the home of the famous Merino breed, developed from races of sheep
originally introduced into the peninsula by the Romans. In 1809-10 a
flock of 4000 Merino sheep were brought into the United States to meet
the demand created by Mr. Livingston's first importation. The following
letter from the father of Samuel J. Tilden, written the very season of
the larger importation, justifies the presumption that such importation
had been made by Mr. Livingston himself or at his behest. The letter
of Elam Tilden was sent to his son Samuel by the late Eliphalet Nott
Potter in December, 1882, with a note in which he said:
"In looking over a package of Livingston letters I find the enclosed,
and thinking that possibly it may be of some slight interest to you, I
beg that you will accept it with best wishes of the season and for the
New Year."
This letter was written four years before the writer's son Samuel J.
was born.