Anne Shippen

Shippen was born on 24 February 1763 in Shippen House in Shippensburg. She was a daughter of William Shippen Jr. (1736–1808) and Alice (née Lee) Shippen (1736–1817), a daughter of Thomas Lee and Hannah Harrison Ludwell.

Shippen House was built by her grandfather William Shippen Sr. and although it is now a large house at that time it was 28 feet by 30 feet.^[1] She was brought up there when she wasn't being educated at Mrs Rogers's school in Trenton, New Jersey.^[2] In 1796 she was painted by Benjamin Trott.^[3]

Shippen was romanced by the French diplomat Louis-Guillaume Otto, but her father decided that he would marry her to Colonel Henry Beekman Livingston in 1781.^[2] Her husband commanded the 4th New York Regiment at the Battles of Saratoga and Monmouth and during the winter at Valley Forge.^[4] He was the son of Robert Livingston (1718–1775) and great-grandson of Robert Livingston the Elder, 1st Lord of Livingston Manor.^[5]

She gave birth the same year to Margaret Beekman "Peggy" Livingston (1781–1864). The marriage was not a success and Anne returned to Shippen House where she started a journal in 1783. This is the reason that she is remembered as it gives an insight into her social life and later her thwarted attempts to obtain a divorce.^[2] She had to live with her parents and her daughter went to live with the estranged husband's mother.^[3]

Shippen died in Philadelphia in 1841 whilst living with her daughter.^[2]