Serena Eliza Livingston was born in New York City in 1795 to the prominent Livingston Family. She grew up in Manhattan with connections to some of the most influential families in the city. In 1817, she married George Croghan. George and Serena later purchased a small sugar plantation near New Orleans. In the early years of their marriage, they worked to establish their home in Louisiana and began to build their family. They had seven children together: Mary, Charles, St. George, John, Willian, Maria, and Serena. Charles, John, William, and Maria all died at incredibly young ages.
Throughout his life, George Croghan struggled with severe gambling and drinking problems. Serena found herself facing issues that were simply too much to bear. Realizing she needed her family’s name and future, she took advantage of her powerful connections in New York to initiate separation and divorce from George.
With the help of her older brother, Serena not only planned this separation but also successfully separated her finances from George’s. This gave her financial independence from her husband, which was a very rare legal victory for a woman at that time.
Serena passed away in 1884 and is buried in Oakland, California. Her bravery and wit not only extricated her from a troubled marriage but also paved the way for a more empowered future for women. Serena Eliza Livingston leaves the legacy of an incredibly strong, independent, and caring woman who set the stage for future generations to seek their own independence.