He was born in
Springfield, Essex in England, to Robert Livermore and Mary Cudworth. In 1822, he
deserted from his ship in
San Pedro, where he met another British ship-jumper - the Scot
John Gilroy (namesake of the city of
Gilroy). At that time, there were only a handful of English-speakers in
Alta California, and Livermore probably also met the American
Joseph John Chapman. Livermore worked for a time at
Mission San Gabriel and then moved north, working as the mayordomo (ranch foreman) at
Rancho Bolsa del Potrero y Moro Cojo of
Joaquín de la Torre, near
Castroville. On 20 June 1823, Robert was baptized at the
Mission Santa Clara into the
Catholic faith, given the name Juan Bautista Roberto y José.). The only other inhabitant of the area at the time, besides the
Ohlone, was
José Amador (his rancho was near the present city of
Dublin), who received his land grant a short time earlier. Livermore and Amador both helped each other build their adobes. On 5 May 1838, Livermore married the widow Maria Josefa de Jesus Higuera Molina (1815–1879), daughter of Jose Loreto Higuera, grantee of
Rancho Los Tularcitos, at the
Mission San José. The rancho's economy was based on cattle, hides, and
tallow, as well as agriculture. Livermore planted the first wine grapes in the area and today, the
Livermore Valley is one of California's premier wine-growing regions. Livermore studiously avoided involvement in politics, and all evidence indicates he got along well with both the Mexican and Anglo communities, When
Alameda County, California, was formed in 1853, Livermore was appointed supervisor of roads in the county. In 1854 he purchased Noriega's half of Rancho Las Positas and deeded his half of Rancho Cañada de los Vaqueros to Noriega. ==Death and legacy==