www.clanlivingstone.info

Hi Kyle and everyone else, I promised Kyle I would keep him posted on the Ontario Livingstone research. I have gathered together info on a number of highland Livingstone settlers, but as I am going to staying at a friend's farm next week a few miles from Listowel where Dr. Livingstone's brother resided until his death in 1899, I think my focus should on be John Livingstone (1811-1899) of Listowel, Ontario. On the Trail of John Livingstone Sr.of Listowel,Ontario (Part 1) As you may or may not know John Livingstone born May 15, 1811 at Blantyre in Lanarkshire Scotland was an older brother of Dr. David Livingstone. Many of us Livingstone clan members are fascinated by the great Dr. Livingstone and the possibility we might be related to him. This current interest and the esteem which our victorian predecessors felt toward Dr. Livingstone is perhaps best expressed by Florence Nightingale who stated upon learning of his death that "God has taken away the greatest man of his generation." Despite his later fame, Dr. Livingstone and his sibblings grew up in impoverished circumstances.Their father Neil Livingstone and mother Agnes Hunter lived a rather humble life in Blantyre and the family was supported by Neil's modest income as a tea vendor and a colporteur. The families roots however were in the highlands in Western Argyll where Dr. Livingstone's grandfather Neil Livingstone Sr. had left Ulva in the Mull area with his family in 1792 for Blantyre finding work in a cotton mill. The elder Neil had higher aspirations for his sons and encouraged their education and advancement so as to escape life as a common labor in a mill. There is some debate as to how many sons Neil Livingstone Sr. had but his grandson John Livingstone of Listowel, Ontario, Canada

Hi all, Continuing an account of the life of John Livingstone brother of Dr. David Livingstone, I should make note of the fact that John was actually born in Glasgow in 1811 rather than Blantyre as previously stated as his father Neil Livingstone briefly was located for business reasons in that town. By the time David was born, the family had returned to Blantyre and Agnes Livingstone's father's home there. John and David as previously mentioned worked in their youth as cotton spinners, with David concentrating on his studies at night. A year or so before David enters college his older brother John Livingstone marries Sarah MacKenzie at the Gorbal Parish Church in the Glasgow vicinity on JUne 24, 1835. Soon after a son Neil Mackenzie Livingstone is born. In 1836 Dr.Livingstone enrolled in Glasgow University. Despite his own poverty

Hi all, This would be my third e-mail regarding my search for Dr. Livingstone's older brother John who settled in Canada probably sometime between 1843 and 1845. To recap John Livingstone's brother David who with brother John and Charles had worked the Blantyre cotton mill from the age of 10 was able to escape the fate of becoming a cotton spinner for life or at best a clerk in the mill like his father had once been, by attending night classes. He later enrolled in Glasgow University in 1836, working during the summer months and with some financial assistance from brother John. Following his graduation with a degree in medicine in 1838, Dr. Livingstone had planned to practice his profession and his spirtual awakening as doctor and missionary in China, but on account of the Opium War there he had to postpone this plan. After meeting Robert Moffatt in Glasgow who had a mission in Southern Africa, he was inspired to do God's work in this largely unexplored and unknown continent. On December 8, 1840 he left the Port of Liverpool and would not return to Britain for another 16 years. We do not know about his brother's John education, but we do know that he escaped a life in the cotton mill, by emigrating to Canada, just a few years after his brother left for Africa. The other brother Charles also emigrated, but settled in the United States where in 1850 he was said by Dr. Livingstone do be a minister in Livingston County, New York State. Later Charles joined him briefly in Africa, but was forced to leave Africa and his brother in 1863 after contracting dysentary. It is known that Dr. Livingstone and his brother John kept in touch from time to time during his life in Africa. At this point I am not certain of their communication from the 1840 to 1856, but the last letters from Doctor Livingstone to his brother John are mentioned in Stanley's book "The Life, Labors and Adventures of Dr. Livingstone". From the later period, there were apparently some letters addressed to John Livingstone found after the DOctor's death included one letter dated January 12, 1866 written while Livingstone was aboard a steamship heading once again to Africa on his way from Bombay to Zanzibar. Here is a brief excerpt. Steamship Thule at Sea January 12, 1866 My Dear Brother, The last letter I got from you with the enclosure of money I forwarded at once to Janet with the request that she would send a kind answer to you in return. I was unable to write myself at the time and though I have been three months at Bombay I had the same excuse and only now when I am on my way to Zanzibar have I leisure to give you a "screed" and fear it may be the last for a good while to come ........ My love to Sarah and all the children. Agnes is in Paris and doing well. Tom at Glasgow College and Oswell at school. Anna Mary with her Aunts at Hamilton. Affectionately yours, David Livingstone A second letter to John Livingstone of Listowel, Ontario stated on the envelope "THis leaves Unyanyembe March 14, 1872. Here again is an excerpt. Ujiji Nov. 16, 1871 My Dear Brother, I received your welcome letter in February last written when the cable news made you put of your suits of mourning. THis was the first intimation I had that a cable had been successfully laid in the deep Atlantic. Very few letters have reached me for years, in consequence of my friends speculating where I should come out - on the west coast, down the Nile, elsewhere. ..... yours affectionately, David Livingstone I believe after this there were two final letters in the year before his death which was 1872. THese letters addressed to John Livingstone I suspect was carried by HM Stanley, the journalist and explorer hired by the New York Herald as part of an expedition to find the lost Dr Livingstone. After locating and spending some time with Doctor Livingstone exploring Africa in 1871, Stanley returned with some letters and a journal of Dr. Livingstone for his daughter Agnes, but without the Doctor who despite his poor health wanted to continue his missionary work and exploration of Africa. Perhaps after his death on May 4, 1873 some of his papers which eventually made their way with his body from Africa to England included a letter to his brother John. It is interesting to note that when Stanley returned to England in 1872 after first locating Livingstone in November of 1871, with news of Dr. Livingstone their was some scepticism that he had actually located the the Doctor who had been not been heard since the late 1860's and letter written by Livingstone were forged. THere were more than a few who had not heard of his brother John Livingstone of Listowel, Ontario, Canada and were even sceptical that such a brother actually existed. John Livingstone of course was outraged when he heard about this and came to Stanley's defence. In 1872, John Livingstone contacted Charles Hale the assisant Secretary of State of the Uniteds States through Freeman Blake the United State Consul in Hamilton Ontario and this letter from John Livingstone was subsequently

Hi All, It should be noted that John Livingstone went to see his brother in 1857 when Dr. Livingstone made his first return to England since his departure for Africa way back in 1840. There may well be some account of his visit in some of the old newspapers here. regards Donald (Livingstone) Clink

Dear Donald! As usual, a profound and well put-together summary of events!

Hi Kyle, Thanks Kyle. And all the best over the holidays to you and yours. Rushed through it a bit, missing some details and would like to take another try at it later. In any event it was intended to be a brief background history of John's family. I think I laid the groundwork for what I was really intending which is see just how much info I can locate regarding John Livingstone, his communication with DR.LIvingstoner and any family history records which might exist in Ontario.

Donald, Thanks for your efforts.

Hi Bob, Well that is very interesting. I had no idea that Billy Graham was well informed about the life of Dr. David Livingstone and his family, but of course Dr. Livingstone is world famous and was a missionary. I had never seen that quote before so I cant comment on what exactly John said when Dr. David left for Africa around 1840. I know they were close and kept up a correspondence which ended with two letters addressed to John that Stanley brought back with him from Africa. John left for Canada in the 1840's and became a Merchant there, while another brother Charles I understand joined his brother at some point in Africa. What impressed me most about Dr. Livingstone was his love of the African people and his disgust of the treatment they had received at the hands ignorant Europeans and slave traders. regards Donald (Livingstone) Clink

Hi BOb, I don't now anything about the Cunningham quote, but Billy Graham is correct that on John Livingstone's tombstone is an acknowledgement that he is indeed the brother of Dr. David Livingstone. It is interesting that he would know that however since the tombstone was only erected recently in 1999, one hundred years after the death of John Livingstone by one of his descendants. Billy Graham is indeed well informed. regards Donald (Livingstone) Clink

Hello Donald; I am interested to know if and when John b. 1811 d.1899 had children: if so what were their names and dates of birth. Regards to your tremendous efforts and research; Roberta