Livingstones of Inverness County, Nova Scotia

[Kyle2 MacLea]

Dear Forum, I recently came into possession of some outstanding research by Allan Gillis and a couple of his research partners that outlines the descendants of John "Pioneer" Livingstone in Nova Scotia and beyond.

[Roger Livingstone]

I am a direct decendant of this John Livingstone from Little Judique, Nova Scotia. I have not recently been following any outside interest in this family but am happy to be of service.

[Canadian Livingstone]

HI Kyle, Yes by all means there should be a good number of Livingstones in Nova Scotia, there being settlers from Mull and possibly elsewhere in Western Argyll from the late 1700's and early 1800's in particular. Would love to see if we can establish that there was a dominant branch of the family in the Mull area. I have a Livingstone contact who lives near me and I hope she a brother who be interested in the test because she claims her family originated from Mull. Put together my format to keep it all neat and am starting to index Ontario Livingstone pioneers and the Maritime and Western Canada Livingstones which includes Jerry's ancestor and his great-great-great Uncles. The Ontario Livingstones will be a work in progress with new info added to the format from time to time. I am starting with Halton County, Lanark County and Simcoe County Livingstones before 1830. I access to information from the Ontario Archives and will add Livingstones from other counties as I research them. In the case of Halton County, my family lived there and in the case of Lanark and SImcoe County we have two other Livingstones whose ancestors settled in these Counties in the 1800's. The ideal situation would have been where one tested local Western Argyll Livingstones within a 25 mile radius of the Island of Lismore/Appin area identifying as many branches as where they occur. Niall's listing of the possible family branches and K.W. Grant's clue that there could be a another branch at Ballachulish separate from the Achnacree Livingstones gives us a good base to work to from I think. Perhaps there are more branches, but lets use the DNA research to either prove or disprove previous notions. Following that then expand the testing range throughout Scotland and from there Canada, the U.S and Australia/New Zealand. THe world wide project is doing well under Andrew's direction, but I wish we had someone in Western Argyll to facilitate the project by locating some of remaining old Livingston families there besides the Bachuil Livingstones who have been well tested. regards, Donald

[Kyle2 MacLea]

I agree with you that I would *love* more participation from Scottish Livingstones and MacLeas.

[Canadian Livingstone]

HI Kyle, We need to find a DNA rep. in Western Argyll for Andrew to search out those Livingstones who may have lived in various sections of Western Argyll for several generations. The Bachuil Livingstones have been sucessfully identified. Other branches are showing up in the tests and need to compared with some of the remaining old timers in Western Argyll. The telephone directory indicates there are still a few Livingstones left in Western Argyll besides Bachuil Livingstones. One of the next projects I would like to work with Andrew on is to over the next few years see if we can compare Achnacree and Ballachulish Livingstone DNA and see if Ballachulish is the same or another distinct branch as some Ballachulish Livingstones believed. The big question for me is whether Ballchulish Livingstone folklore is just a product of a fanciful imagination or based upon some core truths. And is there any connection between the ancestral tales of Dr. David Livingstone's grandfather spanning according to Dr Livingstone, several generations back and the Ballachulish Livingstone tales of Dr. Livingstone's ancestor also as the tale tells spanning several generations with the death of an ancestor at Culloden. And what research material from Western Argyll in particular Ballachulish was historian K.W.Grant privy to in the 1920's for his book on myth and legend in Western Agyll? What if anything did the children of Dr. David Livingstone pass on in terms of family history to the locals of Ulva and Ballachulish in latter part of the 19th century? What little known family papers or letter survive which might give us clues as to the family origins before Ulva, before the Battle of Culloden and what did KW Grant find out that others did not? THese are just some of questions I will try to answer in my latest research project. regards, DOnald

[Kyle2 MacLea]

Important questions, Donald.

[Craig McClay Wilson]

Hi Kyle, From "google" found a phone # for an Olive McClay, contact person for St. Paul Church in Rothesay, Bute. Local # is 01700-504360. Might be worth a "cold" call. Craig

[Kyle2 MacLea]

Thanks for that, Craig, I'll look into it. Kyle=

[Canadian Livingstone]

HI Kyle, Well we know that Dr. Livingstone visited the Highlands in 1864 including his fahther's birthplace of Ulva from the biographies. The question is whether or not he wrote anything about it to family and friends that might have survived in any of the letters that I have noticed were eventually published following his death. I should think that some of the biographers would have located any additional information on Dr. Livingstone's highland roots from this period had it in fact been included in any letters from 1864. regards, Donald

[Jerry]

"The famous Scottish missionary and explorer of Africa, David Livingstone recounted how his ancestors had originally come from Ulva." "Our great-grandfather fell at the battle of Culloden, fighting for the old line of kings; and our grandfather was a small farmer in Ulva, where my father was born." "Livingstone recounted how Ulva had a great store of folklore, and legends, which his grandfather told them"