Randomly Acquired Information

[EACapstick]

Hello, all:

Yesterday I read an old post on the forum that suggested that the Alexander Livingstone living in

Middle River was of the Bras D'Or Livingstones. Is there any documentation that indicates that to be

true?

In the book,"Middle River Past and Present", (Third Printing 1994) there are several references to this

Alexander Livingstone, only a few of which are dated, but I will list them all here:

pg 51 (School Return--1839 for School District 31) John Leviston age 13 parent John Leviston
John Leviston age 10 parent Alex Leviston

pg 66 Jessie (Farquharson)(married John Livingstone) and lived in Sydney

pg 69 When the Post Office was located in The Garry, the mail was delivered twice weekly. The mail

drivers were Simon Livingstone and Phillip MacRae, Senior.

pg 173 Southwest of the Grant property is a property which was first owned by Alexander Livingstone

and his wife (Red) Ann MacDonald. Their family was Rory, Duncan, Angus, John, Simon, Katie, and Flora.

(This was in the Middle Garry)

pg 177 .........Dan D. MacRae from The Garry, who was married to Annie Livingstone of Orangedale.

pg 181 .........and is at present occupied by Mrs.Evelyn Livingstone.(a property in East Side Middle

River)

pg 186 (Angus MacDonald's) sister, Ann, married Sandy Livingstone and moved to the Garry

pg 239 Between the "Coire Mor" and Gillanders Mountain lies an area which is known as Livingstone's

Mountain (Bill's Mountain). A John Livingstone and his family lived in this area. One of the sons,

Alexander Livingstone, later lived in the Garry.

Middle River is in Victoria County, but it is closer to Whycocomagh than it is to Bras d'or. I would

welcome any input regarding the origin of these Livingstones. The book was originally printed in 1985.

Ann

[Kyle MacLea]

You're right, Jewel, of course.

Kathleen Lamb has reactivated her account and should be able to post if she's interested!

Kyle=

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Ann,

I dont have proof of that. I think at the time I was leaning toward the notion that the Middle River Livingstons were connected to the Bras dor Livingstons rather than the Whycocomagh family probably because I could not connect them to the Whycocomagh family of Whycocomagh pioneer Alexander Livingston. My theory regarding the Whycocomagh and neighbour Mull River/S.E Mabou Inverness County is somewhat different from the published histories that included these families. I am familiar with the research regarding these families and there are lot of question marks to be sure. I have attempted to answer some of these questions and perhaps challenge some of the previous assumptions.

It is my theory that the old Mull River Livingstons decended from pioneers John Livingston and Catharine Campbell of Mull, Scotland who settled at Mull RIver around 1824 are the parents of Alexander Livingston b. in the early 1800's in Mull Scotland and was the first lIvingston who lived at Whycocomagh. What is really interesting about this family at Whycocomagh is that Old Alexander and his family had an orriginall document from Mull, Scotland indicating that a John Livingston and Catharine Campbell were leaving Mull in 1821 for Nova Scotia so there is no doubt that Alexander of Whycocomagh was a son of this John Livingston and Catharine Campbell. It is my view looking at this and other info the John and Catharine Campbells son John Livington Jr. of Mull RIver who was married to Old Kate (Katharine Livingston) was infact the brother of Alexander of Whycocomagh. Another brother of Alexander Livingston of Whycocomagh appears to have been a Colin Livingstone who is mentioned only in the 1861 census as residing at Whycocomagh because he shortly thereafter moves to PEI with his sons where he dies soon after according to his detailed PEI obituary. I have not been able to link the Middle River Livingston family to the Mull River/Whycocomagh Livingstons and I suspect they are connected to the Bras d'or Livingstons. Your quite right though it is not clear which family the MIddle River Livingstons are connected to. I will take a look and see if there is any other clues as to the origins of the Middle River Livingstons. Thanks for reminding me about that. They are also a bit of a mystery to me.

I have found it to be quite intreiging that old Alexander Livingston of Whycocomagh should have in his possession the original letter of reference from Mull Scotland officials for a John Livingston of Catharine Campbell of Kilinian and Kilmore, Mull Scotland indicating that they and their children had in the year 1821 paid their passage and were heading for Nova Scotia. As the John Livingston Jr. who married Old Kate and lived at neigbouring Mulll River, Inverness County was said to have been the son of a John Livingston of Catharine or Mary Campbell it really made me wonder if they were brothers. Nothing short of DNA testing of the decendants of the two families would help to confirm whether John jr. of Mull Riverand Alexander of neighbouring Whycocomagh were brothers as I suspect.

regards,

Donald

[jmlivingstone]

Donald,

I've had correspondence with Judith Welch in Oz, who is a descendant of Peter McArthur who married Cirsty Livingstone abt 18.12.1827, Cirsty was born abt 29.10.1827, parents Angus & Margaret Livingstone, they appear to have had a couple of kids, probably born in Glasgow.I suspect there are still McArthurs living in Glasgow
Cirsty apparently died in Glasgow, Peter then married once or twice again, & emigrated to Oz, not sure if he remarried in Scotland or Oz.
I have scrolled through www.ancestry.com.uk, around 12000 entries in the last couple of hours, but can find no mention of Cirstys' death.
We wil be grateful for any assistance on this one,
John

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi John,

That sounds like a tough one to me. If she died before 1855 in Scotland it could be very difficult to find a death record.
regards,

Donald

[jmlivingstone]

Donald,

I found Cirsty & her sister Anns birth & marriage on OPR's, Anns death I also got, she died in Govan Poorhouse, Glasgow, as a matter of interest this building is now part of the Southern General Hospital. The deaths of the rest of the family are a mystery so far, still, it keeps me busy when not working. It's almost as difficult as attempting to find my mothers Irish side of the family.

I also tried to e-mail someone who had contacted the Corncrake, which is either a local paper or magazine on the Isle of Jura, she reckoned a son of Hugh Livingstone ( who is in the 1841 census for Jura ), Duncan, emigrated to Canada, I believe in the late 1800's, & was, I believe her g/g/father.
As yet, I have had no reply from her, so, just on the off chance she may be a member here, or have an occasional look, I'll be happy to send what info I have if she contacts me, this includes birth certificates for Hugh & some of his family, one of whom is a Duncan,

John

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi John,

It is regretably that there is not more information on your Jura Livingstons. From time to time I see some info on clearance dates of tenants from various locations in Argyllshire in the 19th century. Perhaps your Livingstons were cleared off of Jura. With Livingston families that left Western Argyll in the mid 1800's we have to consider the possibility that they were compelled to leave by their landlord. Some of these Livingstons would certainly have settled in Australia during this period or perhaps headed to larger towns in the lowlands or Canada. Some people make the mistake of assuming that Livingstons that left Western Argyll in the early 1800's or earlier were evicted tenants but that is not likely the case as generally speaking Livingston tenants left of their own free will looking for employment in the lowlands to better their situation or receiving a land grant in Canada for example.

You should check out "Jura Genealogy" and contact them. The population of Jura dropped by almost 50% between 1841 and 1891. There is however some difference of oppinion whether or not Jura tenants were cleared in the 1840's or thereafter. You can check with Jura Genealogy to sort this out. Whether or not they were cleared it is clear that many left during the time you loose track of them on Jura.

regards,

Donald

[jmlivingstone]

Donald,

I don't think my lot were in Jura for too long, I am of the opinion, that around the 1840's, my lot were actually heading for Islay, I suspect Angus & Margaret were possibly passing through Jura enroute Islay at the census date.

I can find nothing to say that they ever lived on Islay, but I do know some of their family, like my g/father John, who moved to Greenock, lived there, we still have family on Islay up to now, unfortunately, I have no contact with any of them. Which is probably extremely sad, as the flight time to Islay from Glasgow, is around an hour.

If there is anyone around who lived on Islay up to the late 1960's, they may recognise this description of my aunt, who I believe lived at either Port Askaig, or possibly Ballygrant.
Maggie spent most of her life on Islay, she had one deformed arm, possibly due to polio as a kid. I'm not sure if she died in Greenock or Islay, but she had a flat in Holmscroft Street, Greenock at the time of her death.

We also have Smiths from Islay as cousins of my father, the last one I knew was Duncan Smith, who was a police sergeant in the West of Scotland in the 1960's, I think he stayed around Johnstone/Linwood area, again, probably sad I have lost touch, as they live less than 30 mins from Greenock where I live.

Once again, this is just something that might stir someones memory of the family,

John

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi John,
Sorry to ask you this again but can you give me the birthdates of your grandfather and great grandfather?
Angus Livingston was your great-great-great grandfather or great-great grandfather? And who was your great-great grandfather, great grandfather? Are you descended from Angus Livingston's sons John?

1. Angus Livingston b. 1781 Mull and Margaret Hall
2. John b. 1805 and Agnus Edmiston?
3.John Livingston and Mary McKellar great grandfathers birthdate?
4.John Livingston and Margaret McGilverary grandfathers birthdate?


regards.

Donald

[jmlivingstone]

Hi Donald,

All info requested is on page 3 of this topic, I suspect dob for Angus is more likely to be abt 1775, @ Shiaba, Isle of Mull.
I have grave doubts about the accuracy of the 1841 Jura census, I remember reading somewhere that it was quite common for ages to be rounded up or down to the nearest 5 years.

I think the dates in the Mull site are probably more accurate,

John,