www.clanlivingstone.info

Hi Donald

FYI there was also a small slate quarry at Balvicar where my ancestor lived and worked.

Duncan Livingston b. abt 1790 birthplace not known but possibly Kilninver. Can find no trace of him after 1841
Euphemia McInnes, his wife, b. abt 1790 birthplace not known. Can find no trace after 1841

Family

Mary b 29 July 805 Balvicar, married Archibald McIntyre 13 June 1840, died 7 April 1886 Ellenabeich
John b abt 1811 Ellenabeich, married Ellen Campbell 12 February 1842, died 3 October 1889 Ellenabeich
Donald b. abt 1813 married Jean Donaldson 15 March 1835 Glasgow, died 18 November 1877 Easdale
Neil b. 15 October 1816 Kilbrandon, married (1)Janet Cameron 10 November 1844 Glasgow (2) Mary Livingston, 1 February 1855 Cleigh, died 25 March 1895 Lochgilphead
Duncan b abt 1819 Kilbrandon, married Christina Leitch 25 November 1859 Glasgow, died 25 October 1881 Glasgow
Archibald b abt 1820 Kilbrandon married (1) ??Campbell (2) Margaret McIntyre 18 July 1847 Kilbrandon, died 19 August 1911 Easdale.

There was also a Barbra Livingston shown on the 1841 census living with the above family, possibly sister of Duncan.

The next generation of the families above lived in Ballachulish, Cullipool, Ardmaddy, Easdale and Glasgow so it is clear they had to go where there was work to be had.

Thought this might be of interest to you.

Kind regards

Margaret

Margaret--Thank you!

It appears we have a large group of Livingstons involved in quarrying, and as posts on Facebook indicate, there are still Livingstons out there in the 'rock' business! It would make an interesting article down the road to summarize some of these families together. One has to wonder if they descend from the same family/families.

Kyle=

Hi Kyle,

The other slate quarriers you are aluding to were those at Ballachulish we have earlier discussed regarding a Donald Livingston and a James Livingston who resided in Ballachulish in the early 1800's. I think I did find one Livingston family working on the slate islands I discussed recently that was originally from Ballachulish according to the census records, but the rest seem to be for most part rooted in Kilbrandon and Kilchattan parish, Isle of luing and adjacent area.

Regretably the Kilbrandon and Kilchattan Parish records are not complete for the Isle of luing and the adjacent islands, but there are some entries for highland Livingstons as far back as 1753 which clearly proves that a wide scale name change had occurred shortly after the 1751 Argyll land owners list which includes the Baron of Bachuil as Duncan Mcinlea. But the fact that maconlea slate workers from the Isle of Luing and neighbour slate island of Easdale were no longer referring to themselves as Maconlea but clearly recordinging themselves and their baptised children in the kilbrandon and Kilchattan parish records by 1753 suggests that the Bachuil chiefly family and all of the Maconleas in the Western Argyll were fully utilizing the Livingston name by at least the earlier part of the 1750's and not the later 1750's as I have in the past suggested. If as some have suggested that the Highland Maconlea/Maclea Clan referred to itself as Livingston before the 1750's or at the time of the 1745 rebellion I would maintain that the surviving documented evidence from Western Argyllshire during the period of 1650 to 1750 for our clan does not indicate this to be the case. This does not rule out the possibility that some Maconleas used the name Livingston from time to time as the old Maclea 18th century history seems to suggest just that the overwhelming evidence from 1650 to 1750 in terms of surviving clan related documents supports the notion that most of the highland Macleas/Maconleas in Western Argyll referred to themselves in their day to day lives during this period as Maclea or Maconlea or earlier Dunslea,Dunsleave,Dunsleaf or some variation.

There is every reason to believe that some or most of the Livingstons that are residing on the Isle of Luing, nearby Belnahua Island and Easdale are connected to some of the Macleas/Maconleas that are on the 1730 Earl of Breadalbane list or renters on the Isle of Luing. It is clear from the 1841 Census over a hundred years later that the descendants of the 1730 era Maconleas/Macleas have long since changed their name to Livingston. And as you pointed out to me a few years back there was a 1669 document mentioning Maconleas being evicted from the Isle of Luing or something like that. I found the postings where you mentioned the book where it is mentioned but I could not locate this document in it when I tried recently. Perhaps if I tell you what posting it was in you could try and find it again for me. In any event this would suggest Maconleas connected to our highland clan being on the Isle of Luing since at least the 1600's.

regards,

Donald

Hi Margaret,
Greatly appreciate you sharing this info on your Balvicar, Isle of Seil Livingstons with the Society.
I think I missed your Duncan Livingston Sr. born abt. 1791 of Balvicar,Isle of Seil quarrier. Indeed yet another our clan working the slate quarries in the 1700's and 1800's. Thanks for pointing this out to us. Sorry dont know where he was born but his son Duncan livingston Jr. shoemaker was born around 1818/1821 in Kilbrandon and Kilchattan Parish. As mentioned the Isle of Luing was home for Livingstons and their maconlea/maclea ancestors since at least the 1600's according old information that weve seen. Perhaps your Livingstons were located on the Isle of Seil for some time in Kilbrandon and Kilchattan Parish.

Of course it is difficult to say for certain that Duncan Sr. was a native of Kilbrandon and Kilchattan Parish but it is quite probable. INteresting that he disappears from the records. If he died after 1854 we might have had some luck searching for him in the detailed death registry. Unfortunately family research depends a good part on luck when it comes finding detailed info.
regards,
Donald

Hi Margaret,

I did make a note of a Ballachulish family that residing at Cullipool on the Isle of Luing and is recorded in the 1871 Census but this is not your family.
Dugald Livingston age 52 slate quarrier Cullipool village no.52 born Ballachulish
Ann age 36 born Ballachulish
John age 5 born Ballachulish
Donald age 1 born Ballachulish
visitor Hugh Livingston age 28 Episcopalian Clergyman
they appear to be recent arrivals

also Donald Livingston age 42 slate quarrier born Ballachulish Cullipool village no.20
Margaret age 28 Bowmore,Islay
John age 3 Kilchattan Parish
Catharine 3 months Kilchattan Parish

Hi Donald

I am sure that several of the families in the slate islands were related. Some years ago I visited the Slate Museum on Easdale Island and was amazed to see a group photograph of Rechabites where one of the men bore a distinct resemblance to my father as a young man. At the time the museum curator showed me a subscription book naming some Livingstons but I cannot be sure which is which because of the same christian names being used throughout the generations.

I'm not sure which book I referred to about the Maconleas. If you could point me in the right direction of the message, ie date and heading I'll look back and try to find it. I have a collection of books about the area.

I recently started to look at the Kilbrandon church session records and they made very interesting reading - hard on the eyes and the balance! The next time I go back to Edinburgh I'll do some more and eventually post anything relevant to the Livingston(e)s. I also go up to the Oban area quite often so if you want any photographs or information from there, just let me know.

Kind regards

Margaret

Hi Margaret,

Dont have a book on Slate Island Maconleas prior to 1750's but you might want to locate the Rentals of the Earl of Breadalbane 1730 which I understand lists highland Maconleas/Mcleas of Western Argyllshire who resided on the Isle of Luing. I am curious if there is any Maconleas from the Seil and other neigbhouring location on this 1730 List. I think I may of had some info from this list at one point but dont know what I did with it to be honest. The Luing historical group on Luing have a good collection of Kilbrandon and Kilchattan parish related records including this 1730 info I understand. You might want to contact the historians on the Isle of Luing and Seil. Kyle sent me some info a few years ago about Maconleas circa 1669 on Isle of Luing. This list also included tenants on Seil but they were being removed I think. I will check with him on the book where that can be found. I think however they were Mconleas being evicted or something like that. I think the Earl of Breadalbane 1730 info would be helpful. I would like to take a look at this list.

regards,

Donald

Hi Margaret,

Thank-you for that. Our Clan Chief Baron Niall Livingstone has put together a Clan gallery with our web page and this Forum so we welcome Livingstone/Livingston/Maclea related photographs. Photos of slate workers cottages on Belnahua with some of the interesting scenic views of the various slate islands where Livingstons resided would be fantastic if you are ever in the area. The old quarrys at Ballachulish are also of interest as a number of Livingstons lived and where employed there.

regards,

Donald

Hi Donald

I think this may be the book you have been referring to:

Note of the Tenants’ Names in the Isles of Shuna, Torsa, Luing, and Seil, that are to be warned to
remove 1669 [from Highland Papers, Vol VI, edited by JRN MacPhail, pub. Scot Hist. Soc. 1934]

I have a note that these records are held in Lochgilphead but I'll try to find where the "Highland Papers Vol VI" is stored.

Kind regards

Margaret

Hi Donald,

It was I who let you have a copy of the Breadalbane rentals from the isle of Luing. I'm pretty certain I still have it on file, so I'll let you have another copy.

Regards,

Jill