Dougald Livingston and Ellen (Helen) Brimstead

[Canadian Livingstone]

HI all,

Regarding recent inquiries regarding the Livingston family ancestrally connected to Dougald Livingston and Ellen (Helen) Brimstead it appears that Dougald Livingston said to have been born abt. 1816 probably in Islay Scotland is likely a son of Islay, Argyll pioneer settler Neil Livingston and Flora Gilchrist who were married in 1810 at Bowmore, Kilarrow Parish, Islay and one of the Islay, Argyllshire families that settled in the 1830's in Simcoe County, Upper Canada (Ontario, Canada). In the 1861 Census Dougald Livingston and his wife Ellen (Brimstead) are located in Medonte Township, Simcoe County. The 1861 Census states that Dougald Livington is age 55 at the time of the 1861 Census which would give him a birth date in Scotland of about 1806, but information from descendants appears to support the notion that the 1861 Census info is wrong and that Dougald was actually about 10 years younger and they seem to prefer a birth date of abt. 1816 in Scotland. Interestingly a son Dougald is not listed in the surviving Islay, Argyll birth records for the children of Neil Livingston and Flora Gilchrist but the consensus among family researchers seems to be that he is a son of Neil and Flora and that his birth record for some reason is missing I would assume.
Dougald Livingston died apparently shortly after the 1861 Census on the 8th May 1862 in Mendonte Township, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada.

Some years ago now the Forum was contacted by two Livingston descendants of Livingston ancestors that settled in neighbouring Nottawasaga Township, Simcoe County, Upper Canada in the 1830's and their Livingston origins are rooted in Islay, Argyllshire. It is possible that the Nottawasaga Township Livingstons and the Medonte Township Simcoe County Livingstons are closely related and of the same Islay Livingston family that settled in the 1830's in Simcoe County, Upper Canada (Ontario, Canada) but that is not entirely certain to me from the available 19th century records. I do think it likely however that Y DNA testing of a Livingston descendant from both pioneer families that settled in Nottawasaga and neighbouring Medonte Township would possibly show that they may in fact share common Islay, Argyllshire ancestry. Two Livingstons of Nottawasaga Township Simcoe County Livingston ancestry have already been tested several years ago, but as yet no Livingston descendant of Dougald Livingston of Medonte Township has been tested to help a get a sense how closely related I suspect the Nottawasaga and Medonte Township, Simcoe County Livingston may have been back home in Islay, Argyllshire.

regards,

Donald

[Sharon McC]

Donald, thank you for posting this information. My 2nd Great Grandmother (on my Dad’s mother’s side) is Mary Ellen Livingston. I have not been able to find her birth certificate – but other Ancestry trees list she was born May 8, 1842 in Medonte Township and census records support this. She married Septimus Henry Clark (born abt 1838).

An Ancestry marriage record shows Mary Ellen and Septimus marrying August 22, 1866 in Orillia, Simcoe County. Mary Ellen’s parents are listed as Dugald Livingston and Helen Brimsmead. Like many, I currently have Neil Livingston and Flora Gilchrist as Dugald’s parents…but I have found no records to support this…only Ancestry trees. I am very open to the thought that these are not Dugald’s parents. I am curious if anyone knows where Dugald is buried (in Simcoe County?) and if there could possibly be any records available through the cemetery.

I have identified a few DNA matches who are descendants of Dugald Livingston and Helen Brimsmead. Interestingly, I have DNA matches that are descendants of Neil and Flora…from Alexander Livingston (May 23, 1811 Islay – February 28, 1897 Simcoe County) and James Livingston (September 23, 1817 Islay – April 20, 1900 Simcoe County). I also have DNA matches through two of Flora Gilchrist’s father Ronald’s other children: Anne Gilchrist (1775 – 1868 Islay), Charles Gilchrist (1790 Islay – 1871 North Carolina). Of course, our connections may be elsewhere!

I am looking forward to participating in the Clan Maclea Livingstone Forum!
Sharon