Dr. Daniel (Donald) Livingston of Archarra Farm, Duror, Argyll 1798-1867

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Canadian Livingstone
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Dr. Daniel (Donald) Livingston of Archarra Farm, Duror, Argyll 1798-1867

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi All,

A year or more ago I was contacted by a Livingston researcher of Argyll Maclea Livingstone ancestry regarding their Appin, Duror, Argyll Livingston family roots and some related Livingston kin that resided in Duror, Appin, Argyll in the 18th and 19th century They were descended from a John Livingston (1771-1832) and his wife Marjory(Maisie) Campbell who resided in Ardnaclach, Duror, Appin Argyll. They also told me that remarkably old John Livingston's gravestone was apparently still intact and a local historian had told them that John's gravestone was apparently located in old Annat Churchyard somewhere near Strathappin in Appin, Argyll.

This researcher familiarized me with the family of John Livingston Road Contractor and Marjory (Maisie) Campbell and I then learned that they had a son born in 1798 in Ardnaclach, Duror, Appin, Argyll Donald Livingston mostly referred later as Dr. Daniel Livingston (1798-1867) Surgeon in the Duror, Appin Argyll records who became a physician and Surgeon in the early 1800's. Dr. Daniel Livingston is particularly interesting to me as an 18th and 19th centuryWestern Argyllshire Maclea Livingstone family researcher because he appears to be the first Western Argyllshire born Maclea Livingstone I am aware of to become a physician and a surgeon in the early 1800's in Scotland and to practice medicine in Western Argyllshire.

According to the book The Royal Charter and Laws of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow published in 1821, eligible candidates having previously studied medicine and having successfully completed their studies at a University wanting a license to practice medicine and to become a Licentiate from the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in the early 1800's were required to have studied medicine for at least three Winter sessions and a received a degree or spent a few years as an apprentice gaining significant medical knowledge and experience with a qualified Physician and Surgeon and had completed at least two years of study of medical science at a University.There was an examination required so the prospective candidate for the license could be assessed as to their knowledge and abilities as a Physician and Surgeon by the Faculty. The information from an 1850 and two 1860's Medical Directories seems to confirm that Dr. Daniel Livingston Surgeon of Archarra, Duror, Appin Argyll became a Licentiate and he received a licence to practice as a Physician and Surgeon by the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow in 1832.

It is also interesting to note Dr. David Livingstone, noted missionary and explorer, son of Neil Livingston Jr. born on the Isle of Ulva, Argyll, became also a Licentiate of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow some years later in 1840 prior to his first departure for Africa. What is not clear to me is where Dr. Daniel Livingston of Duror received his medical training and degree before 1832 which would have been required before he could be a Licentiate of the Faculty. So far a check of some available alphabetical lists that include students who graduated in the 1800's from the University of Glasgow and Edinburgh did not include a Dr. Daniel Livingston.

In 1832 Dr. Daniel Livingston's father John Livingston then a tenant resident of Cuil, Duror died and it was around this time in the early 1830's according to Dr. Daniel Livingston that he had returned to Duror and began his practice here as a physician and surgeon in the Appin area.
By 1834 an 1834 a Head of Families list for Cuil, Duror, Appin confirms that Surgeon Donald Livingston (also referred in his Scottish records over the years as Daniel Livingston) is residing at Cuil, Duror where his Father and Mother had been residing.
In 1837 Dr. Daniel Livingston erected a gravestone for his Father John Livingston Road Contractor and tenant at the time of his death at Cuil, Duror, Appin, Argyll who died July 24th, 1832 aged 61 year stating that Father's wife is Marjory Campbell. This Livingstone gravestone is still apparently standing in at Annat old Church graveyard in Appin.
The 1841 Scottish Census indicates that Surgeon Donald Livingston is still residing at Cuil, Duror.
On May 16,1848 Dr. Daniel (Donald) Livingston of Duror married Mary Campbell according to the old Church of Scotland Lismore and Appin Parish Book in Lismore and Appin Parish. He continued his work as a physician and surgeon in the Appin area and eventually left Cuil sometime before 1850 when he acquired a 100 acre farm at Acharra Acharra Farm No.1 where he then resided until his death in 1867.
Dr. Livingston employed a number of people to help him operate this farm at Archarra in the 1860's. He probably lived considerable better than the tenants in Appin during his time as a local physician and surgeon, but as he made quite clear in his response to the 1851 survey questionaire of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, it was near impossible to make a living as doctor in the Appin area in 1851 because most of his tenant patients were destitute as a result of and unable to pay him as a result of the potato crop failure in the latter part of the 1840's in Western Argyllshire and a severe decline in what tenant farmers were receiving for their cattle.

An 1851 Survey on a Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh site in which Dr. Daniel Livingston filled out in 1851 sent to him from apparently back then from the Royal College of Physicians in Edinburgh which reveals the human side of Dr. Daniel Livingston though his written response to the questions expressing quite candidly the difficult challenges and frustrations of being a Doctor in highland Duror, Appin Argyll and in working amongst the struggling near destitute tenant farmers hid hard by the earlier potato crop failure and the subsequent famine and severe economic crisis that hit Western Argyllshire beginning a few years earlier.

Survey Return from Dr. Livingston Duror, Appin 1851
RCP/COL/4/8/239
Dr. Livingston was medical practitioner in Duror. Duror was a quod sacra parish within the United parish of Lismore and Appin
Dr. Livingston Duror Appin
1851 Survey Queries
1. How long have you practiced in the locality you at present occupy?
20 Years

2. What are the ordinary and what the greatest distances which you have to travel visiting patients?
From 20 to 30 miles

3. What means of Conveyance of do you employ in going long journeys?
Riding when that can be done but when crossing the hills and different glens I must walk.

4. What is the state of roads in your neighbourhood?
The Road through the country is very good but a single line.

5.Is the position of medical men in general in your quarter improved or otherwise in late years?
The position of medical men in general are most miserable laborious practice and nothing for it - few or none of the Heritors reside her and all tenants crofters and cotters (except store farmers who hold sheep alone) are in a state of bankruptcy and not able to pay their rents since the failure of potatos and the depression of the prices of cattle.

6. Supposing the people of the Highlands and Islands were generally able to pay for medical advice according to rates usually observed in other parts of the kingdom, what extent of country in you locality would you regard as sufficient to occupy a single practitioner.
I would consider ten miles.

7. Mention if you please any special hardships incident to your situation, such as you think might be remedied by some general measure or enactment?
Unless something will be done, I do not think it possible for a medical practitioner to live in this country depending on his practice for maintenance however high his acquirements and abilities may be and the reason is obvious the want of payment - Take for balance a bad case of mid-wifery and a course of nights journey of from 20 to 60 miles - crossing arms of the sea and very often _______ to get or take any conveyance -shifting wait for dry out of the question after all this fatigue and expenses I am sorry to say that not more than three out of ten can pay anything so in pecuniary point of view, I would be much better off by stoping at home had it not been for the suffering of humanity.


3 British Medical Directories contained some very interesting detailed info regarding his medical history including mention of his later work as the Medical Officer of Appin and a Surgeon at Ardshiel Granite Quarries and the Ballachulish Slate Quarries which proved to be most helpful.

Medical Directory of Scotland 1855
Daniel Livingstone Duror Appin Argyll Licentiate Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow 1832
Medical Officer Parish of Appin and Surgeon to the Ballachulish Slate Quarries (It is not known when he first starting working as a Surgeon to the Ballachulish Slate Quarries but it seems to be by 1850 and perhaps earlier.)

Medical Directory of Scotland 1860
Daniel Livingstone Duror Appin Argyll Licentiate Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons. Glasgow 1832
Surgeon Ardsheal Granite Quarries Surgeon Ballachulish Slate Quarries

London and Provincial Medical Directory 1865
Daniel Livingstone Duror Appin Argyll
Licentiate Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons Glasgow 1834
Late Surgeon Ardsheal Granite Quarries and Surgeon Ballchulish Slate Quarries

Death of Dr. Daniel Livingston and his wife Mary Campbell
Dr.Daniel Livingston's wife Mary Campbell died on Oct.10,1866 at the age of 45 and on their farm at Acharra, Duror Appin and Daniel died a few months later on February 21, 1867 also at the Archarra Farm known to locals as Archarra Farm no. 1.

District of Duror Appin County of Argyle Death Record 1866
Mary Campbell married to Daniel Livingston Surgeon Aucharra, Duror
Died Oct. 10, 1866 Aucharra, Duror
age 45 (Born abt. 1821)

Death Record Duror Appin County of Argyll Death Record 1867
Daniel Livingston Surgeon
widower to Mary Campbell
Died Feb. 21, 1867 Archarra, Duror
Parents: John Livingston Road Contractor
and Marjory Campbell
Son Alexander Livingston present

regards,
Donald (Livingstone) Clink
Historian
Clan Maclea Livingstone Society
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