Nova Scotia/PEI Livingstone Research

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Barry,
It is only fitting that your ancestor Colin Livingston has a proper tombstone to mark his burial location. That is great news.
Having a descendant of ALexander of Whycocomagh in the DNA Project could be the break in your family research you having been hoping for. The decent of the descendant is through Alexander and Ann Livington's eldest son Duncan Livingston and his wife Catharine Morrison and their eldest son also named ALexander (b.1872 in Skye Mountain, Whycocomagh) who left Cape Breton for the United States around 1888/1890. Alexander and his wife Ellen J. Mackenzie eventually settled in North Providence Rhode Island in the 1900's. I have looked into the genealogy and the Rhode Island info and decent is clearly and without doubt from the Cape Breton family of Alexander's son Duncan and his son Alexander who ended up eventually in North Providence, Rhode Island. I have informed Kyle who is one of the Coordinators of the Maclea Livingstone Society DNA Project of the details. If you require any further information he will be only to glad to assist you I am sure.

regards,

Donald

[Livingstone_PEI]

Hi All

The grave we have found without a marker is for my GGrandfather Angus. I'm afraid I still haven't located Colin's grave yet. Maybe with the meeting of minds this summer someone will know the location of the grave. It is Angus' grave we want to get a marker for...maybe if we find Colin's we can look at that in the future.

Yes Kyle....we have a large group of Livingstone's to choose from now for doing the DNA test. We have very few males with the Livingstone name on PEI, but a large number of male Livingstones in Ontario. This is great news for me, since it will ensure the our Livingstone line will continue. Another reason why it is very important to document where everyone is for future generations.

I would love to have a Clan Livingstone gathering in the Maritimes somewhere someday. This is something that would take many years of planning. Many, many of the Livingstones in North America have a connection to NS or PEI, so this would be a very large event and I wouldn't know where to even start. We'll see.....get this Summer out of the way first.

[Kyle MacLea]

Barry,

That is an excellent idea. The Clan Society hasn't had any formal gatherings yet, but we would love to--and we would love to have a gathering of the PEI/NS Livingstones, which obviously represent a very important cross-section of clansmen, especially North American clansmen. Let's definitely try to think about doing this down the road... the Society will be happy to help you with that!

Kyle=

[Kyle MacLea]

You had said recently that you have a family member of Alexander from Whycocomagh that has joined the DNA project. How closely do the results of the testing show Alexander's descendents are related to other early Livingstone's in Nova Scotia? Do you have a family member from Angus' family that has done the test? I know the Livingstone family that lived in lot 54 here on PEI, John Livingston, was from Fort William as well. I wish we could find a family member from this family that would be willing to do the test too. Maybe after this summer I will start doing intensive research on this family. I can't help but wonder if this John Livingston may have been the mysterious, never proven existed, brother of Malcolm and John. I need to find a family member from this family.

Barry--check if I'm following this all correctly.

The testee we already have a descendant of Alexander of Whycocomagh. (Through son Duncan and grandson Alexander.)

Your line is through Alexander's (possible?) brother Colin, down through your Angus, and to you?

If I am understanding that correctly, we have no one tested from ANGUS'S line, but we do from ALEXANDER'S line. Which, if Colin were Alexander's brother, should match very closely with Angus's line.

We have two other Nova Scotia Livingstones that both also happen to be in this same cluster of men, but from different lines:

Livingstone 38812 with 67 markers and definitely in this group, has a paper trail linking him to Highland Fort William, and a family tradition of being Gaelic speaking and kinship with Dr Livingstone. They emigrated in the late 18th century to Nova Scotia. Family lore suggests that three brothers settled at Livingstone's Cove, Antigonish County, Nova Scotia. The elder brother Malcom stayed there and one brother John moved to Cape Breton Island. The third brother unnamed moved to Prince Edward Island. The three families apparently never reconnected again after that.

Livingstone 120317. 67 markers and definitely in this group. John Livingstone, a Roman Catholic, arrived on PEI in July 1806 aboard the Brig Humphries, via Tobormory. John was the only Livingstone on the boat. He was listed as being 20 years old. Perhaps because Lord Selkirk treated Roman Catholics the same way as in Scotland John found his way to Cape Breton, which was not part of Nova Scotia; at that time. It is not known where in Scotland he came from but he named his land grant Staffa, and this family had a tradition of being indirectly related to Dr Livingstone. John lived and died and was buried on Low Point, Cape Breton. He died August 24, 1859. His will is dated February 1853 and mentions his sons John, Laughlin, Alexander and Donald (AKA Daniel or D.D.) and daughters Ann and Catherine as well as Donald McIntryre; who married daughter Johanna. His wife called herself Christy but, was either Christine or Christina. John Seniors son, John, died May 1, 1900. His obituary was published in the newspaper named the Casket: in it was mentioned that his father, John married a Miss McPhee. It also mentioned that John Jr. was born June 7, 1807.

If you want more information or to be connected with the people in these lines, email me.

Kyle=

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Kyle and Barry,

ANcient and no so ancient Mull seems the connecting link to these Livingstons. The Whycocomagh and neighbouring Mull River/Mabou Livingstons are likely the same family and there their family history and documented evidence connected them to Mull in Argyll COunty Scotland. The DNA so far in Alexander Livingston line indicates a distant family connection with other Mull Livingstons in the DNA Project. Fort William where a few Livingston famlies apparently resided in the late 1700's and early 1800's before emigrating to Canada should not be miscontrued as being a ancestral centre for highland Livingstons rather it was settlement area and military post where some Maclea Livingstones later migrated in the 1700's seeking work in Argyllshire. Any Livingstons at Fort William would likely have ancestral origins with more ancient Maclea Livingstone families that resided at Ballachulish/Glencoe Mull/Morvern Appin/Lismore in earlier times I would wager.

Alexander Livingston's descendants results are consistent with a number of DNA Project Participants who have ancestral roots or suspected ancestral roots to Mull/Morvern Parishes. Alexander of Whycocomagh's family had in their possession an original document from Mull dated 1821 stating that a John Livingston and wife Catharine Campbell and children from Kilninian Parish, Mull were boarding a ship for the port of Pictou, Nova Scotia. I was given a type written copy of this document by Dr. St. Clair a local Cape Breton Historian and relative of Alexander Livingston and the person who made me aware that this document had existed in the families possession. I am not sure what happened to the original copy. I have been trying to find that out. In any event I was fortunate to get a type written copy. This John Livingston and Catharine Campbell I assumed to be the same John Livingston and Catharine Campbell who settled around 1824 at Mull River/Mabou, Inverness County, Cape Breton which is short distance from Whycocomagh. As parish record info indicates that there was a John Livingston and Catharine Campbell who had son by curious coincidence John, Angus and Colin among others and whose baptismal information in Kilninian Parish ends also by strange coincidence just before the year 1821. I think the family resided at Penmore in Kilninian Parish. Others have maintained that it was John Livingston and a Mary Campbell of Mull that settled at Mull River in 1824 but curiously none of the names of the children they named have any documented record of having lived at Mull River or Mabou or nearby Whycocomagh whereas we have through Barrys work and mine with the help of Dr. St. Clairs information much to suggest the possibility that that those who bellieved way back when that John Livingston and Mary Campbell were setled Mull RIver/Mabou, Cape Breton in the 1820's were in error. There is apparently a tombstone with John Livingston and mary Campbell on it there but I would point out that it i not the original gravestone but one put there many years later. Given that there is really little documentation on these familie before th 1871 Cape Breton Census there is good reason for lack of a good understanding as to their ultiimate origins and connections if any. There is a 1861 Census which does appear to include Colin Livingston,at Whycocomagh Barrys ancestor though the writing is almost impossible to decipher. Then of cousse we have an 1867 PEI obituary for Colin which clearly states that he was originally from Whycocomagh, Nova Scotia. Seems unlikely that his grieving family would get that detail wrong.

One way or another a test of a proven direct descendant of Colin Livingstone of PEI will help us to determine if Colin and ALexander Livingson were family.
regards,

Donald

[nbcnco]

I am also a descendant of Alexander b. abt 1814. I have also beed DNA tested, kit 212128, 67 markers. Results should have been released to the Clan DNA project

My grandfather was Stanley Livingston b. 1905, Portland, Maine d. 1968 Providence, RI
His father, Alexander, b 1872 in NS
His father, Duncan, b 1846 d. 1938
His father, Alexander, b abt 1814

I'm way,down in Texas, so research is challenging, but feel free to contact me for further info
Nbcnco2 hotmail com

Now, I'm trying to figure out what Alexander was doing in Montana around 1900 when he married Ellen Jane MacKenzie

Scott Livingston

[Livingstone_PEI]

Hi Donald

I have given it much thought and I have to come to the conclusion that Colin and his family were living on PEI before the 1861 census was taken in Nova Scotia. I believe the Colin showing in the census was not a Colin and likely an Allen instead. Below at the link are two maps of lot 55, the first one and the fourth one, that show the lot and it is in Livingstone possession, and the property was surveyed before 1845 on both maps. If you check the top map at this link below, you will see that Colin is showing on the property in Forest Hill. You will find the lot in the top left corner of the map. This map is apparently from 1845, so I believe he was there at that time. There is another map further down in the list that showing another plot map of the land with John Livingstone, Colin's son being in possession of the farm. It is dated 1896 on the plot and I know that is when the land transferred to John. The thing is, is that the property was surveyed at that time and I have the documentation that shows the land transferred to John from Colin in a notation on the map in 1896.

http://www.islandimagined.ca/islandora/ ... 5/-/dismax

I feel these two maps prove that Colin was on PEI, pre 1845.

Barry

[Livingstone_PEI]

Kyle and Donald

I'm just wondering from the DNA test, will the DNA results for Alexander's line and Colin's line prove they were brothers or just show they were closely related, similar to the two you posted? I am getting excited about the results of the test and I am hoping it will be prove they were brothers. I guess I watch too many soap operas and detective shows and am hoping it is that easy . From your previous experience, when we are talking about four generations previous, does it show it that clearly? I believe there is a possibility of the DNA mutating through generations.....is that correct?

[Livingstone_PEI]

Welcome Scott

We are likely distant cousins. Our family has been researched extensively and anything you would like to add is welcomed. Our family beginning with Alexander's father John has been a work in progress and we always welcome new family members that may have another piece of the family history we have missed. Have you been able to confirm that your Alexander was the son of John and Catherine Campbell? Do you have a list of the Alexander's siblings by any chance? We are likely finding this just as challenging as you are....this is a tough one.

Barry

[Livingstone_PEI]

Scott

I am intrigued by your grandfather being born in Portland, Maine. I have a Livingstone family I am researching, John and Sarah, from Prince Edward Island, that for some reason had a son in Maine in 1814. Do you know anything of the history of the Livingstone's in Maine? This John was born in Fort William, Scotland and had a farm in lot 53 or 54, on PEI. His son Malcolm who was born in Maine, was a sea captain, and when he was older he worked in the police force in Boston. Malcolm was later killed by a train and this family has been a mystery to me.

Barry