Is "Red Ken" a member of the missionary's family

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Andrew Lancaster
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 4:37 pm

Is "Red Ken" a member of the missionary's family

Post by Andrew Lancaster »

Some will be interested in this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/feature ... stone.html

It appears that Ken Livingstone's father and grandfather were both named Robert Moffat Livingstone. Robert Moffat was a missionary, whose daughter Mary married Dr David Livingstone.

Steve Wilson's webpage name's one of David and Mary's sons as a Robert Moffat Livingstone. However he is said to have died in North Carolina, while Ken Livingstone's family were apparently Scottish until his father's generation.

I did once try to contact Ken Livingstone, but could only do so through the mayor's office at that time, so I have no idea if my message was really passed on. Any British residents want to try contacting him?

Best Regards
Andrew
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2770
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Re: Is "Red Ken" a member of the missionary's family

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Andrew,

Well that is very interesting given that Robert Moffatt Livingston was a teenage son of Dr. Livingstone who died in 1864 at an early age having served under an assumed name with the Union Army during the American Civil War. And of course Robert was named after the scottish missionary Robert Moffatt whose daughter was Mary the wife of Dr Livingston. Though there are no direct male Livingston descendants of Dr. David Livington generated from his surviving sons it would be interesting to learn exactly what the significance of this name is in Ken Livingston's family history. I quite agree this is something that the Clan Society in Scotland should pursue. Sounds like there could be an interesting history here. Thank-you very much for that Andrew.

regards,

Donald
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2770
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Re: Is "Red Ken" a member of the missionary's family

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Andrew,
William Garden Blaikie's book The Personal Life of David Livingtone publlished in the 1880's with the blessing of the family briefly mentions the death of the son Robert Moffat Livingstone. Dr. Livingstone learned that his son Robert had gone to America and enlisted in the Union Army shortly after he arrived in England on his second return trip from Africa in July of 1864. He had expected Robert to join him in Africa but for what ever reasons that did not happen. Subsequently he learned that Robert had been wounded and was in a prison hospital at Salisbury Confederate prison hospital. He contacted an American minister who he asked to try and help Robert but it was not long after that he learned his son had died. Salisbury was a notorious Confederate prison where the conditions were quite inhumane. Blaikie found some personal correspondence of Livingstons were he reflects upon the death of poor Robert. Blaikie's book is definitely one of the Livingstone biographies I would advise anyone interested in life of Dr. Livingstone to read as well as RJ Campbell's biography of Dr. Livingstone published in the 1920's which is a personal favorite I understand of Baron Livingstone. THere is also quite a bit in the RJ Campbell book on Clan Livingstone itself which is an added bonus.

regards,

Donald
Jewel
Posts: 210
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 3:04 am

Re: Is "Red Ken" a member of the missionary's family

Post by Jewel »

Hello Everyone,

I know this is not the same Robert Livingstone that is mentioned in the previous posts, but since these Livingstones are resideing in Blantyre, Scotland that there might be a family connection.

A Robert Livingstone arrives to New York at Ellis Island on July 22,1907 at the age of 67. His residence is listed as Blantyre,Scotland and is going to see his sister-in-Law, Mrs. Peter Livingstone. He is on the ship Colombia which Sailed from Glasgow, Scotland

Then on June 24,1907 also on the ship Columbia. There is a Elizabeth Livingstone age 40 traveling to final place of Allenport , Pennsylvania. Her children are Peter 16, James 15, Fanny 11, Robert 10, Alex 8, David 4, Mary 3, and Elizabeth age given as 0. They are going to be with husband Peter Livingstone, . This family's residence is listed as Blantyre,Scotland.

Jewel
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2770
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Re: Is "Red Ken" a member of the missionary's family

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Jewel,
I have always wondered if some of the other Livingstones that lived in close proximity to Dr. David Livingstone's parents and family in Blantyre and nearby Glasgow in Lanarkshire were distant relatives of Dr Livingstones. I also wonder what really happened to Dr. Livingstone's Uncles. I have been working on that one for a long time.
regards,
Donald
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