Nova Scotia/PEI Livingstone Research

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Roberta,

I am not familiar with the Crown land maps in Nova Scotia or PEI and with all that is available though I seen some early lists of landowners. I guess I need to take a closer look at what is available. We have access at the Ontario Archives to the original Crown Land Maps that have marked on them the names of those originally granted land from Crown in Upper Canada mostly in the case of my kin before 1820. Some of them date from the 1790's. For locating landowners on concession, lot numbers and townships in Ontario in later years I go to various Township deed abtracts and if I know the lot number and concession where a particular ancestor lived I can trace from the original date the first land holder took out a Patent and all subsequent land transctions are dated with the name of the Grantor and Grantee in this Abtract. There are also indexes by name for township and County land records if you dont know the lot and concession number of the person you are researching. And of course in the 1860's and 1870's County Atlases with Township maps marking the location concession and lot number with the name of the resident were done in Ontario Counties. Very helpful in locating ancestors. I am in the process of better familiarizing myself with what resources are available to the researcher in PEI and Nova Scotia regarding land settlement information. I am optimistic that Barry will find his ancestor's land record once the PEI Archives digs a little deeper in the records.

regards,

Donald

[Roberta Ann]

Hi Donald;

I put the addresses for some of the maps on page 29. They are very interesting, to me. For instance Sylvester Dunphy who married Mary McPhee sister of Christy McPhee, who married our first John Livingstone in 1806. Other names, on the Low Point list are also names that I recognise as being relatives via marriage into the Livingstone family.

I, also, wish Barry good luck with his research into land acquisitions and so on.

Regards;

Roberta

[Livingstone_PEI]

Hi All

Here is some more about land registry inquiry in Nova Scotia. I will attack the list in the documents section of the forum.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dear Mr. Judson:

The Crown Land Index maps are updated with new grants (Grants are still issued today) and Dept. of Natural Resources (Crown Land) ownership data. Once land has been granted, it is no longer crown and can be tracked through the Registry of Deeds. The Registry Deeds Office contact information is: Antigonish office 902-863-7543 and Cape Breton office 902-563-3539. These Index Sheets are our Crown Land Grant maps.

Attached you will find the results from the search I performed on our Consolidated Index of Land Grants, for the Grantee name Colin Livingston.

If you would like to get a copy of the grant, it will cost $6.73 + 5% tax. Our accepted method of payment is Visa, MasterCard, cheque, money order or cash. Please let me know if you would like a copy of this Grant.

Thank you,



Stacey Walsh,
Secretary
Crown Land Information Management Centre

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Barry

[Canadian Livingstone]

HI Barry,
Thanks for that. The Charlottetown Land Registry office handles enquiries related to deeds in King and Queen County, PEI.
You might also find some information there regarding and land transactions after 1855 at Forest Hill, LOt 55 who owned it and who purchased what in the Forest Hill area when.
regards,
Donald

[Canadian Livingstone]

HI Barry,

I talked to Glenda Roberts at the PEI Registry Office in the Jones Building and their researcher is coming back next week if you can work that into your schedule. She says they can help you with your search. I gave her some of the details. Take that deed transfer document from the 1880's with you so that they have as much information as posssible. THis might be your best bet. She told me the system is totally different than in Ontario which has land parceled out and organized by Concession and Lot number, but they will locate where ancestor Colin Livingston's property was in Lot 55 and then try to find the info you seek. She was in total agreement with me that the Colin's land transaction likely took place between 1855 and his death in 1867. She suggested he may have purchased it from the Absentee Landlord in Great Britain. I know these Absentee Landlords sometimes had agents in Canada who would act on their behalf and that may be how these land transactions on LOt 55 took place in the 1850's or 1860's. Anyways I guess their researcher may have some experience and insight on land transactions from this early period.

regards,

Donald

[Livingstone_PEI]

Hi

Donald I will be able to go to the Land Records office after the 23rd when the gentleman gets back I need to talk to. I know the previous owners of the property and the present owner too.

I have added the PDF file and from what I can gather this is a list of all Crown Land Grants in their consolidated records for all Livingstons. Please check the temporary documents for a copy of the file. I don't know if I should have put it in the permanent files, but it is in the temporary for now.

Barry

[Livingstone_PEI]

Hi Donald

When you check the PDF file I added, take notice of the acreage listed for these. They are very large land grants. What do you make of them? Looks like some of the Livingstons may have been landlords to have this much property.

Barry

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Barry,

Certainly they received good size land grants. Looks like in addition to Malcolm, all of his sons received land grants at Cape George and St. Georges Bay. Malcolm as you may recall was one of the earliest known highland Livingston settlers in Nova Scotia arriving in the late 1700's. There is that John Livingston from the 1760's records but dont know that he is from the highlands. I think we have John, Allan, Colin, Angus and Duncan and a widow Mary, Malcolms wife. Some of these sons as landholders show up in the 1838 or 1841 census which lists them in Arisaig Township.

The Little Judique river transaction from 1814 for John Livingston refers to an Inverness County transaction in which the grantee is Roberta and Jewel's ancestor.

regards,

Donald

[Livingstone_PEI]

Hi Donald

Interestingly, 1865 is the year that Cape Breton was Annexed and became part of Nova Scotia.

"By proclamation of October 17, 1763 after termination of the Seven Years' War, Cape Breton Island was formally annexed to Nova Scotia. For a time thereafter Cape Breton Island was part of Halifax County. On December 10, 1765, Cape Breton Island was set apart as a separate county."

I wonder if this had anything to do with Colin leaving Cape Breton? The annexing may explain the large land grants held by John Livingston, but I wonder what the reason was?

Barry

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Barry,

I dont know the when and the why of Colin going to PEI but my guess that the land transaction took place between 1855 and 1867. It will be interesting when you learn what the actual date was. I guess some Cape Bretoners werent happy about being part of Nova Scotia. I dont really know anything about this event in Nova Scotia history.

regards,

Donald