Dear Cousins,
June is Bustin' out all over - so are the Livingstons....for a big get together. It's time again to announce the Livingston Family Reunion. The date has been set and we hope to see all of you there. A map of how to get there is enclosed.
There is plenty of space for camping. Please bring your lawn chairs and folding tables if possible. There is also some motel space available in nearby towns.
When: June 20th and 21st, 1975 Where: Old Homestead, Birch Creek, Fountain Green, Utah Time: Anytime Friday is arrival time. Friday's Schedule of activities: 6:00 PM - Wiener Roast or Hamburger Fry - Bring your own. Grills and a Fire will be provided. We are also asking each family to bring one salad for the table. We will all eat together and then enjoy a CAMPFIRE PROGRAM. Saturday's Schedule: 9:00 AM Breakfast will be served by our Faster Chef's. Please bring a small bottle of syrup or jam. Bring your own eating utensils. 12:00 PM Business Meeting and Research Report 1:00 PM Picnic Lunch - Everyone bring your own. Special activities throughout the day for the children.
It has been suggested that we alternate places for the reunion and have it in the Salt Lake vicinity one year and in the Fountain Green area the next year. We are certainly agreeable to this if it will make it easier for people to get there.
We are very happy and excited about giving you this research report.
First of all, we want to tell you that our researcher in Scotland, Mr. Donald Whyte, was elected Chairman of the Council of the Scottish Genealogy Society. The Society is now 21 years old and this is really an honor. We feel that he is really “the best” as far as our needs are concerned.
Mr. Whyte is presently working on the Livingston line and the Bain line. We will first report the present standing and results of the Livingston search.
All of this research is under the direction of our family genealogist, Dr. Ariel L. Crowley, who in also a member of the Scottish Genealogy Society. He is really keeping things moving in the right direction.
In January, Dr. Crowley received news that certain wills were held by the Keeper of the Records of Scotland, Scottish Record Office. He has requested that Mr. Whyte obtain copies of them so that he may search them for possible clues to our Archibald problem. The wills are as follows:
Dr. Crowley explains the reasoning for searching these wills in this fashion. Engineers who dig a tunnel very seldom begin at one end only. The usual, and most efficient method is to start at both ends at the same time, and proceeding until the two tunnels meet, the object is attained with minimal difficulty. It is the same with genealogical research. If you encounter what seems to be a dead end beginning with yourself and going back, but are aware that there are ancient records of people bearing the same surname and identical given names, then it makes sense to start from that end and carry the line down. For that reason I have asked for copies of a long series of wills dating in the 1500-1650 period. These wills will contain the name of the heirs of the testators. That will bring the search down at least one generation - possibly two if grandchildren are named in the wills. The possibility is there, that by tracing the descendants we can come down to a connecting point, just as the tunnels meet. The wills I have asked for afford, in my judgment, the most promising direction to be taken.
The most exciting news, and of great importance to all of us Livingstons is this latest development. Dr. Crowley, through our researcher, has been put in contact with William B. Livingstone who lives in Scotland, and is a direct descendant of our own Archibald born in 1702.
Dr. Crowley says this, and we as a Board certainly echo his thoughts: Think upon this, good people: The odds against finding a descendant of Archibald Livingston still at Fordel are enormous. The odds against finding him a genealogist engaged in preparing a book on the Archibald line are staggering. Just think upon it, and how such things are brought about. It may, having happened, do something to strengthen your faith.
We on the Board feel that our prayers have been answered and this could be a real breakthrough for us. Following is his letter which I am sure will be of great interest to all of you. If this Mr. Livingston thinks he is excited to hear from us, I wonder if he knows just how excited we are to hear from him.
Dear Sir,
It was with considerable interest and pleasure that I received your letter regarding the Livingstone family. I have been pursuing my own researches for some time now and although only an amateur genealogist have had a reasonable amount of success.
What excites me most is the fact that I, too, am a direct descendant of Archibald Livingstone, born in 1702 in the Coaltown of Fordel. I would be grateful if you also would be prepared to exchange records in order that I might establish our links in the family tree.
I will assemble all relevant information and send this to you in the near future and trust it will be of interest to you and your wife.
You might, at this stage, be interested to know that you also have "kith and kin" in the United States. My great-uncle Archibald Livingstone, aged 87, still lives with his family in Detroit. He emigrated to America around 1912-1920. It is for this family, which my father visited last year, that I am preparing a booklet and notes. I now will make copies for you. As I write this - I am Assistant Headteacher at Inverkeithing High School - I look out over the lands of Fordell two miles away. I can see the old mine railway used for two hundred years and the top of Fordell Castle. It really emphasizes the fact of how little has changed for this Livingstone in some respects. Like Mr. David Whyte, I confirm that the Livingstones were bondsmen colliers of the Henderson family.
I hope to dispatch details in a very short time and any information which you might furnish will be most welcome. I thank you for writing and opening another door about the Livingstone family. I am sure we both will be fascinated by the resulting correspondence.
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours sincerely,
William B. Livingstone
Following in an excerpt from a letter dated 22 February, 1975 from Judge Crowley:
“We have just received a report on the Bain inquiry from Donald Whyte. This is favorable, and I believe he has indeed found the birth of Jean Bain. Herewith I transmit the report, and his letter, with a copy of my reply, and we may look forward with confidence to an enlargement of information on this branch of the family, I am sure.
“You will observe that a goodly number of the items which he has reported are in condition so that individual entries can now be made. I suggest that some of Jean Bain's descendants take care of this promptly, and am sure there are many who are able and willing to do so. While some of them will indeed be of collateral relationship, the work should not be omitted.”
Again quoting Dr. Crowley from his letter to Mr. Whyte dated 22 February 1975:
“The family records show that the mother of the children Jane, Isobella and Archibald was Jean Bain. I have no explanation at hand for the showing in the registers that the mother was Jane Brown, unless this is an alias or a misprision in 1841 carried on in the register by (as I am sure sometimes happened) the registrar of the birth looking back at a previous entry for the parental names. Some such explanation appears requisite, since the names of the pair submitted for proclamation are clearly in accord with the parentage shown at the birth of William, the last child.
“Jane Bain, widow at Airdrie in the 1851 Census is obviously not Jean Bain wife of Archibald, who was never at any time a widow. She preceded Archibald in death by several months. Archibald died 27 April 1849.
“It appears to me very likely that Jean Bain bapt 26 March 1820, at Falkirk, daughter of Walter Bain and Jean Lithgow, and born 14 March, 1820, is our Jean.
“Having the foregoing in mend, please continue research accordingly. Perhaps the record of Jean's death can be found and may be revealing.”
We are printing the report in its entirety because we feel it will be of interest to many of you. This way, those of you who are descendants, earl go ahead with the Individual Entry Forms. Please bear in mend that we do not know for sure that this is our Jean Bain's birth date, and further research meet be done to verify - but we feel that we have a good start and things certainly look promising.
Check the proclamation entry of Archibald Livingston and Jean Bain. Old Monkland, Co. Lanark, Old Parochial Register, No. 652/3, M. 1820-1854: 8th February, 1840: Archibald Livingston & Jean Bain, both in this parish, have given in their names in order to proclamation of banns. 2 days. ----------- Check the baptisms of their children. New Monkland, Co. Lanark, Old Parochial Register, No. 651/6, r. 1820-1854: 1841: Jane Livingston, Daug(hte)r of Arch(ibal)d Livingston. Miner Airdrie, & Jane Brown his spouse was born 12th Jan(uary), 1841. 1843: Isobella Livingston, daug(hte)r of Archibald Livingston, Miner, Airdrie, and Jane Brown his Spouse was born 10th July, 1843. 1845 Arch(ibal)d Livingston, son of Archibald Livingston, Miner in Airdrie, & Jane Brown his spouse, was born 7th Dec(embe)r, 1845. 1848: William Livingston, son of Archibald Livingston, miner in Airdrie & Jane Bain his Spouse was born 28th April & baptized 7th May, 1848. Also noted during same period: Robert Livingston, Coalmaster, Rawyards, and Margaret Buchanan his spouse, had issue: Agnes, b. 23rd December, 1841. Margaret, b. 13th July, 1844. Elizabeth, b. 31st August, 1846. Jane, b. 28th April, 1848. Check same register, 1820-1825. Several Browns recorded but no Bains. ----------- Search Census of Scotland, New Monkland, 1851, to find if widow Livingston and family there: Noted James Livingston at Rawyards (see census worksheet No. 1). From Dalgetty, Fife. Noted also Robert Livingston, Coalmaster in baptismal entries already noted, now grocer (see census worksheet No. 2). May not be linked with Fife family. Extracted a Bain family at Drumgelloch (see census worksheet No.3). Vol. 640, bk.1, sched.21, p.6. Robert Livingston, b. Shotts, Lanarkshire, aged 24, miner, shown at Alexander Street, Airdrie; wife Elizabeth, aged 21, b. Airdrie; children Duncan, aged 1, and Archibald, aged 6 months, b. Airdrie. Names found in Fife family. Ibid., book 5, sched.36, p.8. Jane Bain, Head, widow, 66, housekeeper, b. Falkirk, Stirlingshire, resident at Graham St., Airdrie. Extracted Duncan Livingston and family (see census worksheet o.4.) From Dalgetty, Fife. ----------- Search New Monkland, Co. Lanark, Old Parochial Register, No. 651/2, B. 1745-1819, reading from 1800: No Bains recorded. ----------- Search Old Monkland, Co. Lanark, Old Parochial Register, B. 1695-1819, No. 652/1, reading for Bains from 1800: 30th August, 1801: Angus Bain, Labourer Clyde, & Elis(abeth) Baird (had a son baptized, named) Angus. Con(gregat)ion, witnesses. No others. Continued through next volume (No 652/2) to 1825. No Bains recorded. ----------- Previous searches did not extend far north of Old and New Monkland, therefore search Cadder, Kirkintilloch, Cumbernauld, and Falkirk. Bain generally from Gaelic ban or fair (haired), so may have come in from the north. Cadder, Co. Lanark, Old Parochial Register, No. 626/2, B. 1743-1819, reading from 1800 for Bains: 1807: Joan, lawful son of James McBain & Helen McGregor born 16 Oct(obe)r, Berryknowe. (McBain sometimes becomes Bain, the prefix being dropped). 1811: James, L(awful) s(on) of Alexander (sic) McBain and Helen McGregor born at Drumsack 15 Aug(ust). Continued in vol. 626/3, B. 1819-1854, reading to 1825. No Bains. ----------- Cumbernauld, Co. Dumbarton, Old Parochial Register, No. 495/2, B. 1771-1819, reading from 1800: No Bains. Continued in vol. 495/3, B. 1819-1854, reading to 1825. No Bains. ----------- Kirkintilloch, Co. Dumbarton, 01d Parochial Register, 498/3, B. 1801-1819, reading throughout. No Bains. Continue to 1825 in vol. 498/4, B. 1819-1854: No Bains. ----------- Balkirk, Co. Stirling, Old Parochial Register, No. 479/5, B. 1788-1819, reading from 1800: 20th April, 1806: Mary, law(ful) (daughter of) Walter Bain (and Jean Lithgow), born 15 Ins(tan)t. W(itnesses) Robert Hardie (and, Daniel Miller. 11th October, 1807: John, law(ful) (son of) Colin Bain (and) Mary Reid (baptized), born 1st Current. W(itnesses) John Greenhorn (and) John Shaw. 6th May, 1810: Wa1ter, law(fu)l (son of) Walter Bain (and) Jean Lithgow born (and baptized) (same day). Witnesses) Walter Nicol (and) Daniel Miller. 8th November, 1812: Isabel (lawful) (daughter of) Walter Bain (and) Jean Lithgow (born 6th Current) and baptized. W(itnesses) Daniel Miller (and) George Richie. 12th March, 1815: Thomas law(ful) (son of) Walter Bain (and) Jean Lithgow (born 10th and baptized). W(itnesses) Robert Hardie (and) George Ritchie. 26th March, 1815: Jean, law(ful) (daughter) of Alex (ande)r Bain (and) Christian Smith, born 13 Curr(ent)(and) baptized. W(itnesses) James Scott and George Ritchie. 31st August, 1817: Margaret, law(ful) (daughter of) Walter Bain (and) Jean Lithgow, born 29th current (and baptized). W(itnesses) Robert Hardie (and) William Scott. Continued in vol. 479/10, B. 1820-1827, reading to 1825. 26th March, 1820: Jean, lawful (daughter of) Walter Bain (and) Jean Lithgow, born 14th (and baptized). W(itnesses) William Scott (and) George Ritchie. (Above seems a possibility for Jean or Jane who married Archibald Livingston). 6th August, 1820: James, lawful (son of) Robert Bain (and) Janet Smith, born 17th July, (and baptized). W(itnesses) James Manuel and Charles Mitchell. 28th July, 1822: John, lawful (son of) Robert Bain (and) Janet Smith, born 27th June (and baptized). W(itnesses) James Manuel (and) Thomas Inglis. 24th June, 1827: John, lawful (son of) Alexander Bain (and) Christian Smith born 9th Current (and) baptized. W(itnesses) James Mickie (and) John Rankine. Search into mid 1830's 1st March, 1829: Robert, law(ful) (son of) Robert Bain (and) Janet Smith, born 4th February (and baptized). W(itnesses) John Rankine (and) Henry Salmon. 18th April, 1830: Thomas, law(ful) (son of) Tomas Bain (and) Margaret Fish, born 24th March (and) baptized. W(itnesses) John Melvin (and) Henry Gibson. 9th June, 1833: Robert, law(ful) (son of) Thomas Bain (and) Margaret Fish, born 2nd current (and baptized). W(itnesses) Charles Easton (and) John Campbell. 7th July, 1833: James, law(ful) son of James Bain (and) Jean Hudson, born 6th June (and baptized). W(itnesses) William Black (and) James Naesmith. 21st May, 1835: Isabella (lawful) (daughter of) Thomas Bain (and) Margaret Fish, born 21st May (and baptized). W(itnesses) James Manuel (and) James Inglis. 17th April, 1836: Elizabeth, law(fu)l (daughter of) James Bain (and) Elizabeth Paterson, born 5th current (and baptized). W(itnesses) James Manuel and Robert Bain. 3rd July, 1836: Catherine, law(fu)l (daughter of) William Bain (and) Margaret Nay, born 10th May (and baptized). W(itnesses) David Junkin (and) John Inglis. -----------
Donald Whyte, L.H.G. 14th February, 1975.
We do not have room to publish the census worksheets which he refers to. If any of you have need of them or would like copies, please let us know.
We hope all of you are pleased with these reports. We realize that because of the generosity of all of you that it has been possible to proceed as we have. We hope you are pleased with the results and will continue to support us in car efforts.
A few changes have taken place within the Board. We have formed a new committee - Ron Livingston and Ted Livingston - (we forgot to name the committee), but they are going to start collecting information and lay out a format for our book. We are all excited about this and anxious to get going. We hope to have a report on this by reunion time.
Wanda Bond and Enid Cox are working together on the research committee, and John Riggs is now the Secretary of our organization.
Margaret and Dale Livingston are doing a tremendous job as co-chairmen of our organization. They really keep us organized and moving.
P. J. Livingston has been transferred from Cody, Wyoming, and is moving his family to the Palo Alto, California area. He assures us that he is still going to keep us computerized as far as our mailing list is concerned. We are certainly grateful for this, and appreciate all he does for our organization.
Donley Despain is in charge of our reunion and always does an outstanding job. You will all meet him in June, as well as all of the rest of us.
Are you retired? Do you have some time you could donate to your ancestors? We really need your help. If those of you who have time to spend at the library and are willing to do so, will let us know, Wanda 292-0563, or Enid 484-2678 we will give you an assignment.
At our summer reunion we had a large pedigree chart available. It is much too large and would be very costly for us to send out in our regular bulletin even though we would very much like to. If you would like one, write Ron Livingston, 379 West 700 South, Orem, Utah 84057. $1.00 is being charged for this to cover cost of printing and mailing. It will be from this chart the assignments for research will be made.