LFA Newsletter Volume 39, Issue 1 (March 2012)
From LFAwiki
1283 Logan Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT 84105
board@livingstonfamily.org
| Volume: 39 Issue: 1 | Date: March 2012 |
2012 Livingston Family Reunion
When: June 15-16 (Friday 2:00 PM until Saturday 5:00 PM)
Where: LDS owned Heber Valley Camp, Heber Utah. Bertha Stone Reeder Campsite
Cost: $15 for those 18 and older, $12 for children 3-17, and free for those two and under (if these can share a bed or sleep in a porta-bed, maximum of 18 in a 16 bunk cabin, which includes 2 little ones). The price includes lodging and three meals. Friday night we are asking each family to bring a side dish for 15 (salads or deserts,etc). If you will only attend on Saturday, the cost will be $5 a person which includes two meals and can be paid that day.
Activities:
- classes on family history and research
- canoeing and paddle boats ($2 for one hour)
- sand volleyball and horseshoes
- hiking (over 30 miles of trails)
- challenge courses (5.00 for 2 hours) include high wire and zip lines(Course 5 has no zip line)Make activity reservations online today if you know you are attending. See 2012 LFA Reunion Activity Details for more information and to sign up.
Lodging: There are nine large cabins with electricity that sleep 16 (smaller groups can share a cabin). Each bed is $7 per person. Room is still available, but going fast. The facility is wonderful (HOT showers and flushing toilets). You need your own bedding (and pad if desired). Make your reservation with Enid ASAP at enid1283@comcast.net and mail your payment for the lodging to the address below to secure your reservation.
Dues are Due
It is a new year and dues are accepted at any time. We recommend $20 per family per year, but certainly more or less is gladly received. You can bring your donation to the reunion or mail it to:
- Livingston Family Association
- 1283 Logan Avenue
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- 84105
These dues are very judiciously spent for newsletters, research, reunion expenses, and other association expenditures. We thank you for helping to keep this organization flourishing.
Preserve Your Legacy - Give a gift of love to family and posterity
- by Stephen B Livingston, Chairman LFA
TRACING your family's history is a fascinating journey. A journey, we as the Livingston Family Association invite you take. Stop by livingstonfamily.org. It will help you dig deeper into your family's past and bring you to a greater appreciation of the rich heritage we have. The Livingston website contains information by Livingstons, about Livingstons, and for Livingstons. Here you will find information about the Livingston Family Association, our newsletters, our reunions, and about projects we have underway. RESEARCH, VERIFY AND BIND FAMILIES TOGETHER: As an Association our purpose is to research, compile, organize and disseminate genealogical research and history on the ancestors and living members of the Livingston family.
PRESERVE: Recently we have begun a push for several things to happen. One of them being the collecting and digitizing of these vital family histories and historical material. So many individuals have family pictures, histories, and other historically important material related to the family that is just sitting in boxes in homes and basements.
As years pass by, this information is passed down from generation to generation, but sometimes it gets lost and thrown away. We invite all Livingston’s to gather these materials together and make it available for everyone. Let us not forget, that that picture, or history or book represents a person, a forbearer who has gone before. We have what we have, and are what we are because of them. Contact us and let’s make a difference by preserving our Legacy for Future generations.
To get motivated, read Writing Family Histories: Love Letters to the Future by Darla Isackson. “Do you have a desire to connect generations--place yourself and your current family in context with your ancestors? Do you have the sense that documenting your life and your family’s lives can extend family influence down through the generations”
Elizabeth Livingston Child
- by Drucilla S. Howard (submitted by Lorraine Misener, great grandaughter)
On March 2nd 1868, Elizabeth Livingston was born; the fourth child of her mother’s family of eight. Her parents were Charles Livingston and Jane Harrocks Livingston and they were living on a part of the land which Elizabeth's grandmother Harrocks procured when she came to Utah in 1855.
Christine Livingston - the great-grandmother of the new baby, took care of the mother at the time of Elizabeth's birth.
Charles Livingston, the father was employed as a quarry man and later as a policeman in Salt Lake City. Also, he was the last construction superintendent of the Salt Lake Temple. On the first Christmas after Elizabeth's arrival into the home, he brought home two rattles for the two babies - one for Elizabeth and one for her sister Annie, who was the daughter of Ellen and Charles. The rattles cost $2.50 apiece.
As the home was in the 11th Ward, here is where the children grew up -taking part in the Sunday schools and also attending day school in the old adobe and later the rock buildings, which served as school and church and in which all the ward activities were held.
John Priestly was Elizabeth's first school teacher, but she also attended a school taught by Sarah White and one conducted by a Mrs. Brooks. Later she attended school in the Social Hall at which time Mary Cook was principal and Lucy Stringham a teacher.
For one year she attended the University of Deseret and obtained a certificate to be an assistant teacher and when A.S. Kendall was head of the school in the 11th Ward she acted as his assistant.
When Elizabeth was sixteen years old a group of ward girls decided to have a leap year dance and each one agreed to invite a young man to be her partner. The other girls in the group were Annie Sears, Maggie Freeze, Emma Oakason, and Annie Livingston. They agreed to dress alike - in white skirts and navy blue knitted jerseys. They engaged Beesley's band to furnish music and one evening while they were standing around the stove which was in the center of the old rock meeting house, Elizabeth waited until young Thomas Child went over to the side of the building to find a place to sit during Mutual meeting. There she plucked up her courage and asked him if he'd go to the Leap Year dance with her.
Of course he said he would and so that's how it all began. At first when Thomas returned the compliment by inviting her to the next dance, she thought it might be just because she had invited him first to the girl's dance, but he continued to be her partner through the next two years and more and then they decided to make it permanent. One Sunday evening when they were at meeting it was raining and Thomas decided to take his mother home first and Elizabeth could go with them and then he would take her home. But the mother thought that was foolish and so she took Thomas home with her and Elizabeth went home alone.
They were married Dec. 29, 1886, by Marinus W. Merrill in the Logan Temple, and at first went to housekeeping in the 18th Ward. After 3 months they moved to Bull's house on 9th East. Here they stayed for a year. Their first child, Thomas, was born in her grandmother Harrocks' home on 7th East. A short time later they built four rooms in the rear of her father's home, and in this house -enlarged and improved as they could afford it, they made their permanent home.
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The oldest, Thomas B. now a Bishop of the 10th Ward, together with Will, Stanley and Arthur, helped build the L.D.S. chapel in Washington D.C. and this gave their mother an opportunity to visit Washington, and other large cities in the east.
At the time that U.S. entered the World War in 1917, two of her sons, Harold - 21, and Stanley 18 volunteered for service and were sent to Kearney, California for training.
Stanley went overseas with the 145th Field Artillery and Harold was sent to training camp in Virginia and obtained a commission as 2nd Lieutenant. The Armistice was signed, however, before he was sent overseas. At Christmas time 1917, Elizabeth and her husband visited the boys at training camp in California.
During the latter years of her mother's life she came to make her home with Elizabeth, who cared for her during her long sickness until her death at 72 years of age.
One son, Franklin met accidental death when he was three years old and this tragedy was the great sorrow of her life.
Besides the six sons, there are two daughters, Annie Child and Nellie E. Folsom.
Thomas Child died Jan. 4, 1924.
Elizabeth L. Child has proved herself to be a devoted wife and mother, a kind and helpful neighbor and friend and a true Latter-Day-Saint.
(This story was hand-written in a composition book with a note that said: "so now you can get in touch with me by addressing me c/o Dr. W. Howard - 1005 Ezra Thompson Building Salt Lake City - if you so desire. Love and best wishes Drucilla S. Howard)
Recognition to the Guardians of the Family Records
We will be recognizing the following people at our June reunion for the contributions they have made in preserving family photographs, finding and compiling family histories, creating memorials for Livingstons on findagrave.com, safekeeping belongings of our ancestors and researching genealogical information and performing temple work.
James line: Dennis Davis (great great grandson of James) and Blaine Livingston (great great grandson of James).
Charles Line: David Jorgensen (great grandson in law of Charles), Richard Prows (great grandson of Charles).
Isabella line: LaVonne Van Orden, Donna Bench and Alan Thomander (great grandchildren of Isabella) and Leon Aiken (Grandson of Isabella).
William line: Kay Larson (great great grandaughter of William).
Membership
Please spread the word to those in your family who might enjoy receiving our newsletters via email. They can sign up by following the link on our home page. We want to keep you informed of research being done, histories that have been submitted and photos of ancestors which have not been available before on line.
The Livingston Legacy of Dedication Lives on through Ross Livingston
- by Charlene Clark
What does your Livingston Legacy mean to you? If you are interested in news about the Livingston Family where do you turn? Want to read the newsletter, have access to family histories, wondering if there’s a picture of your ancestor? Well, you can find your Livingston Legacy on the internet thanks to our DEDICATED cousin, Ross Livingston. Ross has dedicated many countless hours (thousands) over the past 13 years in service to us. Ross is responsible for the Livingston Family website – its creation, its upkeep, its content (even though he is always trying to get us to contribute on our own!). Ross joined the Livingston Family Board in 1999 with a vision of what we could do, and while he isn’t an elected member of the Family Board now, he continues to maintain (and improve) the website. Check it out at livingstonfamily.org.
In addition to the website, many years ago Ross took on the assignment to update and expand our list of the Livingston family. Many of you may have spoken to Ross on the phone. When data was incomplete or nonexistent, he would call and get that data. He has said many times in meetings over the years, ‘I’ve called them before’ and then would go on with information on which line they descend from, where they live, who their siblings are and on and on. Ross is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to the Livingston Family – both past and present.
We are so fortunate to have Ross as part of OUR family. I don’t know if there’s anyone more dedicated to piecing together the Livingston Legacy and keeping it going. Thanks Ross, from all of us, for all of your seen and unseen service.
Your Ancestors Are Waiting For You To Liberate Them. What Are You Doing About It?
- by Karolyn Hall, LFA Board Member
Never has there been a more exciting time to do temple and family history work. President Monson said: “In this work, no lock will open without the key of faith. I testify that when we do all we can do to accomplish the work that is before us, the Lord will make available to us the sacred key needed to unlock the treasure which we so much seek….”
What Are We Doing to Preserve Our Family Records? Let’s start by organizing our family records, write our history and the biographies of our members and preserve its genealogy. This should/could be a Family Endeavor because temple and family history work is done FOR families; it is often done most efficiently BY families. The blessings of temple and family history work increase when families work together to identify their ancestors. How do I get started?
- Select a Common Ancestor
- Search Public Records (vital records, census records, immigration records, newspapers, church records, cemetery records)
- Make sure you keep notes on what you find!
Consider how it would be to accept the gospel but be unable to receive baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the ordinances of the temple. In 1910 Vincenzo di Francesa found and read a copy of the Book of Mormon from which the cover and title page had been torn. Convinced of the book’s truthfulness, he searched for many years for the religion to which the book belonged. He finally found the church and was baptized in 1951. To the man who baptized him, he said “I have prayed daily for many years for this moment...I know that you have led me through the door that will eventually bring me back to my Heavenly Father, if I am faithful”.
We have ancestors in the spirit world who, like Vincenzo di Francesca, have accepted the gospel message and wait to receive the ordinances of salvation. As we consider what our ancestors must feel, we need to understand the urgency of temple and family history work. President Joseph F Smith described missionary work in the spirit world as proclaiming “liberty to the captives”. Let’s not forget our ancestors – let’s get to work!!
From the Research Committee
- by Douglas Ron Livingston, Research Director, LFA board
William Livingstone of Dunfermline brought a book to the attention of the Research Committee that promises to be of interest to members of the Livingston Family Association. "Mining in West Fife" is the product of Dr. Thomas F. Hunter's research into the history of coal mining in the area. Beginning in the earliest records in the middle ages, he tracks the development of the industry in some detail. Of particular interest to family members is the insights it provides into the locations of the mines our ancestors worked and the communities where they lived. The book is out of print, but Dr. Hunter very kindly provided a copy.
Our intention is to use the information in Dr. Hunter's book to identify the mines and villages appearing in our family's historical record. Arrangements to purchase digital copies of a number of period maps (totaling about $600.00) have been made with the Scottish National Library. Any LFA members wishing to contribute to this effort by donating to a fund established for this purpose are encouraged to contact the LFA Treasurer, Enid Cox. It is our hope to have at least a preliminary report available for the LFA reunion in June.
Dr. Hunter's book does not address mining activities in Lanarkshire; developing information on our family's experience there will have to be drawn from other sources. However, as a sample of the kind of images that are available, a portion of the 1856 Ordnance Survey map showing the Hollybush neighborhood where Christina Livingston last lived before immigrating to the United States (ref: 1851 Scottish National Census) is shown.
Detective Work
- by Dana Rogers, LFA Board member
I want to share an experience I had recently that may help you in locating additional information for your family. My grandmother, Hazel Livingston Maxwell, died before my father was married. We only had a few small snapshots of her after she married. Over a year ago I had the impression that I should try and contact a living descendant of her siblings to see if they might have a photo of her. I made a few phone calls but no one had any photos.
In September I did a google search for "Grace Livingston Ovard". I found an obituary of Helen Ovard, her daughter. The names of Helen’s children were listed and where they lived. I looked up Mike and Sharon James on whitepages.com and found a phone number and address. I contacted them, met them and they not only had the Ledger of Charles Livingston with the hand written account of his life, but a small black scrapbook that belonged to someone in Grace’s family. There were two pages of photos of Hazel and her family in Nevada, some of which I had never seen. I am so grateful I followed the impression I had and that we now have additional photographs to illustrate her life.