Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

A Read-only Archive of the old forum. Many useful messages and lots of family data!
Canadian Livingstone
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi John, We hope you that you visit the site more often as you have two cousins Jerry Schmidt and Edith Matheson descended from Donald's younger brothers James and Hugh Livingston who came to the Red RiverSettlement in 1819. Regarding your ancestors origins, Donald Livingston stated in his 31st of July 1817 depositon to W.B.Coltman (E-8/6 Fos.100-101 Hudson Bay Company Archives/Archives of Manitoba) that he was "born at Morven in the County of Argyle in Scotland, that he came out as a servant for the Colony of Red River five years ago to work at his trade as a boatbuilder.... Donald remained with the settlement through thick and thin and joined family and friends who had left the settlement in the 1830's in Iowa around 1840. Donald was born in 1785 and died in 1876 as you probably know and his old tombstone still survives in Iowa. Jerry has a photo of it if you have not seen it before. The Red river census records suggest a birthdate of 1791 but the later Iowa census records and the tombstone suggest a birthdate of 1785. regards, Donald
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2770
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi John, We hope you that you visit the site more often as you have two cousins Jerry Schmidt and Edith Matheson descended from Donald's younger brothers James and Hugh Livingston who came to the Red RiverSettlement in 1819. Regarding your ancestors origins, Donald Livingston stated in his 31st of July 1817 depositon to W.B.Coltman (E-8/6 Fos.100-101 Hudson Bay Company Archives/Archives of Manitoba) that he was "born at Morven in the County of Argyle in Scotland, that he came out as a servant for the Colony of Red River five years ago to work at his trade as a boatbuilder.... Donald remained with the settlement through thick and thin and joined family and friends who had left the settlement in the 1830's in Iowa around 1840. Donald was born in 1785 and died in 1876 as you probably know and his old tombstone still survives in Iowa. Jerry has a photo of it if you have not seen it before. The Red river census records suggest a birthdate of 1791 but the later Iowa census records and the tombstone suggest a birthdate of 1785. regards, Donald
Roberta Ann
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Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:56 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Roberta Ann »

Hi Edith; I have been following, with great interest, the inter-posts between you and Donald. My interest is in the exploits of the Lord Selkirk, who also settled Prince Edward Island; known then as St. Johns Island. How fortunate you and Donald are to have documentation and a written history of the Red River Settlement.
Roberta Ann
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Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:56 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Roberta Ann »

Correction Edith; Isabella died Feb 24, 1889 at Bullhead Harbour, Manitoba. Addionally Susannah Lloyd was the daughter of James Lloyd and Sarah Butler. Susannah and Hugh were married in 1838. Roberta
Roberta Ann
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Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:56 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Roberta Ann »

Edith, I noticed another correction.
Canadian Livingstone
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Edith, Are your descended from Angus Matheson that married Isabel Livingstone daughter of James Livingston of Red River? regards, Donald
Canadian Livingstone
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Edith, Can we keep in touch with Mary or have we lost her new address? I think that Jerry was trying to locate her. She laid the foundations of the Red River Livingston research and should be honored for her groundbreaking work. regards, Donald
edith
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Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:44 am

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by edith »

Hi, Roberta, Nice to meet you. I spent an hour on FamilySearch.org this evening and found much this same information. I see now where they got the name Jesse for their son, as it does not seem like a Scottish name. I misspoke earlier when I said Hugh's wife was Isabella. It was Jesse's wife who was Isabella (McGregor, born in Scotland). So now I have to go back to the census. I'll have better luck if I look for the right names together. Hugh's wife seemed to have been generally known as Susan. Their children were Jesse, Hannah and Daniel. There was a William living with them in 1881, but he seems to be too young to have been their child. That's another thing on my to-do list, to see if I can find him otherwise. Sorry to be taking up so much space on families other than Livingstons. But I do find this very interesting. There are untold stories in the moves from one place to another. Edith
edith
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Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:44 am

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by edith »

Hi, I found the two John Mathesons, one on Con. 6 and one on Con. 5. I thought perhaps the one on Con. 5 was mine because Heman Sutherland was also on that one. But if you see John and Barbara on #6, then that would answer that question. I did not take the time to enlarge the map and find the names, so I do not know how close together the concessions and lots were. That will be terrific if you have access to the records, but let me give you a time frame to look in. I'm gradually pulling out some information but I have to consolidate it and give myself a better idea of when the moves might have been made. It would help if I had the 1861 census, as John died in 1866. The son Hugh seems to have moved his family to Manitoba just before 1881, but his father was long dead by then. That's about the only move date I've pinpointed so far. It appears that, of the daughter who moved to BC, some descendants moved to Washington State in the US. Yes, I see that East Gwillimbury is in the far north end of York Co., but West Gwilllimbury is in Simcoe County. Forget about Oxford Co. for now. My brain slipped a gear, and I forgot that Hugh's wife was Susan, not Isabella. So I have to start over on looking for them. I found some info on FamilySearch.org which I want to put together so I know where I am on the whole family, then maybe I can see where they were and when. It's nearly midnight so I'll sleep on this and write it up tomorrow, then I'll get back to you. The info on FamilySearch, however good it is, gives birth places and approx. dates, so that might help me summarize the locations. I'll look up Mary's e-mail and send it to you and Jerry. It was still good as of last summer, I think. Yes, she and her cousin Jean did great work and got us off to a good start. Every little detail helps, and more records become available. Sometimes I find something which sends me off on the run and I find quite a lot of information. Edith
Canadian Livingstone
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Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

Donald Livingston of the Red River Livingstons

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Edith, To my surprise I was told that Jessie is a nick name or another name for Janet in Scotland. If you look this up on the internet youll see what I mean. And it was pointed out to me that this is why I was confused with Jessie Livingston on Owen Kenevy's 1812 selkirk settler list. Jessie listed Miles son Donald Livingston was actually his wife Janet who married days before boarding the Hudson Bay Company vessel Robert Taylor at Sligo Ireland in late June of 1812 for the voyage to Hudson Bay before setting off for the Red River Colony. I would never have figured that one out in a million years. If you had Dutch American ancestors as I do there are a whole group of old Dutch nicknames as well that one has to become familiar with in the old records. Many of old New York StATE dUTCH
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