Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

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

Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi all,

Regarding recent inquiries here is the basic info about Mary Livingston and her husband Duncan McCorguodale both residing in Duror Parish area at the time of their marriage married Dec. 8, 1834 in Duror Parish according to the Duror Parish Church of Scotland records. Duror is in the Appin area of Argyllshire.
And according to the 1851 Census info for Mary Livingston ( Mary McCorquodale) of Duror parish, Argyll she was born in the Appin area as are her children and not in the Lismore area as was her husband Duncan McCorquodale. I could not find a birth or baptism record for her in Duror/Appin Parish area where I believe she was born, but her death record indicates that her parents were John Livingston and Marjory Campbell. Both Mary and her husband Duncan died a few days apart at their residence at Acharra, Duror Parish of a fever.
Mary McCorquodale died age 44 on Nov. 29, 1857 of the fever in Acharra, Duror Parish,Argyll
Parents mentioned in Death record John Livingston and Marjory Campbell
Husband Duncan McCorquodale died age 54 died Nov. 23, 1857 of the fever in Acharra, Duror Parish, Argyll
Parents: John McCorquodale and Mary Carmichael

Mary Livingston, her husband Duncan McCorquodale and their children lived in the farm townships Cuil and later Archara of Duror set up in the 18th century.
1841 Scottish Census
Residence
Cuil, Duror Parish, Argyll ( Cuil is in the Duror district in the Appin area of Argyllshire)
Dans (Duncan) McCorquodale age 35
Mary McCorquodale age 30 born abt. 1811 ?
John McCorquodale age 3
Kathleen McCorquodale age 1

1851 Scottish Census
Residence
Auchur, Duror Parish, Argyll (actually spelt Achara or Acharra)
Duncan McCorquodale born Lismore age 45
Mary McCorquodale born Appin age 37 born abt. 1814 ?
John McCorquodale born Appin age 13
Cathrine McCorquodale born Appin age age 11
Duncan McCorquodale born Appin age 9
Donald McCorquodale born Appin age 7
Dorothy McCorquodale born Appin age 4
Mary McCorquodale born Appin age 2

It is important to note that Mary Livingston and her husband Duncan McCorquodale's children were all born in Appin (Duror) Parish where the family resided but were baptized at the Church on the nearby Isle of the Lismore. Here are some of the surviving birth and baptism record for the children of Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquodale including their children born after the 1851 Scottish Census was taken I was not aware of.



regards,
Donald
Sharon McC
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:23 am

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Sharon McC »

Donald, thank you for sharing this information. My 2nd Great Grandmother is Mary Livingston abt. 1811. I also have not been able to find her baptism record.

On Mary’s death certificate, it is certified by D. Livingston Surgeon of Duror, brother of the deceased. I have found an Ancestry record showing Donald Livingston, Baptism Date 21 Jan 1798 ,Lismore, Argyll, Scotland; Father John Livingston; Mother Mary Campbell. The death certificate lists that Mary and Duncan were buried at Appin Church.

I have found an Ancestry record for Dorothy Livingston, Baptism Date 20 Dec 1795, Lismore, Argyll, Scotland; Father John Livingston; Mother Maizie Campbell. I am thinking that Dorothy is Mary and Donald’s sister. An 1861 Ancestry census record shows Dorathy Levingston; Age 60, abt 1801, Head, born Appin, Argyll, Address: Ballachuilish Road Achargn Village, Occupation: Crofter. Her children are listed as Catherine Mccorquodale 21; Mary Mccorquodale 12; Hugh Mccorquodale 10; Dugald Mccorquodale 7. I am thinking these children are actually Duncan & Mary’s.

An 1841 Ancestry census record lists Marjory Levingston Age 70, Dorathy Levingston Age 40, Donald Levingston Age 35, Marjory Mccorquodale Age 5, and others. An Ancestry baptism record lists Marjory Mccorqudale, Baptism Date 12 Dec 1835, Lismore, Argyll, Scotland, Father Duncan Mccorqudale, Mother Mary Livingston. I’m thinking that Marjory Sr is nee Campbell and Marjory Jr is either being raised by this family or visiting.

I’m also wondering if John Livingston (listed as Tenant Road Contractor on Mary’s death certificate) is John Livingston, Baptism Date 02 Apr 1767, Lismore, Argyll; Father Donald Livingston, Mother Margaret Carmichael. I am at a brick wall for Father Donald Livingston. I believe Margaret Carmichael’s parents are Dougald Carmichael and Janet Stewart.

Do these relationships make sense? I welcome any additional information that will verify or change my research direction.

I am looking forward to participating in the Clan Maclea Livingstone Forum!

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

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Sharon,

Did you know that Maizie is an old nickname for Marjory? I quite often come across Argyllshire Livingstons with nicknames sometimes confusing things to be honest until I sort it out. My ancestor Janet Livingston is referred to in passenger list from 1812 as being Jessie Livington and only some years later was I smart enough to finally discover some years ago that Jessie was nickname in Scotland at that time for Janet. Problem solved. But most definitely John Livingston and Maizie Campbell you found are certainly one and the same as John Livingston and Majory Campbell said to be your ancestor Mary Livingston's parents according to the informant in her 1857 death record. I have no doubt about that.

The family did have a Lismore connection through Duncan McCorquodale whom I assume from the 1851 Census info was born in Lismore. And yes they did baptize at the church in Lismore according to what I found out and will recheck that but the children or most of them seem to have actually born in Duror Parish either I assume in Cuil or later in Archara. That being said I was not aware of the existence of a record of a daughter Marjory McCorquodale born in 1835 not long after Duncan and Mary were married in 1834 so she could have been born nearby in Lismore.

Buried in the Appin Church yard. Yes I remember seeing that mentioned in both Mary and Duncan's 1857 death record. Sometimes in the death records between 1855 and 1860 for deceased residents of parishes in Argyllshire I think I have noticed that quite frequently that the burial site is included which proves to be quite helpful. Of in the case of many of the poorer Livingston tenants I have been researching over the years that died in parishes in Argyllshire even if I had found information regarding the location of their burial and which church parish graveyard in many cases they were apparently buried in unmarked graves or the grave stones or markers no longer exist. That unfortunately has often been the case with Livingstons where my Livingstons come from in Morvern Parish. So one is very lucky if you are able to find a gravestone of your Livingston ancestors in Argyllshire. That being said there are definitely some Livingstone/Livingston gravestones primarily from the 1800's the odd one from the 1700's to be found in old church yards in Argyllshire.

I am glad that your family sleuthing and searching the Argyllshire records related to your Livington ancestors has proven to be quite rewarding for you. I can see that this Dorothy Livington and possibly this Donald Livington both born in the 1790's could very well be older siblings of your ancestor Mary Livingston, Your reason for believing that and the evidence you provide convinces me you are likely correct about that and on the right track regarding your Livingston ancestors.

regards,

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

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Sharon,

I checked the original entry for Dorothy Livingston a baptism which took place January Dec 20, 1795 Parents: John Livingston and Maizie Campbell. Their place of residence of the family at this time is listed as Ardnaclach which is in the Duror Parish area like Cuil and Acharra.

Also Donald Livingston whose baptism took place a few years later January 27, 1798 the son of John Livingston and Mary Campbell also listed the family residence as Ardnaclach so no doubt this is the same parents as those of your ancestor Mary Livingston.

These two baptism records were included in a collection of baptisms at this time of Lismore, Appin and Duror and it does really tell me the actual church where the baptism took place whether the church on the Isle of Lismore or a Church in the Appin and Duror area. Unfortunately with these two entries i can't make that determination. In the past Lismore and Appin being in close proximity were more or less united as parishes, but both had there parish church where church services would have been conducted. So in the end I am not 100 percent certain that the records make clear that the baptism were done at the Church on the Isle of Lismore.
Most importantly, I was not sure whether you knew that Mary's parents were residing as tenants in the Ardnaclach area as you did mention it so I thought I should pass that info on to you as I just discovered it myself in the original baptism entries for both Dorothy and Donald Livingston. Just a matter of finding a good map of the Appin and Duror area from one of the those Ordnance Surveys maps of Argyllshire published in the 1800's. It would be great to find one that showed the location of Cuil, Acharra and Ardnaclach all on one map. I am looking on the National Library of Scotland site which has access to old 19th century detailed Ordnance Survey maps of Argyllshire but I have not quite found the map I am looking for in the Appin Duror area but it is probably there. If you find one you like you can order a copy of them from the library apparently.

regards,

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

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

HI Sharon,

Here is an excellent early 19th century map that shows the location of Ardnaclach the early residence of your ancestors John Livingston and Marjory (Maisie) Campbell in the vicinity of Loch Creran in the Appin area.

https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/sites/de ... %20Map.pdf

regards,

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

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Sharon,


Please note: Marjory McCorquodale no original record of a baptism taking place in Lismore in 1835. Her birth and baptism was actually recorded in the old Duror Parish Register book: Here is the original complete info as recorded in 1835:Born on the 9th Baptised on the 12th (Of Dec.1835) Marjory daughter of Duncan Mccorqudale and Mary Livingston of Cuil. And Cuil was Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquodale's location at the time of the 1841 Census. The others with records foundare also born in Cuil except for the older ones Hugh and Dugald born in Acharra, Duror. Note: I correct spelling of the settlement of Acharra in Duror Parish which appeared to be misspelt in the original entries of 1851 and 1853.

I will check and make sure that the other information on Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorkquodale's children is recorded as it was in the original entry.


Revised List of Children of Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquodale based on the original old Church Register Duror Parish Entries
Marjory McCorquodale born Dec.. 9,1835 Cuil,Duror baptized Dec.12,1835
John Mccorquodale born Jan. 11, 1838 North Cuil, Duror baptized January 15, 1838
Cathrine McCorquodale born Jan. 31,1841 North Cuil,Duror baptized Feb. 03, 1841
Duncan McCorquodale born May 16, 1842 North Cuil,Duror? baptized June 5, 1842
Donald McCorquodale
Dorothy McCorquodale
Mary McCorquodale
Hugh McCorquodale born April 6, 1851 Acharra, Duror baptized April 13, 1851 Rev. Donald Sinclair of Duror Parish Church
Dugald McCorquodale born Nov. 22, 1853 Acharra, Duror baptized Nov. 26, 1853
Rev Donald Sinclair minister of Duror Parish Church from 1846 to the time of his death in 1871.



Children of John Livingston and Marjory (Maizie) (Mary) Campbell (known so far)
1. Dorothy Livingston b.1795 Ardnaclach, Duror d. Nov.13, 1869 at "Achosragain" Appin never married informant recorded as a brother but can't read the name. Father John Livingston road contractor and mother Marjory Campbell
2. Donald Livingston ( also known in records as Daniel Livingston) b.1798 Ardnaclach, Duror later a Doctor/ surgeon and family informant in 1857 sister Mary's death record.
3.Mary Livingston b. ? birth record missing d. 1857 death record confirms she is daughter of John Livingston road contractor and Marjory Campbell

regards,

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

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Sharon,
Keeping track of Mary and Dorothy's brother Dr. Donald Livingston in the census records.
Donald Livingston
b. Jan 21, 1798 Ardnaclach, Duror entry from old Duror Parish Church Register book

1841 Census Civil Parish of Duror
Cuil, Duror
Donald Livingston age 35?
Occupation: Surgeon

1851 Census Civil Parish of Duror
Donald Livingston age 50? b. Appin, Argyll
Occupation Physician and Surgeon

1861 Census Parish of Duror
Daniel (Donald) Livingston Practishner and Farmer age 60 b. Appin Argyll Often in Scottish records Donald is referred to as Daniel
Acharra farm no. 1
farm of 100 acres employing 2 men and 2 women
wife Mary Livington age 39 born Glenorchy, Argyll referred to this census record as a "Surgeon's wife"


regards,

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

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Sharon,

There were a number of Livingstons in the 18th and 19th century not far Acharra in the Ballachuilish area whose family members were employed in the slate quarries there. Over the years some of their descendants have made contact with the Clan Maclea Livingstone forum. There was some Y DNA testing through familytreedna with some Livingston descendants of Ballachuish Livingston but none with known ancestral connections to your Acharra Livingstons who resided near Loch Creran. The Y DNA test from familytreedna has been utilized by a large number of Livingstone's/Livingstons world-wide some with ancestral connections with the highland clan Maclea Livingstone rooted in Western Argyllshire and others with lowland Scotland origins. The Y DNA test from familytreedna which a number of Maclea Livingstones have been using is a paternal DNA test which focuses on the paternal Maclea Livingstone ancestry. As such a male Livingston is required for this kind of test. In my case as I am descended from Livingstons connected to my Father's family but am not a Livingston, I contacted a cousin who I knew of who had doing Livingston family research for years and her father and Uncles were Livingstons and she got her Father to do the Y DNA test with familytreedna some years ago. In this way we were able to have a Livingston relative tested and ultimately several weeks later get a good sense of their ancestral connection with other Livingstons of similar Western Argyllshire ancestry.
The Y DNA test results from the family treedna test also showed which Livingstons were more closely matched that others of Western Argyllshire Maclea-Livingstone ancestry.

In the case of my Livingston cousin's father his closest matches were as I suspected some Livingstons of known Morvern Parish, Argyllshire Maclea-Livingstone ancestry with some of neighbouring Mull area Livingston ancestry also relatively closely related though not as close a Y DNA marker match with those of Morvern Parish were my Livingston ancestor originated according to his 1812 Church of Scotland marriage record in Argyllshire. The only challenge regarding this Y DNA test is trying to find a male Livingston ancestor which is required for the Y DNA. In many cases it is proves to be difficult finding a male Livingston relative to do this test and then of course not everyone is keen to do genealogical Y DNA test. But is surprising actually how many Livingstons actually were interested in the testing when they realized it might help them to prove whether or not their ancestors were related to Dr. David Livingstone and as a means to help them determine what part of Scotland their family originated. I have worked with the genealogy of a lot of Livngstons in my time and a significant number of them have no family information on specifics regarding where in Scotland their family originated. So for those Livingstons with those kind of questions the YDNA test I think could provide them some insight and also match them up with other distant Livingston cousins who like them are also trying to piece together some of the missing pieces in their Scottish Livingston family origins.

Quite a few Livingstones/Livingstons of Western Argyllshire Maclea Livingstone ancestry have done this familytree YDNA test over the last 15 years or so and as a result I think the Maclea Livingstone DNA project has made much progress in the last 15 years. Maclea Livingstones from a number of Parishes in Western Argyllshire have been tested but we always welcome additional Livingstons of Western Argyllshire ancestry to this group that has been tested over the years and I think contributed greatly to our understanding of the genetic aspect of those Livingstones/Livingstons out there of Western Maclea Livingstone ancestral origins.

regards,
Donald
Sharon McC
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:23 am

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Sharon McC »

Hi Donald,

Wow…a plethora of amazing info! I have so many questions.

Does it now look like the children of Duncan McCorquodale and Mary Livingston were baptized in Duror…and not Lismore?

I see you have listed a fourth sibling of Dorothy, Donald/Daniel and Mary (children of John Livingston and Margery/Maizie/Mary Campbell) - John Livingston b. abt. 1805 or 1806 ? (not proven) – were you thinking this might be John Livingston (tailor) in the 1841 census or someone else?

I’m wondering if Mary’s and Dorothy’s death certificates list their father John as road contractor --- in order to distinguish him from John Livingston (tailor) Sr (in the 1841 census).

I can confirm that Hugh McCorquodale (1851) came to Toronto in 1911 and died in 1927 in Toronto. Also, Duncan McCorquodale (1842) went to Australia in abt 1866 and died in 1926 in Moerlong, Penola, South Australia. I do not know with certainty what happened to the rest of Duncan and Mary’s children…and would welcome any ideas.

The search to confirm who Mary's father (John Livingston, road contractor) is continues! Who were his parents?

Is there any way I can request copies of Dorothy’s death certificate and the baptism/birth records for Mary and Duncan’s children?

I’m very curious about the group living on the farm of Donald Colquhouse (Colquhoun?) in 1841…and to figure out the relationships.

In 1861, Daniel (Donald) Livingston is listed with a 100 acre farm in Acharra when he is about 60…and now married. Where did this property come from? With how it is listed, would he be a tenant or now a land owner?

Do any land records in Scotland still exist for the late 1700s and 1800s that show who owned what land (in the Duror area)? From the 1841 and 1861 original census records, is it possible to actually identify where the households were on an old map? Any correlations would be interesting to explore.

At this time, I do not know any male Livingston’s from either of the lines of my Livingston(e) ancestors --- but if I ever meet any, I will certainly tell the about the Y DNA Test.

Thank you for sending the link to the map.

So many other thoughts on my mind, lol, but will sign off for now.

Best regards,

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

Re: Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquidale

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

Hi Sharon,

I am pretty certain that the Duror area had it's own church and minister. Rev. Donald Sinclair was the minister at the local church in the Duror area from 1846 till the time of his death in 1871 and apparently lived in church manse there. From what I could tell the Duror Church records at this time and earlier were recorded by the local minister in an old Duror Parish Church Register book and was not in the old register book of the Church on the Isle of Lismore. I think at some point later in the 1800's there was some sort of union between the Parishes of Lismore Appin and Duror and perhaps the is where the confusion lies. But it seems to me that these late 1700's and the 1800s' records of your Livingston kin whose resided in the Duror area were recorded by the ministers in Duror Parish in an old Duror Parish church register. Certainly Rev. Donald Sinclair who I assume in 1846 replaced an earlier Church of Scotland minister in Duror must had been the successor to an earlier minister who was the minister of the Duror Parish Church. So from what I could see from the Duror's ministers entries in the 1800s' of Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquodale's children's records that they were recorded by the minister of the church in Duror and in the old register books or books which he had in his possession at that time. I don't think the parish minister in neighbouring Lismore had anything to do what that despite what some info states in secondary sources that are out there. Looking at the original entries I think that was made clear to me.

If you want to look and original entries of the minister from the old Register book or books of Duror Parish your best bet is go to the Scotlands People website. You can access through their site the original entry pages of the old Duror Parish Register book which contain some of the children of your ancestor Mary Livingston and Duncan McCorquodale of Duror Parish and the two known older siblings of your ancestor Mary Livingston. You can easily access the original Scottish parish church records by purchasing either 30 or 40 credits and then when you have used up your credits you can purchase additional credits if need be.
You get access to the original record each one will cost you 6 credits to access and if you want you want them to send you a very sharp certified copy of a birth/baptism, Marriage or death record you are accessing online they offer that service as well. I have had a few Livingston records to sent to me from them over the years including my Livingston great-great-great grandparents 1812 marriage record. Anyways once you get set up and can log in into the site and try it out you will a better sense of how the Scotlands People website works. I have found it to be quite helpful over the years with my Argyllshire Livingston research. You have access to the old Church parish record books that have births some times baptisms and marriage record before 1855 and after 1855 and the later more detailed original birth, marriage and death records also available for easy access through the Scotlands People site mentioned below:

https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/search-our-records

There are two elderly John Livingstons residing in Duror Parish recorded in the 1841 Census
The oldest one is as mentioned a John Livingston born abt. 1766 a tailor by occupation residing at Ardnaclach with his son John Livingston born abt. 1806 also a tailor and his family. Yes I did speculate for a moment that this might be your ancestor but upon reflection I think that probably not the case unless your ancestor switched careers from Road Contractor to Tailor. Not impossible but my gut feeling is that the John Livingston the Tailor at Ardnaclach is not your ancestor and that Majory Livingston mentioned in the 1841 may be a widow by the time of the 1841 Census.

In addition to the John Livingston tailor born in 1766 and residing at Ardnaclach, Duror there is also a John Livingston b. abt. 1774 with his wife Mary b. abt. 1781 residing at Cuil, Duror parish according to the 1841 Census. These do not seem to be the parents of Dorothy, Donald or your ancestor Mary Livingston nor does this John Livingston seem to be the husband of Marjory Livingston who in 1841 interestingly enough is also censused at this time at a residence in Cuil, Duror with some relatives including her son Dr. Donald Livingston. My guess then is her husband John Livingston is deceased by the time of the 1841 Census and that neither of these elderly John Livingston's that are residing in Duror Parish at this time are in fact Marjory's husband John Livingston the Road Contractor.

Yes that is an interesting group all censused together at a farm apparently in Cuil, Duror if that location info is correct. Certainly we know some of those listed with Marjory Livingston are related - the others we can't at this point be certain. Maybe there was a family gathering the day the census taker in 1841 came by.

The only marriage record for a Donald Livingston that might be Mary's brother was one I noticed which took place in 1838 between a Donald Livingston of Duror and a Mary Livingston. I don't know however if that is the Donald Livingston brother of your Livingston ancestor. A wife of Donald Livingston does not appear in the 1841 or 1851 census and I only found her in the 1861 Census residing with Daniel (Donald) Livingston one of the larger farm situated at Acharra Duror where we know that your Duncan McCorquodale- Mary Livingston family was located in that area of Duror in the 1840's and 1850's. I don't have detailed information from the 1861 census record that indicates whether Daniel (Donald) Livingston of Acharra farm in 1861 was the proprietor or non proprietor. I would think he more than likely leased or rented the land from the one of the wealthy land owners in the area and hired some local tenants to help him maintain the farm and harvest the crops. It unusual in Western Argyllshire at this time for local people to lease or rent such a large piece of property so I am little surprised. I doubt very much that he purchased that large farm situated at Acharra in the mid 1800's, but I really don't know for certain what the deal was there. Virtually all of the Livingstons residing in Western Argyllshire in the mid 1800's and before that with the exception of Baron Livingstone at Bachuil, Lismore were tenants as far as I know. Land reform was a long time coming.

regards,

Donald
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