Archibald Livingstone of Big Bras d'Or (1845-1913)

[sconant]

Hi everyone,

Can anyone please help me find an obituary for my g-g-grandfather, Archibald Livingstone, born ca. 1845 in Cape Breton, and died February 20, 1913 in North Sydney, CB. I think he's probably buried in the St James Cemetery on Boularderie, but I can't remember. Archie's wife was named Mary (MacPhail).

Thanks in advance for any help in finding this obituary.

Sean

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Sean,

Hope you are doing well. I was looking at some of our earlier discussions at this forum in the past regarding Archibald Livingston and his family including Roderick Livingston his father and that Livingston family of yours in Cape Breton. I had to refresh my memory a bit regarding Archibald Livingston son of Roderick Livingston of the Brad D'or Boularderie, Victoria County Cape Breton Livingstons connected to old Angus Livingston of Mull, Argyll, Scotland who settled in the Boularderie area in the early 1800's. I enjoyed the experience in the past learning about the family history of all of the Mull Argyll Scottish Livingstone's/Livingstons who settled in a number of areas of Cape Breton Island in the early 1800's including those of yours who settled in Bras d'or Victoria County.

I sense your having dificulties locating a 1913 obituary for your ancestor Archibald Livingston. Archibald Livingston of Victoria County, Cape Breton Island, according to his Victoria County, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia death record pg. 543 Archibald Livingston a married man and "Pilot" by profession died on February 20, 1913 age 67 a resident at the time at Big Bras D'or Victoria County, Cape Breton and the death information also states that he was buried in St. James Cemetery Big Bras D'Or.

I am unfortunately not an expert on early 20th century Cape Breton Newspapers either in the North Sydney over the Sydney area. I would assume that the first logical search for an obituary for Archibald Livingston in February of 1913 would be locating an early 20th century newspaper that existed at the time in North Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. The one that is mentioned in my search for that time period is the North Sydney Herald. The Nova Scotia Archives have some issues of this newspapers available on microfilm however I don't see any issues however for the year 1913 that you could check. I recommend that you contact an archivist at the Nova Scotia Archives regarding what may be a challenging Cape Breton obituary search and also get in touch with a researcher whose as some expertise with early twentieth century newspapers located nearest to your ancestors place of residence in Cape Breton.
This is a very specific document search you are undertaking focusing on a very specific locality in Nova Scotia so might be wise to try find someone with Cape Breton family research expertise with a familiarity with early twentieth century newspapers in your families area in Cape Breton. But first I would definitely contact the Nova Scotia Archives regarding your newspaper search and try to confirm through them whether there are any 1913 issues of the North Sydney Herald or any other newspaper that your Livingston family might put his obituary in. Here is the info of what issues the Nova Scotia Archives says it has. Unfortunately issues from the year 1913 do not seem to be in their collection.
https://archives.novascotia.ca/newspape ... ney&Year1=

You probably already have located Archibald's death record online if not you can easily locate and see his original 1913 death record it via the Nova Scotia Archives:
https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/

regards,

Donald Clink
Historian
Maclea Livingstone Society

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Sean,

Just the recap here is my earlier info on your Livingston ancestors which includes some info on your ancestor Archibald I assume named after his Father Roderick Livingston's brother Archibald.

Here is all of the census records on your Livingstons I found. 1871, 1881 1891 and 1901 have old Flora Llivingston widow of Roderick listed. I assume she died some year after the 1901 Census at Bras d'or. She is not recorded in the subsequent 1911 Census. After her husband's death in 1870 you can see that the eldest son Archie Livingston your ancestor became the head householder and took over the farming. I assume that Flora was born sometime between the years 1823 and 1825 and that the 1833 llsting in the 1901 Census is wrong.

1871 Census Boularderie, Victoria County
Deaths: Roderick Livingston Farmer and Pilot died December 1870 age 60 (death info at end page of census section)
Flora Livingston age 46 Widower b. abt. 1825?
Jessy age 25
Archy age 23
Christina age 17
Lachy age 14 (short for Laughlin I think)
Sarah age 12
Jessie ? age 8

1881 Census

Flora Livingston age 57 Farm Woman b. abt. 1824?
Archy age 27 Farmer
Lauchlan age 22
Sarah age 21
Jesse age 18


1891 Census
Archy Livingston age 46
Mary age 33 (wife)
Angus Rory age 7
Effie age 5
Jessie Florence age 3
Flora age 68 (mother of Angus) abt. 1823?
Lachlan age 35
Sara age 29

1901 Census Big Bras d'or Victoria District Cape Breton
Archie Livingston age 54
Mary Livingston age 41
Temmie? age 17 b. March 16, 1884 (I assume this is a nickname for Effie)
Jessie age 14 b. March 14, 1887
Maggie age 12 b. Sept 12, 1889
Lachlan age 8 June 3, 1895
Joanne age 6 June 3, 1895
Angus age 5 b. Dec. 5, 1896
Flora age 88 b. abt. 1833 ?

1911 Census Big Bras d'or Cape Breton North Victoria District
Archibald Livingston age 65
Mary age 63
Jessie F. age 23
Margaret age 21
Lachlan age 17
Johanna age 15
David age 14 ?

Archibald Livingston also a "Pilot" like his father, died Feb. 20, 1913 Big Bras D'or Victoria County, Cape Breton Buried in St. James Cemetery according to his death record. I think this is all that I had found regarding Archibald.

regards,

Donald