Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario, Canada Born 1809 or 1815?
Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 4:04 pm
Hi all,
Was Hugh Livingston farmer of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario, Canada the Hugh Livingston born in 1809 in Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Argyll or later in the year 1815 a little farther north in Mull in Tobermory in Kilninian Parish. Was Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario the son of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Mull, Argyll or the son of John Livingston and Flora "Flory" McKinnon of Tobemory, Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll in Scotland? That is the question.
From time to time Livingston family history research results in the discovery of conflicting information and the question then becomes which information is correct and which is incorrect. Such is the case with a Mull, Argyll settler Hugh Livingston who according to his 1851 Canada West (Ontario, Canada) Census married 1844 according to the 1861 Canada West (Ontario, Canada Census), Margaret McQuarrie also of Mull, Argyll either shortly before they departed for Ontario, Canada or after their arrival in Canada. Their eldest child a daughter Flora (Flory) Livingston was according to the 1851 Census info born in Vaughn Township which in York County, Ontario shortly after their marriage. So clearly John Livingston and his wife Margaret McQuarrie arrived in Canada in 1844 or 1845 from Mull, Argyll, Scotland I suspect. Also according to the 1851 Census a second child a daughter Ann was also born a couple of years later also in Vaughn Township, York County, Ontario in 1846 or 1847.Then according to the 1851 Census probably shortly after the birth of second daughter Ann in 1847/1848 Hugh, his wife Margaret McQuarrie and their children then settled in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario where according to the 1851 a third child a boy Alexander was born abt. 1849/1850 in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario. Hugh Livingston and his wife Margaret McQuarrie remained in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario for the remainder of their lives.
There appears however to be two schools of thought regarding the birth year, parents and origins in Scotland of Hugh Livington of Mull, Argyll who located in the mid 1800's in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario researchers. It seems to boil down to whether Mull, Argyllshire farmer born 19th century setter and farmer Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County was born abt. 1809 or much later in 1815. The main source of a disagreement with the 1809 birth date for the Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County seems to be was that Hugh's death record in 1883 stated that he died in 1883 at the age of 68 and this is confirmed by his gravestone erected by his family which states also that he died in 1883 at the age of 68.
I then began to check out this Hugh Livingston's info in the Bentinck Township, Grey County, census records to see if it could me shed some light on whether or not our Livingston mystery man was more likely born in 1809 or in 1815. I quite often actually find errors by the census takers I assume regarding the correct age of the person censused in Census records and it appears to me that this occurs in almost all of the Hugh Livingston's census records. The end result as you will see below was that it did not offer any information to support the notion that he born in 1809 to parents Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish in Ross of Mull, Argyll, Scotland. Hugh's first Census in Canada the 1851 Census indicated recorded him as being 35 at the time the 1851 Census was conducted which would suggest he was born abt 1816 which is close to 1815, but the subsequent census records in 1861, 1871 and his final census of 1881 oddly enough all suggest that he was born about 1820 in Scotland which I think proves my point I have made in the past that the ages recorded in census records are frequently incorrect for one reason or another.
I include below the basic info regarding Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario in the census records regarding his age at time of Census.
1851 Canada West (Ontario) Census Bentinck Township, Grey County
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 35 born Scotland (estimated birth year from census info about 1816
1861 Canada West (Ontario) Census Bentinck Township, Grey County
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 40 born Scotland (estimated birth year from census info about 1821
1871 Ontario Census Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 50 born Scotland (estimated birth year from census info about 1821
1881 Ontario Census Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 60 born Scotland about 1821
As you can see the Bentinck Township, Grey County census record info for Hugh Livingston does not help to support the notion that Hugh Livingston farmer of Bentinck Township, Grey County was born in 1809 and is the son Hugh of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell born in 1809 in Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Argyll. The 1851 Census info records Hugh Livingston as being 35 in 1851 which would give him an approximate birth year very close to 1815 but the subsequent 1861, 1871 and 1881 census records oddly indicate that Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township was born much later around 1821 which I am quite certain is incorrect. It puzzles me why so often I encounter in family research over these many years Ontario census records with apparent inaccurate ages recorded in the census records. No doubt other family researchers out there find this frustrating.
It does however seem to me clear from the Census records of an Alexander, John and Duncan Livingston who settled also in Grey County, Ontario in mid 1800's that they that their Ontario records, gravestone info and their baptism records and marriage records from Kilfinichen Parish Ross of Mull, Scotland confirm I believe that they are the sons of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Argyll. Hugh Livingston husband of Margaret McQuarried who also settled in Grey County and ended up settling in Bentinck County however I have reason to believe was not Hugh Livingston born abt. 1809 the brother of Alexander, John and Duncan Livingston who also settled Grey County, Ontario in the mid 1800's.
I am more inclined however now to suspect that Hugh Livingston's 1883 death record and gravestone info suggests he was born much more likely in 1815 than in 1809 given that both state that Hugh Livingstone died on February 10, 1883 age 68 in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario. And the fact that these two sources were from info provided probably by the next of kin of Hugh in Grey County I would suspect the age given at time of death as 83 is correct that from once can deduce that his birth date was more likely 1815 than 1809. My assumption now is that Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario is most likely the Hugh Livingston recorded in the Mull Argyll Kilninian Parish, Church of Scotland Parish records who was born according to those records in 1815 in Tobermory, Mull, Argyll and baptized on February 7, 1815 the son of John Livingston and Flora (Flory) McKinnon of Tobemory, Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/664 ... ivingstone
I know that there has been in the past been some excellent research done in the 1990's on the family of Donald Livingstone and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Mull, Argyll some of whom settled in Grey County, Ontario, Canada in the mid 1800's, but going through the Ontario information regarding farmer Hugh Livingston husband of Margaret McQuarrie who settled in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario, I can find no Ontario records of this Hugh LIvingston that supports the notion that he was born in the year 1809. I think that Hugh Livingston's 1883 death record and his gravestone which both state that he was 68 years of age when he died on February 10, 1883 may be the most credible family indicator that he was in fact more likely born in the year 1815. If that is the case then I lean towards the notion that farmer Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario was born abt. 1815 and baptized on February 7, 1815 in Tobermory, Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll a son of John LIvingston and Flory Mckinnon. It also has been pointed out by those who suspect that John and Flory are the parents of this Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario, that Hugh and Margaret named their first child born about 1845 shortly after their marriage in 1844 and arrival in Canada, Flora or Flory which interestingly is the name of John Livingston's wife Flory "Flory" Mckinnon.
Hugh Livingston's Bentinck Township, Grey County death record info and gravestone information of 1883 indicates that he died on February 10, 1883 at the age of 68. The Kilninian Parish record recorded 1815 for Hugh Livingston son of John Livingston and Flora McKinnon born about 1815 in Tobermory is actually a baptism record and records his baptism in Kilninian Parish as February 7, 1815. Even if Hugh Livingston was born a few months before his baptism date in 1814 which is a possibility as the Kilininian Parish records only record his February 7, 1815 "baptism" date then it could also be possible that years later when Hugh Livingston died on February 10, 1883 at age 68 he was 68 in February of 1883 but if by chance born actually a little earlier in 1814 then he would have perhaps on his day of death in February 1883 would have "68" but later in 1883 turning 69. Both scenarios are possible given that only Hugh LIvingston's Kilninian Parish, Mull February 7, 1815 baptism info exists. Sometimes both the baptism and birth date included but not in the case of Hugh Livingston's 1815 Kilninian Parish Church of Scotland entry. Either way I think the matching info I assume submitted by the family and possibly the family Physician on the death record and Hugh's gravestone I think pretty much supports the notion that the John Livingston was born around 1815 in Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll to John Livingston and Flora Mckinnon rather than about 1809 in Kilfinichen Parish in Ross of Mull, Argyll to Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell. I realize that this does seem odd given that Alexander son of Donald Livingston and Cirty Campbelll of Kilfinichen Parish, Argyll is buried in the same Rocky Sagueen Pioneer Cemetery in Bentinck Township, Grey County as the above mentioned Hugh Livingston 1815-1883 and the prevailing understanding is that "4" sons of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull - Alexander Hugh, John and Duncan settled in the mid 1800s' in Grey County, Ontario.
regards,
Donald (Livingstone) Clink
Historian
Clan Maclea Livingstone Society
Was Hugh Livingston farmer of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario, Canada the Hugh Livingston born in 1809 in Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Argyll or later in the year 1815 a little farther north in Mull in Tobermory in Kilninian Parish. Was Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario the son of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Mull, Argyll or the son of John Livingston and Flora "Flory" McKinnon of Tobemory, Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll in Scotland? That is the question.
From time to time Livingston family history research results in the discovery of conflicting information and the question then becomes which information is correct and which is incorrect. Such is the case with a Mull, Argyll settler Hugh Livingston who according to his 1851 Canada West (Ontario, Canada) Census married 1844 according to the 1861 Canada West (Ontario, Canada Census), Margaret McQuarrie also of Mull, Argyll either shortly before they departed for Ontario, Canada or after their arrival in Canada. Their eldest child a daughter Flora (Flory) Livingston was according to the 1851 Census info born in Vaughn Township which in York County, Ontario shortly after their marriage. So clearly John Livingston and his wife Margaret McQuarrie arrived in Canada in 1844 or 1845 from Mull, Argyll, Scotland I suspect. Also according to the 1851 Census a second child a daughter Ann was also born a couple of years later also in Vaughn Township, York County, Ontario in 1846 or 1847.Then according to the 1851 Census probably shortly after the birth of second daughter Ann in 1847/1848 Hugh, his wife Margaret McQuarrie and their children then settled in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario where according to the 1851 a third child a boy Alexander was born abt. 1849/1850 in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario. Hugh Livingston and his wife Margaret McQuarrie remained in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario for the remainder of their lives.
There appears however to be two schools of thought regarding the birth year, parents and origins in Scotland of Hugh Livington of Mull, Argyll who located in the mid 1800's in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario researchers. It seems to boil down to whether Mull, Argyllshire farmer born 19th century setter and farmer Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County was born abt. 1809 or much later in 1815. The main source of a disagreement with the 1809 birth date for the Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County seems to be was that Hugh's death record in 1883 stated that he died in 1883 at the age of 68 and this is confirmed by his gravestone erected by his family which states also that he died in 1883 at the age of 68.
I then began to check out this Hugh Livingston's info in the Bentinck Township, Grey County, census records to see if it could me shed some light on whether or not our Livingston mystery man was more likely born in 1809 or in 1815. I quite often actually find errors by the census takers I assume regarding the correct age of the person censused in Census records and it appears to me that this occurs in almost all of the Hugh Livingston's census records. The end result as you will see below was that it did not offer any information to support the notion that he born in 1809 to parents Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish in Ross of Mull, Argyll, Scotland. Hugh's first Census in Canada the 1851 Census indicated recorded him as being 35 at the time the 1851 Census was conducted which would suggest he was born abt 1816 which is close to 1815, but the subsequent census records in 1861, 1871 and his final census of 1881 oddly enough all suggest that he was born about 1820 in Scotland which I think proves my point I have made in the past that the ages recorded in census records are frequently incorrect for one reason or another.
I include below the basic info regarding Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario in the census records regarding his age at time of Census.
1851 Canada West (Ontario) Census Bentinck Township, Grey County
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 35 born Scotland (estimated birth year from census info about 1816
1861 Canada West (Ontario) Census Bentinck Township, Grey County
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 40 born Scotland (estimated birth year from census info about 1821
1871 Ontario Census Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 50 born Scotland (estimated birth year from census info about 1821
1881 Ontario Census Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario
Hugh Livingston Farmer age 60 born Scotland about 1821
As you can see the Bentinck Township, Grey County census record info for Hugh Livingston does not help to support the notion that Hugh Livingston farmer of Bentinck Township, Grey County was born in 1809 and is the son Hugh of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell born in 1809 in Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Argyll. The 1851 Census info records Hugh Livingston as being 35 in 1851 which would give him an approximate birth year very close to 1815 but the subsequent 1861, 1871 and 1881 census records oddly indicate that Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township was born much later around 1821 which I am quite certain is incorrect. It puzzles me why so often I encounter in family research over these many years Ontario census records with apparent inaccurate ages recorded in the census records. No doubt other family researchers out there find this frustrating.
It does however seem to me clear from the Census records of an Alexander, John and Duncan Livingston who settled also in Grey County, Ontario in mid 1800's that they that their Ontario records, gravestone info and their baptism records and marriage records from Kilfinichen Parish Ross of Mull, Scotland confirm I believe that they are the sons of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Argyll. Hugh Livingston husband of Margaret McQuarried who also settled in Grey County and ended up settling in Bentinck County however I have reason to believe was not Hugh Livingston born abt. 1809 the brother of Alexander, John and Duncan Livingston who also settled Grey County, Ontario in the mid 1800's.
I am more inclined however now to suspect that Hugh Livingston's 1883 death record and gravestone info suggests he was born much more likely in 1815 than in 1809 given that both state that Hugh Livingstone died on February 10, 1883 age 68 in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario. And the fact that these two sources were from info provided probably by the next of kin of Hugh in Grey County I would suspect the age given at time of death as 83 is correct that from once can deduce that his birth date was more likely 1815 than 1809. My assumption now is that Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario is most likely the Hugh Livingston recorded in the Mull Argyll Kilninian Parish, Church of Scotland Parish records who was born according to those records in 1815 in Tobermory, Mull, Argyll and baptized on February 7, 1815 the son of John Livingston and Flora (Flory) McKinnon of Tobemory, Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/664 ... ivingstone
I know that there has been in the past been some excellent research done in the 1990's on the family of Donald Livingstone and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull, Mull, Argyll some of whom settled in Grey County, Ontario, Canada in the mid 1800's, but going through the Ontario information regarding farmer Hugh Livingston husband of Margaret McQuarrie who settled in Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario, I can find no Ontario records of this Hugh LIvingston that supports the notion that he was born in the year 1809. I think that Hugh Livingston's 1883 death record and his gravestone which both state that he was 68 years of age when he died on February 10, 1883 may be the most credible family indicator that he was in fact more likely born in the year 1815. If that is the case then I lean towards the notion that farmer Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario was born abt. 1815 and baptized on February 7, 1815 in Tobermory, Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll a son of John LIvingston and Flory Mckinnon. It also has been pointed out by those who suspect that John and Flory are the parents of this Hugh Livingston of Bentinck Township, Grey County, Ontario, that Hugh and Margaret named their first child born about 1845 shortly after their marriage in 1844 and arrival in Canada, Flora or Flory which interestingly is the name of John Livingston's wife Flory "Flory" Mckinnon.
Hugh Livingston's Bentinck Township, Grey County death record info and gravestone information of 1883 indicates that he died on February 10, 1883 at the age of 68. The Kilninian Parish record recorded 1815 for Hugh Livingston son of John Livingston and Flora McKinnon born about 1815 in Tobermory is actually a baptism record and records his baptism in Kilninian Parish as February 7, 1815. Even if Hugh Livingston was born a few months before his baptism date in 1814 which is a possibility as the Kilininian Parish records only record his February 7, 1815 "baptism" date then it could also be possible that years later when Hugh Livingston died on February 10, 1883 at age 68 he was 68 in February of 1883 but if by chance born actually a little earlier in 1814 then he would have perhaps on his day of death in February 1883 would have "68" but later in 1883 turning 69. Both scenarios are possible given that only Hugh LIvingston's Kilninian Parish, Mull February 7, 1815 baptism info exists. Sometimes both the baptism and birth date included but not in the case of Hugh Livingston's 1815 Kilninian Parish Church of Scotland entry. Either way I think the matching info I assume submitted by the family and possibly the family Physician on the death record and Hugh's gravestone I think pretty much supports the notion that the John Livingston was born around 1815 in Kilninian Parish, Mull, Argyll to John Livingston and Flora Mckinnon rather than about 1809 in Kilfinichen Parish in Ross of Mull, Argyll to Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell. I realize that this does seem odd given that Alexander son of Donald Livingston and Cirty Campbelll of Kilfinichen Parish, Argyll is buried in the same Rocky Sagueen Pioneer Cemetery in Bentinck Township, Grey County as the above mentioned Hugh Livingston 1815-1883 and the prevailing understanding is that "4" sons of Donald Livingston and Cirsty Campbell of Kilfinichen Parish, Ross of Mull - Alexander Hugh, John and Duncan settled in the mid 1800s' in Grey County, Ontario.
regards,
Donald (Livingstone) Clink
Historian
Clan Maclea Livingstone Society