In Levingston territory

On my first morning in Bunclody in search of information about the Levingstons, I woke to a gorgeous sunrise over the fertile rolling hills of the land where the ancestors have farmed for generations. My evening exploration took me along part of the spiritual Colombian Way walked by the sixth century monk St Columbanus and many pilgrims since. Accidentally, making a short deviation off the trail down a narrow lane I arrived at a very old but inhabited farmhouse so I quickly retraced my steps back to the main trail. Now my Air b&b host tells me that that house is the original farmhouse of the Livingstons (now Levingstones) who came from Scotland in the mid 1700s. What are the chances that I would be led there? That would be a very big coincidence if there was such a thing as coincidences!

Newtownbarry (Bunclody) sunrise

Our great grandmother Alice Levingston was born on the 11th of January in 1821 in Carnew, Wicklow.  She was one of 10 children born to John Levingston (born 1772, Newtownbarry), and Jane Byrne  or Berne(born 1793, Carnew, Wexford, died 7 July 1865 still in Carnew, Wexford).  

We think this is Jane Byrne

Alice and Bartholomew Cooke, both Methodists, married in Dublin in 1860 and thus introduced the Levingston DNA into our ancestral line through their son, our grandfather,William Levingston Cooke. 

Alice Levingston

Frank Livingston compiled a family tree tracing the Levingston/Livingstons all the way back to John and William Livingston who came to this area from Livingston village in Scotland (see my blog entry September 1st). 

Frank Livingston divided the family into 5 branches all descended from these first 2 with the help of the genealogical library of the Mormon church. Over the years the spelling of Livingston/Levingston became like a postcode. As far as we know those who went to North America use Livingston and those who stayed in Ireland use the Levingston version.

Originally all 5 families lived within 20 miles of each other in this area of Wexford/Wicklow where I am now visiting. There were many intermarriages and all the older generations were buried in one of three locations; Carnew, Castlemacadam or Newtownbarry. Although some of the tombstones probably still exist, I haven't been able to find any although I did find more recent Levingston and Byrne burials in the Church of Ireland cemetery in Carnew. 

According to Frank Livingston's research our family line known as the Carnew line, is descended from John Livingston (1754-1828) and Eleanor Brady (1752-1833) the grandparents of the famous Samuel Livingston who's contribution to the settlement of Calgary is recognised with a large bust in the Calgary airport. 

Sam Livingston in the Calgary airport

A brimful of Celtic fire


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bartholomew Cooke

Image
Bartholomew Cooke, son of William and Bridget Cooke, was born in Cork in 1818. He had one sister, Eliza. His first marriage was to Eliza Eccles who died June 28 1847 aged 22, when their daughter Anna Christina born August 1, 1847, was just over a year old. We were very fortunate to meet one of her descendants earlier this week; Patricia Sargent who still lives here in Cork. She makes amazing delicious rocky-road style chocolate squares! Bartholomew married Sarah Jane Kiely Connor in 1850 (no children recorded).  She died in 1856 aged 34. When he was 42 years old he married our great grandmother Alice Levingston and they had one son together, William Levingston Cooke born 13 July 1865 in Cork.  Bartholomew was a successful businessman but lost all his savings in the Munster bank crash. However he must have partially recovered financially by the time he died as his will held in the record Office, Dublin gives the value of his estate at 3064 pounds which would be worth about half a millio
Read more

The Hook peninsula , Wexford

Image
For the next week I will be  staying in the Wexford/Wicklow area researching the Levingston ancestors, who descended from the McDougall clan of Scotland.  Today I drove out around the beautiful Hook peninsula.  Ireland is so physically gorgeous and the history so interesting! I can't help but be in awe of the skill and expertise, not to mention the determination and perseverance, that went into the building of structures like Tintern Abbey and the Hook lighthouse in the Middle Ages. And that they were treasured and maintained by generations since.. This medieval lighthouse built in the early thirteenth century to help sailing ships safely navigate the dangerous Wexford coastline, is one of the oldest operational lighthouses in the world. It is 4 stories high and the walls are up to 4 metres thick. It's believed that before it was built the monks of St Dubhan had kept a fire burning to warn ships. The lighthouse was commissioned by William Marshall, Lord of Leinster. (More about
Read more

St Mary's: Blessing the journey

Image
On my first morning in Ross On Wye  I was u p at dawn with no sign of jet lag! I wandered around this beautiful historic town Ross-on Wye which I am exploring  for a few days.While I was admiring the exterior of the 13th century church overlooking town, an elderly well-dressed gentleman who i think was a priest came out to greet me through the rather incongruous self- opening electronic double doors. He pointed excitedly up at the ancient bell tower saying "Look ,what can you see?"  I was able to (thanks to the efforts of my eye surgeon) spot a fluff of feathers high up on the edge of  the belfry which he proudly told me belong to a juvenile harrier which he hopes has come back to stay.  He then invited me to explore the interior of the magnificent church. It was pretty special because he left me to have it all to myself for my own personal  communion, and to receive a blessing for my journey. As the first of the congregation began arriving for 8am mass, I slipped out and awa
Read more