The Clan McLea/Livingstone Forum

Hi Karen,  I would suspect that James Livingston of Kinderhook is descended from the Lowland Livingstons that became well established land owners and in the government of colonial New York in both old Dutchess and Albany Counties. Kinderhook was at one time a part of old ALbany County before the American Revolution.I am descended from the highland Maclea/Livingstones on my father's side, but on my MOm's side of the family her great-great-great grandfather was a William Livingston b. in the 1780's of New York State who settled in Upper Canada by about 1832. We that he and his son-in-law Peter Morey who also came up to Upper Canada were born in Albany or Dutchess COunty, NY. I had not done any research linking William to the prominent New York State Livingstons, but have noticed that there is some good histories out there on this New York State Livingston family and their early origins. More than likely there are some well researched family trees for their connected kin in the DUtchess, ALbany, Green and Columbia County areas where I suspect many were in the 1700's and 1800's, but as I said I have got into this area of my family research. My focus has been on my highland Livingstone connection most recently.  I can tell you that there are Livingston-McLea kin involved in DNA research and that includes "all" Livingstons both highland and lowland and other families which may have a connection to the highland McLea/Livingstones in our distant past. My understanding is that they are looking for persons descended from the "male line" of Livingstons for DNA. My connection to the highland Livingstones is through a daughter of Miles Livingstone a native of Morvern. I am not involved in this DNA project, but there are others such as Andrew Lancaster and Kyle McLea who are familiar with the Livingstone DNA project and interested in locating Livingstons for this research.   regards