“Attorney Nelson W Evans received a telegram Wednesday morning notifying him of the death of Attorney Duncan Livingstone, his former law partner, which occurred at the Athens hospital this morning at 3 o’clock, following a confinement in the institution for the past five years.”
“It had been known for some time that the aged barrister was approaching death, and the news of the dissolution did not create any great surprise.”
“Attorney Livingston was at one time one of Portsmouth’s leading lawyers, and his fame and ability spread throughout the state. He was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him, and much sincere regret was expressed when five years ago, his strong legal mind gave way and was necessary to commit him to the hospital at Athens. While he at various times had shown flashes of his former self, yet he was never able to properly assimilate his thoughts, and was in a hopeless state of mind when called home.”
“So far as known he has no near relatives living. Distant kinfolks reside at Ironton, Hamden and some parts of Indiana.”
“Concerning the life of Duncan Livingston, NW Evans’ History of Scioto County gives the following facts: ‘He was born on January 22, 1850, at Clinton Furnace, this county. His parents, Angus Livingstone and Mrs. Margaret Livingstone, were born in Scotland, but came to this country when quite young, being married in New York City in 1849. They came from New York to Cleveland and from there to Junior Furnace, where they located in 1845. In 1848 they moved to Clinton Furnace in Vernon Township, and in 1853 located on Dogwood Ridge.'”
“‘Duncan Livingstone obtained his early education in the schools of Wheelersburg from 1855 to 1868. From 1868 to 1871 he was a farmer. He came to Portsmouth July 31, 1871, and entered and the law office of the late Martin Crane as a student. On October 1, 1871, he changed his preceptor from Martin Crane to Nelson W Evans, at the request of the latter and with the consent of his first preceptor. He was admitted to the bar December 2, 1873, by the supreme court of Ohio. He remained with his preceptor, practicing law till June 1, 1876, then practice alone until 1885, when he returned to Nelson W Evans’s office, where he remained until his strong mind was unhinged and he was admitted to the Athens hospital.'”
“‘He was city solicitor of Portsmouth from 1875 to 1877 elected by the Democrats, and never held any other public office. He was a Democrat until 1885, when he became a Republican.'”
“‘In the summer of 1899 he visited the land of his forefathers, remaining there for three months, and while abroad also visited Ireland. On the maternal side direct he was great grandnephew of Ewen MacLachlan the celebrated Gaelic poet and scholar.'”
Though born and raised in a non-Gaelic speaking community, he became a master of that language and took great delight in the language and literature of the mountain tongue. He is one of the first lawyers at the Portsmouth bar, and his advice and counsel in law matters were regarded as the best. He was never married. He had a wonderful faculty of making friends wherever he was known, and did it without effort on his part.”
“The funeral of the late Duncan Livingston will be held Friday, the 25th day of March, at 4 PM, at the Chapel in Greenlawn Cemetery. The members of the bar and his former friends are invited to attend without further noticed.”1
Certificate of Death for Duncan Livingstone2
- D. Livingstone Died At Athens Hospital. (1910, March 23). Portsmouth Daily Times, p. 12.
- “Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6Q8Q-X2P?cc=1307272&wc=MD96-568%3A287602601%2C293095001 : 21 May 2014), 1910 > 10301-12810 > image 1788 of 3040.
