Background
He was born in East Kilbride, Scotland in 1838, the son of a weaver.
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James Livingston
Edit ProfileCareer
He represented Waterloo South in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1879 to 1882 and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1882 to 1900 as a Liberal member. He worked at weaving as a youth and then came to Perth County, Canada West in 1856. A year later, Livingston moved to Conestogo in Waterloo County where he worked for flax growers, soon afterwards becoming manager.
The company expanded into the production of linseed oil at Baden, also opening a foundry and general store.
The business steadily expanded due to Livingston"s shrewd business sense, and quickly acquired holdings in the Western Canada as well as Michigan. He served as reeve for Wilmot Township from 1878 to 1879.
In 1879, he was elected to the Ontario assembly but resigned his seat in 1882 to run for a seat in the federal parliament. He died in Kitchener at the age of 81.
Livingston"s former residence, Castle Kilbride, has been designated a Canadian National Historic Site.
John Peter (Justice of the Peace), one of James" sons, succeeded his father as head of the Livingston empire. He acquired the famed home, "Castle Kilbride", upon James" death in 1915. Laura Louise married Harris Veitch, who together had three children.
By the fifth decade of the twentieth century, the flax industry had begun a decline, and so too did the Livingston empire.
Laura Louise and Harris were forced to sell the home by 1986, and auctioned off the home"s furnishings in 1988. Unfortunately "Castle Kilbride" sat vacant for number of years until the Township of Wilmot purchased it and resorted it to its original Victorian Era beauty.
The Livingston home remains "the jewel of Wilmot Township".
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Born
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Died
April 15, 1920 (aged 81) -
Nationality
Canada -
Political Party
Liberal Party of Canada