St. John’s Episcopal Church is situated outside Ballachulish along the A82 road. The view to the east over Loch Leven towards Glencoe is breathtaking. This beautiful church was built in 1842. In the churchyard lie James and Sarah Livingston, a husband and wife who tragically succumbed to Spanish influenza on November 5. They passed away within hours of each other at 14 Foyers Road in Kinlochleven, at the ages of 38 and 36, respectively, leaving their young children orphaned.
James was born in July 1880 in the village of East Laroch, Ballachulish. He was the son of John, a slater quarrier, and Agnes (née Clark). James was the couple’s fourth child and third son.
Sarah Matheson was born in Glencoe in April 1882 to John, a shepherd, and Margaret, who was also known as ‘Maggie’ (née Cameron). She was their sixth child and third daughter.
James and Sarah spent their childhoods in the historic county of Argyll, alternating between the districts of Glencoe, Ballachulish, Lismore, and Appin. Their paths eventually crossed, sparking a relationship.
As expected, James found a job in the local aluminium industry in Kinlochleven.
James and Sarah were married on December 12, 1907, at the Lochleven Hotel in Ballachulish. The following year, on the 19th, their first child, John (also known as ‘Ian’), was born in Ballachulish. When the 1911 Census was taken, James and Sarah lived in Ballachulish with Sarah’s brother. Interestingly, John was not listed in the Census records, which suggests that he may have been living with extended family at that time.
Their daughter, Margaret, was born on November 2, 1914, in Kinlochleven, by which time they were residing in the property where they would spend the remainder of their lives.
The fate of John and Margaret after the tragic passing of their parents remains a mystery. Following their loss, it is possible that they were taken in by extended family members who offered them a familiar refuge. Alternatively, they might have been adopted by a new family, embarking on a different chapter in their lives, filled with both hope and uncertainty.
John lived in Kinlochleven when he passed away in 1965 at the age of fifty-two. He may have stayed in the area after the deaths of his parents or returned later. He was buried alongside his parents in St. John’s Churchyard. His wife, Mary, would join them three years later.
Sources: Ancestry, Find a Grave, Scotland’s People
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