James Livingston, one of the substantial farmers of Valley Township, is descended from an old American family of scotch descent. His great-grandfather came from Scotland and settled in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and afterward moved to Mercer County, same State. William Livingston, his son and the grandfather of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania, and was married to Margaret Mathews. They are the parents of seven children: Mary, Margaret, James, David, Hugh, Marshall and William. The father was a farmer near Wilmington, Pennsylvania, and lived to the age of eighty-six years; he was a member of the United Presbyterian Church.

Hugh Livingston, the father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania in 1811, and was a cabinet maker by trade, which business he followed in his native State until 1853. He was married, in Mercer County, to Elizabeth Smith, daughter of Richard and Phoebe (Woodhouse) Smith. The father was born in Stonebridge, England, and was the father of ten children. To Mr. and Mrs. Livingston were also born ten children, viz.: Mary, Phoebe, Margaret, Elizabeth, Zilpah, James, Milton, Charles, Dewitt C. and Wm. W. The father followed his trade in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, until 1850, when he removed to Rock Island, Illinois, and remained three years. In 1853 he moved to Scott County, Iowa, where he was among the early pioneers. He remained there about three years, and in 1856 returned to Rock Island, Illinois, and bought a farm, remaining three years. He sold this place, and in 1876 came to Pottawattamie County, settling in James Township, where he died in 1885. He and his wife were both members of the Presbyterian Church.

James Livingston, the subject of this sketch, was born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, May 27, 1839, and was reared to the life of a farmer. August 13, 1862, at the age of twenty-three, he enlisted in Company C, Second Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, and was in the battles of Coffeeville, Mississippi, Salinsburg, Colliersville, Tupelo, in the destruction of the railroad at Oxford, Mississippi, on the Grierson raid through Mississippi, and at the battle of Nashville, Tennessee. He first served eighteen months, and then re-enlisted in the same company and regiment, and served as a veteran for twenty months, making altogether thirty-eight months, and was neither wounded nor in the hospital. He was mustered out at Davenport, Iowa, October 4, 1865, and was honorably discharged at Selma, Alabama.

After the war Mr. Livingston settled on a farm in Rock Island County, Illinois, where he lived one year, when he came to Scott County, Iowa, where he lived until March, 1868. In that year he came to Pottawattamie County and settled on his present farm of eighty acres of wild land. He has since converted this into a fine, fertile farm, to which he has added until he now owns 133 acres.

He has taken an active interest in the cause of education, and was instrumental in the building of the first school house in this part of the township, and was also School Director. He has filled this office many times since, and is now a member of the U. S. Grant Post, No. 123, Avoca, Iowa. Mr. Livingston stands deservedly high in his county as an honorable and upright citizen, and as a man of sterling worth.

He was married in Scott County, Iowa, to Emily Dulin, daughter of James and Almira (Danforth) Dulin. The father was born in Virginia, in 1812, and was a farmer by occupation. His father, John Dulin, an Irishman by birth, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and died in Virginia. Mr. Dulin went to Ohio when a young man, and in 1843 settled in Scott County, Iowa, where he was one of the early pioneers. He was a substantial farmer, and lived to the age of seventy-one years. His wife was born in 1812, and died at the age of seventy-three years. They were the parents of nine children: Thomas, Bushrod, James, Alfred, Eleazer, Emily, Clara, Elizabeth and John. Mrs. Dulin was a member of the Christian Church. Mr. Dulin was a hard-working man, and well known to all the old settlers.

To Mr. and Mrs. Livingston have been born six children: Hugh, James, Joseph, Bessie, Emma M. and Katie. James was married to Clara McMasters, and they have one child, Hugh. He is now a butcher at Hancock.