Biographical Summary

"Mr Alexander Livingstone, second of Dunipace, seems to have been a man of considerable ability, and rose to a higher official position than any other member of the family. Choosing law as his profession, he was made Director of the Chancery in 1549, and an Extraordinary Lord of Session in 1550, when he took the title of Lord Dunipace. In the charter before alluded to - 14th April, 1525 - there is provision that in the event of failure of his own lawful descendants and those of his nephew, Alexander Livingstone of Bantaskine, his natural sons, who are named, and their descendants, are to succeed, whom failing, then Alexander, Lord Livingstone of Callendar. In 1552, he had confirmation of a charter under the Great Seal of the lands of Philde, Perthshire, and in this charter we get proof of his descent from the forfeited Alexander Livingstone of Philde, who is therein designed avus of the said Alexander Livingstone of Dunipace. Then, as now, people who lived an orderly, steady life, doing their duty in an honest, quiet way, had the reward of leaving no history behind them. If the Register of the Privy Council, or Pitcairn's Criminal Trials leave out a name out of their indices, a man may be said to have passed through life tolerably free from scathe. The Dunipace Livingstones have more than their fair share of space in these books, and while in them the antiquary or genealogist rejoices when he tracks down a brother-german, or some other link in a pedigree, not greatly taking to heart the offences which won the unfortunate individual an inglorious immortality, many, more immediately concerned, must often wish the names of their ancestors blotted out from these records. We gather that the Livingstones were a high-mettled race, of quick, fiery temper. Even the name of this respectable Lord of Session finds its way into Pitcairn's Criminal Trials - not as a judge! Under date 26th November, 1555, Mr Alexander Livingstone of Dunipace, found William, Lord Livingstone, as surety for him to underly the law for art and part of the mutilation of the laird of Craigengelt and his son, of their left arms, within the Burgh of Stirling. We shall require frequently to these books in treating of other members of the family...

...Lord Dunipace married, before 1525, Margaret Hepburn, daughter of Sir Adam Hepburn of Crags (or Craggis), second son of Adam, Master of Hailes. By her he had, besides other children, a son, James, who died circa 1531, without issue, John, who succeeded him, and Thomas. In 1560, Lord Dunipace attended the Convention of Estates as one of the lessor barons. He supported the Reformation, but died in November of this year."

SOURCE: Lands and lairds of Larbert and Dunipace parishes, published 1908, page 90