James W. Livingood

Somehow I missed this story earlier in the week, but even though it's late, I'd like to pay my respects. Dr. Livingood's history of Chattanooga was one of the first books I picked up when I arrived here in 1990 so I feel like he was the one who showed me around town. Also, we were looking for a house at the time and his home on Shallowford Road was one that we looked at -- the double lot featured a beautiful garden, so it made a lasting impression. It was the closest thing to an English garden that I'd seen in Chattanooga.

The coverage from the Times Free Press follows after the jump.

Dr. James Livingood

Dr. James W. Livingood, of Signal Mountain, passed away Sunday, April 3, 2005.

He was born July 5, 1910, in Birdsboro, Pa., to Howard and Minnie Livingood. Dr. Livingood spent his youth in southeastern Pennsylvania. He graduated from Gettysburg College in 1934 and received a Ph.D. in history in 1937 from Princeton University. He had been an instructor in history at Princeton University.

He was a faculty member at the University of Chattanooga from 1937 to 1975, serving as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1937-66 and dean of the university from 1966-69. Dr. Livingood a Guerry Professor of History, the highest award for faculty achievement at the university. He was a noted Civil War historian and author of many books and articles on local history. He was a member of Grace Episcopal Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Alma Lawshe Livingood.

Survivors include two sons, James W. Livingood Jr., Reston, Va., and Richard S. Livingood and wife Carolyn, Ooltewah; three grandsons, Eric, Brent and Kevin Livingood; and three great-grandsons.

Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Hamilton Memorial Gardens with the Rev. Brent Livingood officiating.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Alexian Village Chapel.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the East Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory & Florist, 404 S. Moore Road.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to your favorite charity.

Please share your thoughts and memories at www.mem.com.
(April 5, 2005 Tuesday)

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FREE PRESS EDITORIAL

Dr. James W. Livingood

If you wanted a quick answer about where Gen. So-and-so moved his troops in Chattanooga during the War Between the States, or where Chief Dragging Canoe fought early local settlers, or what the price per acre was a hundred years ago where Heritage Landing is today, for many years your quickest and most authoritative local historic resource might have been Dr. James W. Livingood, who died Sunday just a few months short of his 95th birthday.

Dr. Livingood was one of our community's most outstanding historians. He came to Chattanooga in 1937 as a professor of history at the University of Chattanooga, which he served outstandingly till his retirement in 1975. In addition to teaching, Dr. Livingood also served as dean of the university's College of Arts and Sciences from 1937 to 1966, and dean of the university from 1966 to 1969.

In addition to being a walking encyclopedia of local history, Dr. Livingood was the author of a number of books, sometimes with another local university historian, Gilbert Govan, with detailed accounts of the people, places and events of this area.

Dr. Livingood was born in Pennsylvania, was a graduate of Gettysburg University, earned his doctorate in history from Princeton University, and became an inspiring and leading educator and valuable resident of Chattanooga.

Many of his students and other Chattanoogans will long remember the inspiring stories he loved to tell of the Chattanooga country. And our society remains forever richer for the historic accounts he left us in his writings.
(April 6, 2005 Wednesday)

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Dr. Livingood recalled as educator, historian

Staff Report

Dr. James W. Livingood, a former University of Tennessee at Chattanooga administrator and avid local historian, died Sunday. He was 94.

"He loved this area, and he loved the people," said Henry Boyd, a friend and member of the Chattanooga Area Relic and Historical Association. "We are so fortunate to have had somebody like him come to Chattanooga and stay."

Dr. Livingood, a resident of Signal Mountain, grew up in Pennsylvania. He graduated from Gettysburg College in 1934, studied history and received a doctorate from Princeton University in 1937.

After teaching at Princeton, he became a University of Chattanooga faculty member. He taught for almost 40 years and served as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1937 until 1966.

After that, Dr. Livingood became the university's dean, or second in command, and held that title until 1969, according to Chuck Cantrell, UTC spokesman. Dr. Livingood also wrote the history of the university, a move than strengthened ties between UTC and the Scenic City, Mr. Cantrell said.

"He sort of put the face on history for our community," Mr. Cantrell said. "He was a pioneer."

The university named Dr. Livingood its Guerry Professor of History.

Dr. Livingood also was a Civil War historian who wrote many books and articles on local history, according to Mr. Boyd.

In his book, "Chattanooga: An Illustrated History," Dr. Livingood explores the city's roots and its geography.

On Tuesday, Mr. Boyd recalled Dr. Livingood's love of the countryside he lived in.

"We'd grab a sandwich and take a drive ... he loved to ride in the Sequatchie Valley," Mr. Boyd said. "We would talk history from the time we left his apartment until we got back."

The Rev. Brent Livingood will officiate Thursday at a 10 a.m. graveside service for Dr. Livingood at Hamilton Memorial Gardens. A 2 p.m. memorial service will follow at the Alexian Village Chapel.

(April 6, 2005 Wednesday)