Dear Editor,

I would appreciate it if you would allow me to respond to Donna Terry’s letter to the editor published on April 24, 2008, in the Daily Iowegian.

There is no disputing the fact that Livingston Parker lived an incredible life of honesty and integrity along with all the other adjectives she used to describe him. And it is the plans of Historic Livingston Foundation, even from its beginning, to honor this man and his life. Historic Livingston Foundation also plans to honor the other citizens of the era of the founding of the community. With the erection of a one-room school, the Foundation plans to honor the rural schoolteachers who taught in Livingston and in Appanoose County. We believe that upon studying their lives, they have all been upstanding citizens deserving these honors.

I would, however, like to address some points made in her letter.

This church building has not been locked away from public use. The church is still under restoration. It has a hole in the rotted floor. Until the interior construction is completed on Phase III of the building, it would be a liability for any visitor to enter without being forewarned of the eminent danger. Our insurance requests the doors be locked. I am sure that after the Phase III construction is completed, anyone seeking to get into the building can contact me or any one of the Board members of Historic Livingston Foundation, and a time could be scheduled to allow them to visit the inside of the church.

We do not agree that the church is being shrouded. We believe the majestic beauty of the church has been restored on the exterior and soon will be on the interior . It stands a stalwart tribute to the honor of Livingston Parker and others who built the building and worshiped in it.

In the very beginning of Historic Livingston Foundation’s history, it was known that there was not an adequate legal description of the land. It had been that way for many years. There was also a dispute as to legal title of the land. So, HLF took the necessary steps to have questions of legal title and boundaries of the premises decided by a judge. The judge has set the boundaries and has found title in Historic Livingston Foundation. It was a necessary action in order to have the church lot considered for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. It is important to note the neighboring landowners were named in the lawsuit because of the need for the boundaries to be set by the judge. The trustees were named in the suit due to the dispute of title. The Livingston Cemetery Association inserted itself into the suit. The Association was not named in the original suit. There were members of the Association who had knowingly purchased burial spaces on disputed land and wanted to be part of the suit. So, it was admitted by the judge

Historic Livingston Foundation has worthwhile projects planned, which will honor generations who have gone before and educate those yet to come. It will be a place where students can visit and get a ‘feel’ of a late 1900s school and church. Perhaps a young bride will find the old church a place where she would like to exchange marriage vows with her groom. This will allow the life of Livingston and its founders to continue to grow in the lives of future generations.

Linda Ballanger

President, Historic

Livingston Foundation