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John Blair Stevenson
(1850-1927)
John Blair Stevenson
was born about August 1850 in Clackmannan, and died
on the 9th January 1927 at Hillwood, Glenfarg. He married Catherine Robertson on
4 April 1878 in Milton of Forteviot, daughter of James Robertson and Isabella
Bogie.
She was born 3 June 1853 in Pathstruie, Edderton, and died 9th December 1919 at
Hillwood, Glenfarg. John was buried on the 12th January 1927, Lair 47, Arngask
Cemetery, Glenfarg and his wife is in the same plot but no date for her burial.
John lived at Park Farm in 1851 and then Broad Street, Alloa in 1861 with his
parents. In 1881 he was a visitor at 11 Abercromby Place, Stirling. Between 1878
and 1881 he was a Timber Merchant & Farmer of 20 Acres. In 1878 he was at Green
of Invermay, Forteviot, then in 1911 he was at Pitillock, Glenfarg, Perthshire.
On 21st March 2005, the following entries in the Perth sasines were found.
It was from these entries that it was discovered that there were two
children:
James Robert Stevenson
was born 25 August 1878 at Milton, Forteviot, Perthshire
and died 02 March 1969 at Bridge of Earn Hospital. A niece signed his death
certificate; she must be from his mother's side of the family.
Jane Maria Isabella Stevenson was born
16 July 1881at Milton of Forteviot.
She died 26 May 1961 at Hillwood, Glenfarg. She had been a piano teacher all
her life.
Neither of the
above ever married which ends this line.
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Perth
Sasines 1915
November 4th-November
29th 1915
10-10-30
Disposition by Ada
Grace Pentecost or Nicholson, widow, residing at Hillwood, Glenfarg
(formerly residing at Elm Cottage, Corstorphine) with consent of John
Blair Stevenson, farmer, Pitillock, Glenfarg, to Catherine Robertson or
Stevenson, wife of John Blair Stevenson, of ⅛acre of ground with
semi-detached villa thereon, in village of Glenfarg, bound by Great North
Road to east, being part of the town of Arngask in Parish of Arngask.
Dated October 15th
1915 with warrant of Reg. on behalf of Catherine Robertson or Stevenson.
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Perth
Sasines 1921
3-
No1 Jane 1921
10-1030
Disposition by James Robert Stevenson, residing at Hillwood,
Glenfarg, Clerk with Hay and Co. Ltd., auctioneers,
Perth
; with consent of his father John Blair Stevenson, resding at Hillwood, Gelnfarg
– to said James Robert Stevenson and his sister Jane Maria Isabella Stevenson
equally of ⅛acre of ground with smei-detached villa in Parish of Arngask.
Dated December 2nd 1920 with warrant of Reg, on
behalf of James Robert Stevenson and Jane Maria Isabella Stevenson.
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Perth
Sasines 1921
4 No2
January 1921 10-1030
Disposition by James Robert Stevenson residing at Hillwood,
Glenfarg, Clerk with Hay and Co. Ltd., auctioneers,
Perth
; with consent of his father John Blair Stevenson, resding at Hillwood, Gelnfarg
– to said James Robert Stevenson and his sister Jane Maria Isabella Stevenson
equally – double villa,
Dunkeld Road
,
Perth
Dated December 2nd 1920.
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Perth
sassines 1923
1357 Novemebr
8th 1923
Bond for £400 by James Robert Stevenson and Jane Maria
Isabella Stevenson both residing Hillwood, Glenfarg and disponed in security by
them with consent of John Blair Stevenson, resdigin there – to Maria Johnston
or Reid, widow, residing at Thomadean near Milnathort, of piece of ground with
southmost half of double villa at Dunkeld Road, Perth, Ballatine Place and
⅛acre of ground with semi detached villa called Hillwood at Arngask, to
Alexander Craw.
Dated November 3rd 1923.
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Perth
sassines 1932
771 August
10th 1932
Discharge by Maria Johnston or Reid, widow, Thomanean Near
Milnathort, of bond for £400 by James Robert Stevenson and Jane Maria Isabella
Stevenson of Hillwood, Glenfarg, piece of ground on
Dunkled Road
,
Perth
and ⅛ acre of ground and Villa called Hillwood in
village
of
Glenfarg
.
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After finding this information James and his mother were
established on the 1881 census, the father is a visitor at Stirling with his
father at the time.
| 1881 Census - Milton House, Forteviot,
Perthshire |
|
Name |
Relationship |
Marr Cond. |
Age |
Occupation |
Place of
birth |
|
James Robertson
|
Head
|
Widower
|
62
|
Retired Farmer
|
Forteviot, Perth
|
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Catherine Robertson
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Dau
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Marr
|
27
|
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Dunning, Perth,
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James R Stephenson
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grandson
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2
|
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Forteviot, Perth
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Grace McDonald
|
servant
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Unmarr
|
18
|
Domestic Serv
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Rothie Murchus, Inverness |
It is now apparent why John Blair Stevenson's
wife could not be found before, she is listed as Catherine Robertson. I had no
idea what any children would be called and it was only by finding this son that
Catherine could be found in 1881.
On the 1891 census the family have been
located at
| 1891 Census -Farmhouse,
Rossiebarns, Forgandenny, Perthshire. 353/En Dist 2 page 2 |
|
Name |
Relationship |
Marr Cond. |
Age |
Occupation |
Place of
birth |
|
James Robertson
|
Head
|
Widower
|
73 |
Farmer
|
Forteviot, Perth
|
| John B Stephenson |
Son-in-law |
marr |
39 |
Farmer |
Park, Clackmannanshire |
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Catherine Robertson
|
Dau
|
Marr
|
37 |
Wife of Farmer |
Dunning, Perth,
|
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James R Stephenson
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grandson
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12
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Forteviot, Perth
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Jane M I
Stephenson |
grand
daughter |
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9 |
|
Forteviot, Perth
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Mary Losh |
servant
|
Unmarr
|
20 |
Domestic Serv
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Panbride,
Aberdeenshire |
The family were not here in 1901 nor at
Pitillock Farm. However, the resident farmer had his mother-in-law living with
him and she was a Mary Bogie who must have been Catherine's aunt.
A Mystery Tour
One lovely day last year (2004) we took a
trip to try and find out more about JB and his family. We found the farm and
spoke to the people who now own it as well as having permission to take a
photograph. They told us who to ask about previous owners. We found these
two shepherds up to their neck in blood and muck - they were injecting
sheep. They told us where we might find Stevenson's who had been at
Pitillock farm and they were now the other side of the county.
We found the farm and the people who had
been at Pitillock, unfortunately they were Stevenson's originally from
Ireland and no connection. However, the father knew a man who had worked at
Pitillock and called him up. The son took us to meet this man and introduced
us. I explained who we were looking for and he knew exactly who we meant. He
told us there had been a son and daughter both of whom had never married.
The daughter used to teach paino.
With this information we knew that the
family had not left the area and from this we had a day looking through the
sasines which led to the information about Hillview. This then gave us a
narrower field in which to look for death records. By figuring out when
Hillview was made over to the two children, we knew when John B Stevenson
was last known to be alive and also with his children. The records were
found straight away but John Blair was under Stephenson, which he appears to
have kept up although the children were both registered as Stevenson.
It has now occurred to me that we should,
perhaps, follow up on the niece who signed JB's death certificate as
somebody may just have a photograph or two.
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