John Stevenson

(1793-1867)

This story has now become a bit disjointed. It will be re-organised at a later date!

John Stevenson was born at Port Glasgow, 1^st  June, 1793. He died 30th December 1867 in St Sylvester, Megantic, Quebec, Canada.

His Father bought a farm for him in British America. This is now known to be at Saint Sylvester, Quebec, Canada. His father added a codicil to his will on the 6th August 1824 stating then, that he had purchased a farm there for his son John. This means that John would be in Canada around 1824. Another document stated that he went to Canada in 1838 but he could well have been there already and returned home. He had to return after his father's death in 1839 so, perhaps he went back a forward relatively often. He was back in Clackmannan and living at Park after his fathers death and before the death of his mother. It now seems that he eventually returned to Canada. Although he inherited Park Farm, it was disponed by him to his younger brother Robert. There were also some properties in Clackmannan which William had acquired in 1820 and these were being re-allocated around 1840. Was John getting rid of these in order that he need not return to Scotland? That now seems likely.

There is a mystery to be solved regarding John and a son! Click here for more.

(the tune is - The Happy Farmer)

Some of William's Property

William had acquired quite a few properties some of which his eldest son John inherited. He seems to have been 'sorting out' which of his brothers should have various different 'lots'. Some of these are noted below.

William had a tenement of houses with the yard at the back on the north side of the town of Clackmannan. The properties had been disponed by James Lindsay, Shipmaster, Loanhead, Geo. Lindsay, Blacksmith there, Isobel Lindsay and James Kettles, Labourer, Alloa, her husband, Mary Lindsay and James Bryce, Maltman, Cannonmills, her husband, Janet Lindsay and John Smith, Blacksmith, Bainsford, her husband and Helen Lindsay, to William on 2nd-11th November 1820. The Lindsay family might have been loaned money and put the tenement up as collateral or may have sold it to William, the former being the more usual business practise of William. Whatever happened, William owned the tenement and it fell to John upon his death. John then passed it over to Robert on 1st October 1840.

Another house and yard on the north side of the street passing to the tower of Clackmannan was disponed by James Cousine, feuar, Clackmannan to William Stevenson on the 20th June 1820, it also came into the possession of John and then transferred to Robert 20th May 1840.

As John also handed over Park farm to Robert, which certainly looks as if he had no intentions of returning from Canada.

John was actually in St Sylvestré, Quebec, Canada. He married Isabella McCutcheon 5th August 1828 at St Andrew's Church, City of Quebec, daughter of John McCutcheon. She was born about 1793 in Ireland.

A legal document has come to light. It seems that the remaining children and grandchildren of William were disagreeing over the contents of William's Will around 1848. This document lists the surviving children and there whereabouts. It also mentions that John was at St Sylvester, Lower Canada, now Quebec. Another legal document states that Margaret was the only legitimate child. Perhaps Robert was adopted. It would also be interesting to see who inherited the farm!

The family information (and this has yet to be verified) thus far is as follows:-

From Information on the 1851 census in  St Sylvester, Megantic, Quebec, Canada, John Stevenson married Isabella. John is listed as a farmer. John is still there in 1861 and is 68. His wife is listed as Isabel and is 69. His children are also there in 1861. They are not there in 1871 and the father is certainly deceased by then.

Margaret Stevenson, was born about 1829.

Census: 1851, St Sylvestré, Quebec, Canada

Occupation: 1851, Dress Maker

Family Tree

1851 Census, District No 12, St. Sylvester.

The emigration record, listed in Edinburgh, for John is 1838. Margaret was born in Canada about 1829. As John was married in Canada in 1828, he must have gone there about 1824, and returned in 1838 perhaps due to his father being ill? He probably remained until after his father's death and was with his step mother at Park Farm in 1841. He is then back in Canada in 1851.

Below is the Agrarian Census for St Sylvester which shows John Stevenson who was first on the list. It shows exactly what he was farming and how much.

(Agrarian - relating to lands, their management and distribution)

1851 Agrarian Census, District No 12 Parish of St Sylvester, Lotbinière
Name of Occupant	Range or Concession	Lot Entry or portion of lot.	Number of survey of land						Corn		Barley		Rye
			Occupied by the family or person	In Culture	Amount in harvest before 1851	In Pasturage in 1851	Garden & Orchard	Wood in culture	ACRES	Produce or	ACRES	Produce or	ACRES	Produce or
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.	8.	9.	10.	11.	12.	13.	14.	15.
John Stevenson	10	2	200	50	25	25		150	7	84	"	"	"	"

1861 Census, District No 1, St. Sylvester, County of Lotbinière

The type of house they lived in is listed as 'log'.

Name	Occupation	Place of Birth	Religion	Age at Next Birthday
John Stevenson	Farmer	Scotland	Presbyterian	67
Isabella		Ireland	Presbyterian	68
Robert McCutcheon		L. C. R. ?	Presbyterian	26
Margaret Wilson		L. C. R.?	Presbyterian	19

No occupation was given for either Robert or Margaret. It is interesting that John's wife is now down as Isabella and born in Ireland. The surname of Elizabeth was McCutcheon. Elizabeth and Isabella are the same person. Both Robert and Margaret are listed as family members but it does not state if they were son and daughter etc. The ages are not those expected from previous census. It might be assumed that 'McCutcheon' and 'Wilson' are middle names. Although Robert appears as 'McPherson' elsewhere, it perhaps, should be McCutcheon. Margaret Stevenson was married in 1853 and therefore would be Margaret Scott. Margaret Wilson is a relative. Click here to see where she fits in.

1861 Agrarian Census, District No 1 Parish of St Sylvester, Lotbinière
Name of Occupant	Range or Concession	Lot Entry or portion of lot.	Number of survey of land						Value of land in dollars	Value of implements & machines
			Occupied by the family or person	In Culture	Amount in harvest before 1860	In Pasturage in 1861	Garden & Orchard	Wood in culture
1.	2.	3.	4.	5.	6.	7.	8.	9.	10.	11.
John Stevenson	St Andrew's	14.20 ½	220	60	40	19½	½	160	$2000	84

Autumn Blue		Spring Blue		Barley		Rye		Peas		Oats
ACRES	Produce	ACRES	Produce	ACRES	Produce	ACRES	Produce	ACRES	Produce	ACRES	Produce
12.	13.	14.	15.	16.	17.	18.	19.	20.	21.	22.	23.
5	80	18	500	4	65	"	"	5	80	18	500

The above agricultural census shows exactly what John was growing and he seems to have extended his farm since the last.

I would like to thank Roch Pilot, a researcher in Quebec, Canada for finding the census information.