William Stevenson

Innkeeper at Cumbernauld

William is always referred to as an Innkeeper at Cumbernauld even though he had previously been a vinter at Port Glasgow and moved to Park where he spent the rest of his life as a farmer. From these clues a picture of the man and his family life have been established.

Grave Stone at Clackmannan Churchyard

William died 27^th July 1839 at his home, Park Farm, Clackmannan and was buried in the Churchyard at Clackmannan on 2^nd August 1839. This photograph is of the family grave stone mounted onto the wall by the front entrance to the Churchyard. The flat stone on the ground appears not to have any markings and could belong to some other family. A 'close-up' picture is in the Photo Album Section.

William was 74 when he died which is where a chronology can begin.

The only birth record which seems to match is for a William Stevenson, baptised  25 August 1765 at Dunlop in Ayrshire. This would make him 73 years, 11 months and two days old at the time of his death. Taking into account that he may well have been born a month or so before his baptism, then this could be his place of birth. His parents would have been John Stevenson and Agnes Cochran. A separate page for this couple will be added as it can only be a 'best guess' for them at this time.

I have recently found a couple who just might turn out to be the correct parents.

John was a Vintner in Port Glasgow, and 'residenter there',  in 1792 when he married Janet Hill. Her Banns were read in Greenock. She was the daughter of Robert Hill, also a Vintner, at Greenock. (Port Glasgow is not so far from Dunlop!)

William and Janet had three children. John, born 1^st June 1793, Margaret, born 12^th December 1794, and Ann baptised 18^th December 1796, all Port Glasgow. There is no further mention of Ann, and as William was married again after this time, she must have died as did her mother.

William re-married Helen Grindlay on 22^nd March 1801 at Falkirk, Stirlingshire. William was then an Inn Keeper at Gateside, Cumbernauld. There, William and Helen produced six children. William, 27^th January 1802, Helen, 24^th August 1803, Charles, 5^th April 1805, Thomas, 16^th December 1810,  George, 17^th July 1814  and Robert, 13^th January 1817. After this they moved to Park Farm at Clackmannan where Mary and Ellison were born. Mary, 22^nd December 1819 and Ellison about 1823.

Gateside, Cumbernauld July 2005

Now Dobbies Garden Centre. The, Old Inns Service Station, nearby is on the site of the Old Cumbernauld Inn.

 

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This information was found by Marny Janson which I was thrilled to receive

Edinburgh Advertiser 1826, August 11^th

 Exhibition of Cattle

The Kelvin Clubs annual exhibition of cattle took place in large field adjoining the Cumbernauld Inn, upon Tuesday the 1^st Current, which was more numerously attended than last year. About twelve o’clock the judges appointed by the club, namely Mr James Kirkwood, Farmer, Gameshill, Stewarton; Mr William Stevenson, farmer, Park Farm, Clackmannan; Mr James McKerracher, farmer, Gartor, Kippen, proceeded carefully to examine the various kinds of stock exhibited, and awarded the premiums offered by the club, when, after uncommon assiduity and pains upon their part, they resolved that the premiums should be awarded as follows:-

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Family Tree 1 For a look at the family tree you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.

To download a free copy of this programme Click Here.

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Gateside & Cumbernauld Inn

Trying to find a 'Gateside Farm' at Cumbernauld has proved difficult as the area has changed considerably. Cumbernauld was then in Dumbartonshire. By checking old maps I have discovered that there seems to have been one 'Cumbernauld Inn' and as William was always referred to as 'Innkeeper at Cumbernauld' this has got to be the Inn. Gateside has proved even more elusive but on an old map of Dumbartonshire in 1777, there is most definitely a Gateside where late maps replace it with the Inn. There is now the 'Old Inns' filling station on the land where the Inn used to be. I firmly believe that the old farm building, now a Dobbies Garden Centre, was indeed THE GATESIDE and a photograph will be added eventually.

To view the 1777 map Click Here for the link. Click on the top map and zoom in on the bottom right insert and Gateside can be found on this.

To view the 1821 map (after William had moved to Clackmannan) Click Here for the link. Take the left side map and zoom in at the top and then zoom on the small pink area which is Cumbernauld. You will clearly see Cumbernauld Inn marked but not Gateside. If you pan along to your right, you can see where Seabegs lies, not very far from the Inn.

To view an 1823 map, Click Here for the link. Zoom in on the bottom right hand section you will the the 'Inn' marked on here.

As William owned properties in and around what is now Bonnybridge, near Falkirk, the only conclusion is that this was where William lived. It also makes the other pieces of the jigsaw fall into place. Helen Grindlay's family were at Seabegs, only a short distance from this Gateside. (See Helen's Story.)

There was a 'Tack' entered into between the Right Honourable John Flemming, Lord Elphinstone and William, dated 21^st May 1799. This Tack was for the farm and lands of Gateside, including the Inn and this was to run for 19 years and, therefore, falls into line with him moving to Park around this time. Lord Fleming's ancestral home was Cumbernauld House.

From the Alloa Advertiser, 16th April 1859

This newspaper article confirms that William had been a farmer at Park Farm from around 1819. It was inherited by his son John who disponed it to the younger brother Robert.

Park Farm 2003. © H M Wyle

During his time at Gateside, William acquired some properties and was lending rather large amounts of money to various Lords. One of the properties was the Flour Mill at Bonny Bridge which included the water supplying the Mill, damheads, sluices, mill leads and tail dam as well as lands and building surrounding it. There was also property at Denny, all of which leads to the conclusion that this has to be the Gateside to which William belonged.

William also added to his list, some properties in Glasgow. A Shoemakers shop and a Vintners.

William eventually purchased a farm in 'British America' for his son John. This seems to have been in Ontario and will be documented in 'John's Story'.

After all his 'wheeling and dealing', William was a wealthy man and seemed to be keeping Scottish Aristocracy afloat. He certainly had no few influential 'friends' and his children seem to have followed suit.

Clackmannan Savings Bank

I have come across a reference in a legal document which states that William was a director of the Clackmannan Savings Bank. When all of William's estate was being accounted for after he died, it was found that he was owed some money.

"There is also a sum of about £69 : 3s., besides interest, due by the directors or trustees of the Clackmannanshire Saving’s Bank, arising in this way:—The late Mr Stevenson and various other persons were directors or trustees of the bank. Mr Lyell, the schoolmaster at Clackmannan, was appointed the secretary or manager. At the time of the latter’s death, his affairs were found to be in confusion, and a considerable amount of the monies deposited with him unaccounted for. The persons who had deposited the money in the Savings’ Bank called for payment, and there being no available funds for the purpose, Mr Bruce of Kennet and other directors desired the late Mr Stevenson to advance the necessary amount to satisfy their claims. He accordingly advanced the amount of about  £69 :3:1, so far as can be ascertained, and this sum, with interest, is still due to the estate. There is a sum of about £60, it is understood, now recovered, and lying in the branch of the Commercial Bank at Alloa to meet the claim when adjusted, which has not yet been, and which, it is believed, will not be got adjusted without raising an action for payment."

            

Views from Park Farm 2003. © 2003 H M Wyle

William Stevenson  was born about 1765 and died 27 July 1839 in Clackmannan. He married Janet Hill 26 May 1792 in Port Glasgow/Greenock, daughter of Robert Hill and Margaret Barr. She was born 29 July 1764 in Kilburnie, Ayr, Scotland, and died between December 1796 - 1801 in either Port Glasgow or Cumbernauld. He then married Helen Grindlay 22 March 1801 in Falkirk, Stirling, daughter of Charles Grindlay  and Helen Russell. She was born 27 May 1781 in Falkirk, and died 08 November 1844 in Blindwell Cottage, Tranent.

Children of William Stevenson and Janet Hill are:

John Stevenson, born 01 June 1793, Port Glasgow; and died, probably in Canada.

Margaret Stevenson, b. 12 December 1794, Port Glasgow Renfrew. She died in January 1840, just 6 months after her father.

Ann Stevenson, christened 18 December 1796, Port Glasgow; and died before 29 July 1809, Port Glasgow or Cumbernauld. There is no further mention of this child in any legal document nor William's will. It is concluded that this child died shortly after birth which may also have been the cause of Janet Hill's death.

William Stevenson & Helen Grindlay

Children of William Stevenson and Helen Grindlay are:

Reverend Wiliam Stevenson, born 27 January 1802, Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire and died 08 December 1884, The Manse, Bothkennar.

Helen Stevenson, born 24 August 1803, Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire and died 20 January 1857, 6 Kelvinhaugh Street, Glasgow.

Charles Stevenson, born 05 April 1805, Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire and  died 19 October 1873, 35 Regent Street, Portobello.

Thomas Stevenson, born 16 December 1810, Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire and died 29 November 1833, Park Farm, Clackmannan.

George Stevenson, born 17 July 1814, Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire and died after 1871 perhaps Liverpool.

Robert Stevenson, born 13 January 1817, Cumbernauld, Dumbartonshire and died 01 May 1888, Common Hill, Fownhope, Herefordshire. 

Mary Stevenson, born 22 December 1819, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire and died 1 January 1865.

Elison Ann Stevenson, born about 1823, Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire and died 21 August 1909, Mount Oswald, Kelso.

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MONEY

William left a fair amount of money as did his wife, Helen. However, the family fought over this for nearly 100 years as far as I have found so far - there could be more legal documents!

It has been discovered that there was an action by William Christie & another (Helen Grindlay or Stevenson's Trustees) v Alexander D. Stevenson & others: Multi-Poinding etc. in 1922. This is 'as well as' the money left by William.