James_Stevenson_(merchant)

James Stevenson (merchant)

James Stevenson (merchant)

Scottish merchant and philanthropist

James Stevenson FRSE (1786–1866) was a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who fathered two Scottish heroines, Flora Stevenson and Louisa Stevenson, the industrialist, James Cochran Stevenson[1] and architect John James Stevenson.

Plaque on the grave of James Stevenson, Dean Cemetery
13 Randolph Crescent
The grave of James Stevenson, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh

Life

He was born in Paisley on 28 April 1786 the son of James Stevenson, a silk gauze manufacturer, and his wife, Margaret Cochran. He was educated at Paisley Grammar School.

He set up a cotton spinning mill with his older brother, Nathaniel Stevenson, first at Calton then Barrowfield, before going into partnership with the Oswald brothers[2] creating Oswald Stevenson & Co with James Oswald.[3]

The family moved into central Glasgow in 1825, running the firm James Stevenson & Co, cotton brokers, from 104 Hutcheson Street.[4] James inherited the family business on his father's death in 1806.

In 1844 he also became a senior partner at the Jarrow Chemical Works in South Shields: a firm supplying dyes for his cottons.

In 1865 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposer was James Yong.[5]

He died at home, 13 Randolph Crescent in Edinburgh on 13 June 1866.[6]

Artistic recognition

He was portrayed by Norman Macbeth and Thomas Annan photographed the portrait.[7]

Family

He was married to Jane Stewart Shannon from Greenock. They had ten children: four sons and six daughters.[8]

His brother, Nathaniel Stevenson, was father to James Croesus Stevenson.[9]

References

  1. [1]
    "James Cochran Stevenson of South Shields". Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  2. [2]
    "TheGlasgowStory: James Stevenson".
  3. [3]
    "Nathaniel Stevenson".
  4. [4]
    Glasgow Post Office Directory 1825
  5. [5]
    Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002 (PDF). The Royal Society of Edinburgh. July 2006. ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
  6. [6]
    Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1866
  7. [7]
    "TheGlasgowStory: James Stevenson".
  8. [8]
    "Stevenson - Ancestry®". Ancestry.com.
  9. [9]
    "Nathaniel Stevenson".



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