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baptising his next son George。 This George became the publisher and
editor of the WESLEYAN TIMES。 His children were brought up in
ignorance of their Highland pedigree； and my correspondent was puzzled
to overhear his father speak of him as a true Macgregor； and amazed to
find； in rummaging about that peaceful and pious house； the sword of the
Hanoverian officer。 After he was grown up and was better informed of
his descent； ‘I frequently asked my father；' he writes； ‘why he did not use
the name of Macgregor； his replies were significant； and give a picture of
the man： 〃It isn't a good METHODIST name。 You can use it； but it will
do you no GOOD。〃 Yet the old gentleman； by way of pleasantry； used to
announce himself to friends as 〃Colonel Macgregor。〃 '
Here； then； are certain Macgregors habitually using the name of
Stevenson； and at last； under the influence of Methodism； adopting it
entirely。 Doubtless a proscribed clan could not be particular； they took a
name as a man takes an umbrella against a shower； as Rob Roy took
Campbell； and his son took Drummond。 But this case is different；
Stevenson was not taken and left … it was consistently adhered to。 It does
not in the least follow that all Stevensons are of the clan Alpin； but it does
follow that some may be。 And I cannot conceal from myself the
possibility that James Stevenson in Glasgow； my first authentic ancestor；
may have had a Highland ALIAS upon his conscience and a claymore in
his back parlour。
To one more tradition I may allude； that we are somehow descended
from a French barber…surgeon who came to St。 Andrews in the service of
one of the Cardinal Beatons。 No details were added。 But the very name
of France was so detested in my family for three generations； that I am
tempted to suppose there may be something in it。 （1）
（1） Mr。 J。 H。 Stevenson is satisfied that these speculations as to a
possible Norse； Highland； or French origin are vain。 All we know about
the engineer family is that it was sprung from a stock of Westland Whigs
settled in the latter part of the seventeenth century in the parish of Neilston；
as mentioned at the beginning of the next chapter。 It may be noted that the
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Ayrshire parish of Stevenston； the lands of which are said to have received
the name in the twelfth century； lies within thirteen miles south…west of
this place。 The lands of Stevenson in Lanarkshire first mentioned in the
next century； in the Ragman Roll； lie within twenty miles east。
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RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
CHAPTER I DOMESTIC
ANNALS
IT is believed that in 1665； James Stevenson in Nether Carsewell；
parish of Neilston； county of Renfrew； and presumably a tenant farmer；
married one Jean Keir； and in 1675； without doubt； there was born to these
two a son Robert； possibly a maltster in Glasgow。 In 1710； Robert
married； for a second time； Elizabeth Cumming； and there was born to
them； in 1720； another Robert； certainly a maltster in Glasgow。 In 1742；
Robert the second married Margaret Fulton （Margret； she called herself）；
by whom he had ten children； among whom were Hugh； born February
1749； and Alan； born June 1752。
With these two brothers my story begins。 Their deaths were
simultaneous； their lives unusually brief and full。 Tradition whispered me
in childhood they were the owners of an islet near St。 Kitts； and it is
certain they had risen to be at the head of considerable interests in the
West Indies； which Hugh managed abroad and Alan at home； at an age
when others are still curveting a clerk's stool。 My kinsman； Mr。
Stevenson of Stirling； has heard his father mention that there had been
‘something romantic' about Alan's marriage： and； alas！ he has forgotten
what。 It was early at least。 His wife was Jean； daughter of David Lillie；
a builder in Glasgow； and several times ‘Deacon of the Wrights'： the date
of the marriage has not reached me； but on 8th June 1772； when Robert；
the only child of the union； was born； the husband and father had scarce
passed； or had not yet attained； his twentieth year。 Here was a youth
making haste to give hostages to fortune。 But this early scene of
prosperity in love and business was on the point of closing。
There hung in the house of this young family； and successively in
those of my grandfather and father； an oil painting of a ship of many tons
burthen。 Doubtless the brothers had an interest in the vessel； I was told
she had belonged to them outright； and the picture was preserved through
years of hardship； and remains to this day in the possession of the family；
the only memorial of my great… grandsire Alan。 It was on this ship that
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he sailed on his last adventure； summoned to the West Indies by Hugh。
An agent had proved unfaithful on a serious scale； and it used to be told
me in my childhood how the brothers pursued him from one island to
another in an open boat； were exposed to the pernicious dews of the
tropics； and simultaneously struck down。 The dates and places of their
deaths （now before me） would seem to indicate a more scattered and
prolonged pursuit： Hugh； on the 16th April 1774； in Tobago； within sight
of Trinidad； Alan； so late as 26th May； and so far away as ‘Santt Kittes；' in
the Leeward Islands … both； says the family Bible； ‘of a fiver'（！）。 The
death of Hugh was probably announced by Alan in a letter； to which we
may refer the details of the open boat and the dew。 Thus； at least； in
something like the course of post； both were called away； the one twenty…
five； the other twenty…two； their brief generation became extinct； their
short…lived house fell with them； and ‘in these lawless parts and lawless
times' … the words are my grandfather's … their property was stolen or
became involved。 Many years later； I understand some small recovery to
have been made； but at the moment almost the whole means of the family
seem to have perished with the young merchants。 On the 27th April；
eleven days after Hugh Stevenson； twenty…nine before Alan； died David
Lillie； the Deacon of the Wrights； so that mother and son were orphaned in
one month。 Thus； from a few scraps of paper bearing little beyond dates；
we construct the outlines of the tragedy that shadowed the cradle of Robert
Stevenson。
Jean Lillie was a young woman of strong sense； well fitted to contend
with poverty； and of a pious disposition； which it is like that these
misfortunes heated。 Like so many other widowed Scots…women； she
vowed her son should wag his head in a pulpit； but her means were
inadequate to her ambition。 A charity school； and some time under a Mr。
M'Intyre； ‘a famous linguist；' were all she could afford in the way of
education to the would…be minister。 He learned no Greek； in one place he
mentions that the Orations of Cicero were his highest book in Latin； in
another that he had 'delighted' in Virgil and Horace； but his delight could
never have been scholarly。 This appears to have been the whole of his
training previous to an event which changed his own destiny and moulded
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that of his descendants … the second marriage of his mother。
There was a Merchant…Burgess of Edinburgh of the name of Thomas
Smith。 Th