James Stevenson (merchant)
{{Short description|Scottish merchant & philanthropist (1786-1866)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{infobox person
| honorific_prefix =
| name = {{nowrap|James Stevenson}}
| honorific_suffix = FRSE
| image = Plaque on the grave of James Stevenson, Dean Cemetery.jpg
| caption = Plaque on the grave of James Stevenson, Dean Cemetery
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=y|1786|4|28}}
| birth_place = {{nowrap|Paisley, Scotland}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=y|1866|6|13|1786|4|28}}
| death_place = {{nowrap|Edinburgh, Scotland}}
| resting_place =
| education = Paisley Grammar School
| alma_mater =
| father = {{nowrap|James Stevenson}}
| mother = Margaret Cochran
| spouse = Jane Stewart Shannon
| children = 10
| occupation =
| known_for =
| relatives = Flora Stevenson (daughter)
Louisa Stevenson (daughter)
John James Stevenson (son)
James Cochran Stevenson (son)
{{nowrap|James Croesus Stevenson (nephew)}}
}}
File:13 Randolph Crescent, Edinburgh.jpg
File:The grave of James Stevenson, Dean Cemetery, Edinburgh.jpg
James Stevenson FRSE (1786–1866) was a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who fathered two Scottish heroines, Flora Stevenson and Louisa Stevenson,{{Cite ODNB |title=Flora Stevenson |date=2004-09-23 |editor-last=Matthew |editor-first=H. C. G. |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/46826 |access-date=2024-10-29 |place=Oxford |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/46826 |editor2-last=Harrison |editor2-first=B.}} the industrialist, James Cochran Stevenson{{Cite web |url=http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/jrghibbert/ftree/connections/james%20stevenson%201.htm |title=James Cochran Stevenson of South Shields |access-date=24 October 2017 |archive-date=23 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180723053111/http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/jrghibbert/ftree/connections/james%20stevenson%201.htm |url-status=dead }} and architect John James Stevenson.
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{{Cite web|url=http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSA03561|title = TheGlasgowStory: James Stevenson}} creating Oswald Stevenson & Co with James Oswald.{{Cite web|url=http://www.glasgowwestaddress.co.uk/100_Glasgow_Men/Stevenson_Nathaniel.htm|title=Nathaniel Stevenson}}
The family moved into central Glasgow in 1825, running the firm James Stevenson & Co, cotton brokers, from 104 Hutcheson Street.Glasgow Post Office Directory 1825 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.{{cite book|title=Biographical Index of Former Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 1783–2002|date=July 2006|publisher=The Royal Society of Edinburgh|isbn=0-902-198-84-X|url=https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp2.pdf|access-date=2017-10-24|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304074135/https://www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/fellows/biographical_index/fells_indexp2.pdf|url-status=dead}}
He died at home, 13 Randolph Crescent in Edinburgh on 13 June 1866.Edinburgh Post Office Directory 1866
Artistic recognition
He was portrayed by Norman Macbeth and Thomas Annan photographed the portrait.{{Cite web|url=http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image/?inum=TGSA03561|title = TheGlasgowStory: James Stevenson}}
Family
He was married to Jane Stewart Shannon from Greenock. They had ten children: four sons and six daughters.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/james-stevenson_69104468|title = Stevenson - Ancestry®|website = Ancestry.com}}
His brother, Nathaniel Stevenson, was father to James Croesus Stevenson.{{Cite web|url=http://www.glasgowwestaddress.co.uk/100_Glasgow_Men/Stevenson_Nathaniel.htm|title=Nathaniel Stevenson}}
References
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Category:People from Paisley, Renfrewshire
Category:19th-century Scottish merchants
Category:Burials at the Dean Cemetery
Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Category:19th-century Scottish businesspeople
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