Robert STEVENSON, the father of Alexander STEVENSON, Charles STEVENSON, Matthew STEVENSON, Robert STEVENSON and James STEVENSON, was a native of Lochwinnoch, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He arrived at St. Andrews on 4th June 1818 in brig "Active" of Ayr, which dropped her anchor in St. Andrews harbor just as the Royal Salute was being fired from Fort Tipperary in order of George the Third's anniversary. Mr. S. assisted in loading the brig with timber at Digdeguash after which he worked at his trade of shoemaking. He shortly afterwards began business on his own account in one end of the old market house in St. Andrews. In 1819, Mrs. S., who was a native of Kilmalcolm near Greenock, with her sons, Alexander, Charles, John STEVENSON, Matthew, Robert and James came out to St. John in the ship "Jessie and Flora". At that time the only means of communication between St. John and St. Andrews was by the weekly sailing packet "Lady Dashwood" and in her they came to the Shiretown. The oldest living branch of the family consisted of eight brothers and one sister, Hugh STEVENSON, Benjamin STEVENSON and Janet STEVENSON having been born in this country. The first anniversary meeting was held in the house of Chas. STEVENSON on the Commons near St. Andrews, on which occasion all the families with their children, were present except Mrs. Matthew STEVENSON and children, she being at the time in ill health. Ever since there has been kept a family record of births, marriages and deaths by which it appears that the family at present numbers 85. (see original)