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- Emigrated to NewZealand in about 1860.Settled at' Carswell Levels' Timaru ( East coast of South Island)Thomas Carswells letters said they had daughters Marg. & Mary and 3 older sons -one son married and the other two living at the'Levels' Thomas Carswell letters also tell of the death of Thom. Stevenson of Carswell Levels Timaru NZin 1922 aged 77. A little confusing.William is said to have had 4 sons & 2 daughters.
,
I have the Canterbury Cyclopedia published 1903 . People paid £5 to
have themselves recorded in it as did your Wm - there is however, no photo of him
William Stevenson, Farmer, "Carsewell", Levels. Mr Stevenson was born
in Renfrewshire, Scotland in 1842 and brought up to farming. He arrived at
Bluff in 1863 bythe ship "Sir William Eyre" and after four years in Southland on one of New
Zealand Land Company Stations, he removed to Oamaru, where he was on another of the ( 1867) Company's stations for seven years. On settling in the Timaru district, Mr Stevenson bought (1874) land at Washdyke and farmed 340 acres for some years. In 1881 he sold his interest in the Washdyke property and bought his farm of 400 acres at the Levels, where he carries on mixed ( 1881) farming. Mr Stevenson was for 12 years a member of the Washdyke School committee. He has long been associated with the South Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association having been on the committee for over 20 years. Mr Stevenson was married in 1869 to Miss Leonard of Galway, Ireland and has four sons and two daughters.
Hope this helps,
Winsome Griffin, Tauranga
Died aged 78 - J. Radcliff Undertaker.
I've found the following in the 1893 Timaru electoral roll, with theaddress "levels estate", all surnamed StevensonWilliam Stevenson farmerMargaret Cresswell Stevenson ,spinster, domestic dutiesJane Stevenson married, dom. duties resident of ClaremontBridget Leonard Stevenson married, dom. duties Hugh Stevenson, farmhandMary Stevenson, spinster, dom duties
Geraldine County,South Canterbury NZ,Sheep owner Returns, 1879 ,1880, & 1881.
Stevenson William,Washdyke, Nil, 396 624
Obituary
Timaru Herald 6th Sept 1919
The Late Wm Stevenson
There passed away recently another of the fast disappearing band of pioneers, in the person of the late William Stevenson, ‘Carswell’, Levels.
Born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, in 1842, he was brought up to farming. While a youth, he sailed for New Zealand by the Sir William Eyre, arriving at the Bluff in 1863, under engagement to the New Zealand Land Company. After working four years on the Morton Mains Station, he was removed to the Totara Station, Oamaru, where he was overseer for seven years. When the Levels Station became available for cropping he came with a number of others from Oamaru, and cropped there for some years, and later bought land at Washdyke. Selling his interest there in 1899 he bought again at the Levels, where he carried on mixed farming until his death.
While residing at Washdyke the late Mr Stevenson was a member of the School Committee for twelve years, and for over twenty years he was on the committee of the Timaru A and P Association. He was well known as a judge in the show ring, and at one time was a breeder and exhibitor of Ayrshires and draught horses.
The late Wm Stevenson was predeceased by his wife about twenty years, and is survived by a family of two daughters and three sons, one of whom is a well known farmer at Albury.
"I have recently discovered five or six snapshots of the Stevenson brothers in Timaru if you would wish them.
They must date back to the 1920s but I have no desire now to follow that line- just content to know that they existed and appeared happily successful."Sheila White.
April 25 1863 Otago Witness
The Titania, s.s. from Bluff and Invercargill, Captain Jarvey, brings about 50 passengers and a quantity of wool for transhipment to the John Duncan. The Sir William Eyre, from Glasgow has arrived at the Bluff, which had been for some time overdue. It may be remembered she made a bad commencement of her voyage, having put back to Rothesay and been detained there through the prevalence of sickness on board. Among the 400 passengers, 22 deaths had occurred - 5 adults and 17 children - and there were two cases of fever on board on her arrival. The Sir Wm. Eyre left the Clyde on the 21st of December last, but had to put into the Cape of Good Hope, and had a passage of 55 days thence. She sighted the s.s. Aldinga on the evening of Monday last, 200 miles due west of the Solander. Both the Aldinga and the Alhambra had called at the Bluff on Sunday last, and the Alhambra had also proceeded on her passage.
Timaru Herald
Stevenson W. AGM Timaru A&P Assoc. 28 Mar 87W. Stevenson placed 3 in the single furrow 5th Aug, 1874 Ploughing match. Used a Barrowman plough. Won 5 pounds.
Died of Acute Bronchitis(14 days) Cardiac Failure. 20 Aug 1919.
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