Sarah Gregg
Gender: Female
Birth: Oct 28 1836
Christening: Nov 7 1836 - Dalrymple, Ayr, Scotland
Residence: 1836 - Dalrymple, Ayrshire, Scotland
Father: William Gregg
Mother: Jane Thom
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C11588-5
System Origin: Scotland-VR
GS Film number: 1041338
Reference ID: 2:16CML7Q


SOURCE: SCR FR332

1836 Births in Dalrymple Parish. (Fr. 328, 329 and 330). October 28th ... Sarah Gregg, lawful daughter of William Gregg and Jane Thom, in Bridgend of Perclewan



1841 Census

Name: Sarah Gregg
Age: 4
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Gender: Female
Where born: Ayrshire, Scotland
Civil Parish: Dalrymple
County: Ayrshire
Address: Old Dustyhall
Parish Number: 588
Household Members:
Name Age
William Gregg 40
Jane Gregg 40
James Gregg 9
Charles Gregg 8
Jane Gregg 6
Sarah Gregg 4
Sarah Gregg 60


1851 Census

Name: Sarah Gregg
Age: 14
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Relationship: Servant
Gender: Male
Where born: Dalrymple, Ayrshire
Parish Number: 588
Civil Parish: Dalrymple
Map ImageID:
County: Ayrshire
Address: Parchwan Mill
Occupation: House Servant
ED: 3
Page: 1
Household schedule number: 4
LINE: 15
Roll: CSSCT1851_131
Household Members:
Name Age
William Calderwood 33
Mary Calderwood 35
Sarah Gregg 14
Hugh Wright 26
Hugh Ramsay 19
Thomas Docherty 45



1861 Census

Name: Sarah Greig Shown as a correction to Sarah Wilson but this is wrong
[Sarah Wilson]
Age: 24
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Relationship: Daughter
Father's Name: Robert Wilson
Mother's name: Anne Wilson
Gender: Female
Where born: Dalrymple, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 583
Registration district: Coylton
Civil Parish: Coylton
County: Ayrshire
Address: Mossend Cottage
Occupation: Domestic Sert
ED: 3
Household schedule number: 40
LINE: 24
Roll: CSSCT1861_83
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Wilson 40
Anne Wilson 41
Jane Wilson 14
Hellen Wilson 10
William Wilson 8
Robert Wilson 6
Alexander Wilson 3
Marion Wilson 2 Mo
Jane Greig 26
Sarah Greig 24
Jane Kirkland 10 Mo


Kirk Session Records, for Dalrympole Church Kirk Session, show Sarah attended re the illegitimate birth of James



1865 residing with her mother in Dalrymple



1881 Census

Name: Sarah Kennedy
Age: 44
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Relationship: Wife
Spouse's name : James Kennedy
Gender: Female
Where born: Dalrymple, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 612
Registration district: St Quivox and Newton on Ayr
Civil Parish: Newton On Ayr
County: Ayrshire
Address: Prestwick Rd.
ED: 5
Household schedule number: 1
LINE: 2
Roll: cssct1881_196
Household Members:
Name Age
James Kennedy 46
Sarah Kennedy 44
James Kennedy 15
James Stevenson 15
Charles Kennedy 12
Mary Kennedy 10
Jane Kennedy 5
Sarah Kennedy 2

1891 Census

Name: Sarah Kennedy
Age: 54
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Relationship: Wife
Gender: Female
Where born: Dalrymple, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 578
Registration district: Ayr
Civil Parish: Ayr
Town: Ayr
County: Ayrshire
Address: Prestwick Rd
ED: 21
Household schedule number: 32
Line: 23
Roll: CSSCT1891_199
Household Members:
Name Age
Sarah Kennedy 54
Jane Kennedy 15
Sarah Kennedy 12


1901 Census

Name: Sarah Kennedy
Age: 64
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Relationship: Wife
Spouse's name : James Kennedy
Gender: Female
Where born: Dalrymple, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 578/1
Registration district: Ayr
Civil Parish: Ayr
County: Ayrshire
Address: Prestwick Rd 98 Wentworth Villa
ED: 28
Household schedule number: 30
LINE: 6
Roll: CSSCT1901_218
Household Members:
Name Age
James Kennedy 66
Sarah Kennedy 64
Jane Kennedy 24

Thomas Stevenson
Gender: Male
Birth: Oct 14 1838
Christening: Oct 21 1838 - Dalmellington, Ayr, Scotland
Father: James Stevenson
Mother: Janet Smith
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C11586-4
System Origin: Scotland-ODM
GS Film number: 1041337


Victoria Australia BMD

Family Name: STEVENSON
Given Name(s): Thomas
Sex: Unknown
Event: MARRIAGE
Father's Name:
Mother's Name:

Spouse's Family Name: CAMPBELL
Spouse's Given Name(s): Margaret Donald
Age:
Birth Place: AYRSHIRE
Death Place:
Registration Year: 1870
Registration Number: 895



1841 Census

Name: Thos Stevenson
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: abt 1839
Gender: Male
Where born: Ayrshire, Scotland
Civil Parish: Straiton
County: Ayrshire
Address: Nether Berbeth
Parish Number: 617
Household Members:
Name Age
James Stevenson 60
Janet Stevenson 62
John Stevenson 26
James Stevenson 24
Janet Stevenson 21
James Stevenson 4
Thos Stevenson 2
Janet Smith 21
Janet Donald 10
David Blane 1


1851 Census

Name: Thomas Stevenson
Age: 11
Estimated birth year: abt 1840
Relationship: Son
Mother: Jannet Smith
Gender: Male
Where born: Dalmellington, Ayrshire
Parish Number: 586
Civil Parish: Dalmellington
Map ImageID:
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Maps:
View related Ecclesiastical Parish
Town: Dalmellington
County: Ayrshire
Address: Knowhead
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 3
Page: 7
Household schedule number: 20
LINE: 12
Roll: CSSCT1851_130
Household Members:
Name Age
Jannet Smith 33
James Stevenson 13
Thomas Stevenson 11
Jane Stevenson 9
Angus Ferguson 30



Australia Cemetery Index, 1808-2007

Name: Thomas Stevenson
Death Age: 74
Birth Date: abt 1839
Death Date: 11 Sep 1913
Cemetery: Boorowa
Section: Presbyterian
Cemetery Location: Cowra, New South Wales





Thomas Stevenson and Sarah Greig had a son James. Thomas moved to Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, Australia.



Thomas made a good life for himself in Australia and tried New Zealand as well as Henry was born there. When he returned to Austarlia, around 1876, they settled in Gundare, Coolah where he became Sheep Director / Overseer for Coonabarrabran.

Sometime in the 1880's he bought a sheep staion at Narra Allen and built it up very successfully.


The Sydney Morning Herald 20th December 1913

A GRAZIER'S WILL.    

THE LATE MR. T. STEVENSON.
ESTATE VALUED AT £33,095.
Probate has been granted of the will of the
late Mr. Thomas Stevenson, grazier, of Narra
Allen, near Burrowa. The deceased, who
died on September 11 last, appointed his
widow, Margaret Donald Stevenson, his son,
Henry Campbell Stevenson, grazier, of
Gungewalla, near Burrowa; and his son-in
law, William James Armstrong Macpherson,
grazier, of Geegullalong, near Burrowa, exe-
cutors and trustees of his estate.
He bequeathed £200 to his niece, Jenny
Lorimer, of Ayr, Scotland; £1,000 to his son,
Henry Campbell Stevenson; and to his (tes-
tator's) widow a sum equal to one-half of
the net value of his estate, after payment
of all debts, testamentary expenses, and the
legacies mentioned after the death of his
widow, the one-half share to be divided
equally among his daughters, Jessie M'Mas
ter, widow of John M'Master; Grace Stewart
MacNeil, wife of Walter MacNeil, of Win-
henin, grazier; Fanny Campbell Macpherson,
wife of William J. A. Macpherson; and Helen
Mary Stevenson. He directed that the be-
quests respecting the half share of the net  
value of the estate should be a charge upon
the bequests to his sons, Henry and Thomas,
to whom he devised the whole of his real
and personal estate in equal shares. Tes-
tator further directed that the share be-
queathed to his widow and daughters might
be allowed to remain in the estate for a
term not exceeding 10 years after his death,
his sons to be at liberty to pay off the whole
or any part of it at any time. The trus-
tees were ordered to have a valuation made
of the assets of the estate within three
months after his death, for the purpose of
fixing the half-share bequeathed to his widow
and daughters.
The net value of the estate was sworn at
£33,695.  


Obituary From The Burrowa News, Friday 19th September 1913 (Original Included)

TheLateMr.Thos.
Stevenson.
Sad it is when 'the sombre shadow of
death falls an any of our dearly loved
ones - lonely the hearth and aching
the heart that mourns even the loss of
the lowliest amongst us; but when the
chill hand falls on those who have
stood forth as prominent figures in the
bright light of our public life, credit
ably and honourably, then it is that a
community feels its loss, and extends
the band of sympathy to those who are
bound by closer ties and more poignant
feelings to the dear departed.
The life of Thomas Stevenson, of
Narra Allen, was at every stage of his
residence here bound up in the life
and progress of this town and district,
and his death is sincerely regretted by
each and every citizen. It is a modern
proverb that 'The best man is the
self-made man unless he be spoiled by
conceit.' The deceased gentleman
was the sculptor of his own fortune,
and in the realisation of bis ambitions
he was fortunate to preserve intact
that broad democratic sentiment and
generous nature which are left too
often— alas -at the lower end of the
golden ladder by successful men. He
possessed many of the elements of a
great character, and his breezy and
large personality made him an interesting
figure, not only in his immediate
environment, but in the greater, circles
beyond this district and beyond this
State.
There is hardly an institution,
league, club or society of whatever
class or creed in this town or district,
which has not felt the warmth of his
sympathy, his practical assistance and
the benefit of his sagacity and experience;
but who is there to speak of
the many quiet personal acts of kindness
to those in trouble or in need of
help. For these alone, his name,
though not emblazoned on the larger
Scroll of fame, will yet find a greater
and nobler shrine in the hearts of those
among whom he lived.
That he lived so long to dispense
the bounteous hospitality of Narra
Allen, so widely known and spoken of,
and that he leaves behind a memory
everywhere revered, will, we sincerely
hope, prove a consolation to those he
leaves behind, to whom we extend our
utmost sympathy.
The late Mr. Stevenson was born at
Dalmellington, Ayrshire, Scotland, on
October 14th, 1838, and had therefore
exceeded the allotted span of three
score years and ten. He came to
Australia in 1858, when he was quite a
young man, first landing in Melbourne,
and afterwards making it to the gold
fields in Victoria, where he remained
in search of the precious metal until
1861. He was then attracted to New
Zealand, where he proceeded to the
Otago goldfields, and later-to the West
Coast, where he became an intimate
friend of the late Richard Seddon, who
was afterwards New Zealand's great,
Statesman and Premier. Still imbured
with the spirit of adventure, the late
Mr. Stevenson decided to try his luck
in New South Wales, and in 1878 he
arrived in the mother State, where he
resided at Gumdare Station, Coolab, in
the Mudgee District, for about five
years. He afterwards came to the
Burrowa district, where he acquired
the Narra Allen estate, which he built
up and improved, and made it the
ideal property which it is to-day. In
1870 he was married in Victoria to
Margaret Donald Campbell, and leaves
a grown-up family of six — two sons,
Harry and Thomas ; and four daughters,
Mrs. McMaster, of Weetallibah,
Coolab; Mrs. Walter McNeil, of
Waihemo, Burrowa; Mrs. W. J.
MacPherson, of Geegullalong, Burrowa
and Miss Nellie Stevenson.
The late Mr. Stevenson was one of
the originators of the Presbyterian
Church at Burrowa, and took an active
interest in its affairs ever since its
inception. When the Local Government
Act was passed, he was appointed
President of the Temporary Council,
and was afterwards elected President of
the Permanent Council on several
successive occasions. He was
for many years President of the Burrowa
P. A. and H. Association, the
Burrowa Racing Club, and Picnic
Race Club. He also acted as Returning
Officer at Burrowa for many years,
in which position he held the confidence
and respect of the electors. He was also a
prominent member of the Warrigai Club
in Sydney.
The funeral took place on Saturday
morning to the Presbyterian portion of
the Burrowa Cemetery. The remains
were taken into the Presbyterian
Church, which was draped in mourning,
and a short and impressive service
was held by (he Rev. James Goudie,
the congregation singing the hymn
' Days mid moments swiftly flying,
blend the living with the dead,' and
the Dead March being played by
Mr. H. Fenton. The funeral proces
sion, which was representative of the
whole of the district, afterwards wended
its way to the cemetery, where the
burial service was conducted by the
Rev. J. Goudie.
The funeral arrangements were carried
out by Mr. O. J. Stuart.
There were many beautiful wreaths
placed upon the coffin, from Narra
Allen, Gungewalla, Mrs. McMaster
and Family, Mr. and Mrs. MacNeil,
Mr. and Mrs. MacPherson, Margie
and Ena MacNeil, Rev. and Mrs.
Goudie, Misses Clara Coble aud Bella
Croker, Mr. C. J. E. Butler, Mr. H.
and Miss Russell, Mr. Jack Curran,
Burrowa Picnic Race Club, Tarengo,
Mr. and Mrs. Shine, Dr. and Mrs.
Le Fevre, Mr. and Mrs. Ellerman, Sir
William and Lady Cuninghame, and
Miss Tait.
A Memorial Service for the late Mr.
Thomas Stevenson will be held in the
Presbyterian Church on Sunday next,
at 1 1 o'clock.




The above obituaries to my Great Grandfather Thomas Stevenson indicate that he emigrated to Australia in 1858. The most obvious question arising from that was how could he be the Father of James Stevenson, by Sarah Gregg, in Scotland in 1865? I have investigated this at length and, without any conclusive proof, include my findings below.

I suspect that Thomas did indeed emigrate to Australia in 1858 however there is evidence that he returned to Scotland sometime in the 1860’s. There is a photograph of the, “Scottish Album” in Thomas’s collection that clearly shows the Photographer as, Simm & Forrester, 36 Renfield Street, Glasgow. This particular Company only traded in 1864 as per Glasgows Victorian Photographers.

There is also evidence from the Dalrymple Kirk Session where Sarah Gregg produced a letter from Thomas admitting to being the Father of James.

By John M Stevenson, August 2014

Jane Scott & James Kennedy
Marriage: Jan 1 1860 - Dalmellington, Ayr, Scotland
Wife: Jane Scott
Husband: James Kennedy
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M11586-1
System Origin: Scotland-ODM
GS Film number: 6035516

James and Mary were cousins

Mary Thom & James Kennedy
Marriage: Dec 25 1863 - Ochiltree, Ayr, Scotland
Wife: Mary Thom
Husband: James Kennedy
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M11609-1
System Origin: Scotland-ODM
GS Film number: 6035516


1881 Census

Name: James Kennedy
Age: 46
Estimated birth year: abt 1835
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Sarah Kennedy
Gender: Male
Where born: Maybole, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 612
Registration district: St Quivox and Newton on Ayr
Civil Parish: Newton On Ayr
County: Ayrshire
Address: Prestwick Rd.
Occupation: Circular Sawyer
ED: 5
Household schedule number: 1
Line: 1
Roll: cssct1881_196
Household Members:
Name Age
James Kennedy 46
Sarah Kennedy 44
James Kennedy 15
James Stevenson 15
Charles Kennedy 12
Mary Kennedy 10
Jane Kennedy 5
Sarah Kennedy 2

1901 Census

Name: James Kennedy
Age: 66
Estimated birth year: abt 1835
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Sarah Kennedy
Gender: Male
Where born: Maybole, Ayrshire
Registration Number: 578/1
Registration district: Ayr
Civil Parish: Ayr
County: Ayrshire
Address: Prestwick Rd 98 Wentworth Villa
Occupation: Wood Sawyer
ED: 28
Household schedule number: 30
LINE: 5
Roll: CSSCT1901_218
Household Members:
Name Age
James Kennedy 66
Sarah Kennedy 64
Jane Kennedy 24