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consonant appears a Gaelic process； and； curiously enough； I have come
across no less than two Gaelic forms： JOHN MACSTOPHANE
CORDINERIUS IN CROSSRAGUEL； 1573； and WILLIAM M'STEEN
in Dunskeith （co。 Ross）； 1605。 Stevenson； Steenson； Macstophane；
M'Steen： which is the original？ which the translation？ Or were these
separate creations of the patronymic； some English； some Gaelic？ The
curiously compact territory in which we find them seated … Ayr； Lanark；
Peebles； Stirling； Perth； Fife； and the Lothians … would seem to forbid the
supposition。 （1）
（1） Though the districts here named are those in which the name of
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Stevenson is most common； it is in point of fact far more wide…spread than
the text indicates； and occurs from Dumfries and Berwickshire to
Aberdeen and Orkney。
‘STEVENSON … or according to tradition of one of the proscribed of
the clan MacGregor； who was born among the willows or in a hill…side
sheep…pen … 〃Son of my love；〃 a heraldic bar sinister； but history reveals a
reason for the birth among the willows far other than the sinister aspect of
the name'： these are the dark words of Mr。 Cosmo Innes； but history or
tradition； being interrogated； tells a somewhat tangled tale。 The heir of
Macgregor of Glenorchy； murdered about 1858 by the Argyll Campbells；
appears to have been the original 'Son of my love'； and his more loyal
clansmen took the name to fight under。 It may be supposed the story of
their resistance became popular； and the name in some sort identified with
the idea of opposition to the Campbells。 Twice afterwards； on some
renewed aggression； in 1502 and 1552； we find the Macgregors again
banding themselves into a sept of 'Sons of my love'； and when the great
disaster fell on them in 1603； the whole original legend reappears； and we
have the heir of Alaster of Glenstrae born 'among the willows' of a fugitive
mother； and the more loyal clansmen again rallying under the name of
Stevenson。 A story would not be told so often unless it had some base in
fact； nor （if there were no bond at all between the Red Macgregors and the
Stevensons） would that extraneous and somewhat uncouth name be so
much repeated in the legends of the Children of the Mist。
But I am enabled； by my very lively and obliging correspondent； Mr。
George A。 Macgregor Stevenson of New York； to give an actual instance。
His grandfather； great… grandfather； great…great…grandfather； and great…
great…great… grandfather； all used the names of Macgregor and Stevenson
as occasion served； being perhaps Macgregor by night and Stevenson by
day。 The great…great…great…grandfather was a mighty man of his hands；
marched with the clan in the 'Forty… five； and returned with SPOLIA
OPIMA in the shape of a sword； which he had wrested from an officer in
the retreat； and which is in the possession of my correspondent to this day。
His great…grandson （the grandfather of my correspondent）； being
converted to Methodism by some wayside preacher； discarded in a
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RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
moment his name； his old nature； and his political principles； and with the
zeal of a proselyte sealed his adherence to the Protestant Succession by
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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