Alexander was born on 29 August 1823 in Penston, Scotland and Euphemia born on 2 December 1828. She was christened on 14 December 1825 in Aberlady, East Lothain Scotland. They were married South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland on 19 Dec 1851. In 1861 they were living at the old Manse East Lothian and Alexander was working as a farmer and carter. He was farming 9 acres. They came to New Zealand as assisted immigrants with 3 children on the Silistria, A ship of 642 tons. As they came as assisted immigrants they probably didn’t own their land. The Silistra sailed from Glasgow on the 4th October, and arrived at Port Chalmers Dunedin on 11 January, 1862, after a reportedly pleasant passage of 99 days.
They may have tried their luck on the gold fields as the next time they appear is in Mosgiel, Otago where they farming 20 years later. Mosgiel is close to Dunedin and considered a suburb of Dunedin these days. It is about 10km from the centre of Dunedin. Alexander is recorded selling a rage of items in 1882 including horses, dairy cows, pigs, farming implements, kitchen and dairy utensils[1]. They didn’t sell the house and move as there is a record of Alexander going Bankrupt in 1883[2]. He appeared in court shortly afterwards charged with stealing a horse.
‘Alleged case of horse stealing Alexander Stephenson was charged with having, on the 4th inst.; stolen a filly from the white horse stables the property of Alexander Mollison – Mr Macgregor appeared for the informant, and Mr McDonald for the defendant. It was agreed to have the case withdrawn – Mr McDonald explained to the bench that the defendant had become insolvent a short time ago and that the horse had been seized by his creditors. He maintained that the horse belonged to his son and the matter was to be settled in the civil court.
The background to this bankruptcy was what was called the long depression which was a worldwide depression that began in 1877 an in which the New Zealand economy did no grow for 16 years. Commodity prices fell and unemployment rose to high levels.
Alexander is reported selling three cows in 1905[3]. They were living in Mosgiel in 1896[4] and had moved to Mossburn by 1902 where they celebrated their golden wedding [5] The report in Otago witness stated that:
‘On boxing day Mr and Mrs Alexander Stevenson, who have lived 40 years in the Taieri district, celebrated their golden wedding at their residence, Mossburn. A large number of relations and friends assembled to offer their congratulation to the happy couple. The company sat down to dinner and during the repast opportunity was taken for presenting Mr and Mrs Stevenson with a purse of sovereigns, the gift of many well-wishers. During the day many other valuable presents were made to the couple.
Alexander died on 29 January 1908 of bladder cancer[6]. Euphemia died on 9 April 1911 of cancer of the uterus[7]. Their children were
1. Alexander who was born in 1855 in Leith Midlothian Scotland. See separate history
2. Margret H was born in Leith in 1854
3. William D Stephenson was born in Leith in 1856
4. Thomas was born in Leith on 22 April 1857
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