John Steven (abt. 1805 - 1894)

Born about 1805 in Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom

Husband of Susan (Graham) Steven — married 5 Feb 1830 in South Leith Parish, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 1894 at about age 89 in Kaikora North, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Nicola Sherrock [send private message]

Biography

John was born about 1805.

He married in 1830. John Steven, Wright, Leith and Susan Graham, residing in Lasswade and daughter of John Graham, Farmer there, after proclamation of banns were married 5 th February 1830 by the Revd Ebenezer Hislop, Minister.^[1][2]

Listed in the 1832 Post Office Directory at 86 Tennis Court, Abbeyhill, Edinburgh as a cartwright.^[3]

The 1841 census is only a transcript, not original, gives his birthplace as Midlothian and incorrectly refers to him as James instead of John. However, it is certainly him as the other household members are correct. Address: 2 Brown Street Lane, St Cuthbert's, Midlothian, Scotland. Birth Year: 1806. Occupation: Wright. Other Household Members: Susan Graham (Wife) 35y, b. 1806, Scotland; John Steven (Son) 10y, b. 1831, Midlothian, Scotland; Alex Steven (Son) 8y, b. 1833, Midlothian, Scotland; Mary Steven (Daughter) 5y, b. 1836, Midlothian, Scotland; Thomas Steven (Son) under 1 yr, b. 1841, Midlothian, Scotland.^[4]

In 1845 John was employed at St Leonard's Depot, Edinburgh. On 8 December, he exhibited a model of a scew [sic - probably skew] bridge to the Royal Scottish Society of Arts, for which he won three sovereigns for the "ingenuity displayed."^[5]

Before leaving Scotland, he was awarded a silver medal "for his method of hanging windows", by the Royal Scottish Society of Arts.^[6]

1851 census gives his birthplace as Cockpen Parish, Midlothian and records his occupation as Superintendent of Railway Truck Repairs at the Railway Depot, St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh. Other Household Members: Susan Steven (Wife) 45y, b. 1806, Skirling, Peeblesshire, Scotland; Mary Steven (Daughter) 14y b. 1837, Cockpen, Midlothian, Scotland; Ann M Steven (Daughter) 8y b. 1843, St Cuthbert's, Midlothian, Scotland; Grace Steven (Daughter) 4y b. 1847, St Cuthbert's, Midlothian, Scotland. No mention of Thomas.

John and Susan Steven arrived in Hawke's Bay with some of their family around 1855 having come via Australia. The family did not all travel together since his son (Alex and wife, Alison) arrived in Port Napier, together, on 1 April 1861 on the "Margaretha Roesner" 429 tons, from Port Cooper, Australia(?).

A John Steven, miner aged 41? arrived in Melbourne in Jan 1854 on the "Marco Polo" – there was no record of any family. As was common at that time, he may have worked in or intended to work the Victoria goldfields and have family follow at a later time. A letter transcribed by J.G. Evans of the New Zealand Society of Great Britain (a Philatelic society) and written by John Steven to William (Jackson?) - the photocopy is hard to read - in Edinburgh in 1881 says (spelling his own):
I did not like Melbourne I could not stand the hot winds after 5 months there out of that twice I was 5 weeks idol. I then got employment from Mr McLaren belonging to Perth at 18/- a day for some time and then a Contract for the joinerwork for a house he built when finished I left for New Zealand my son and his wife through up a good situation for £4-10 a week all found to come with me...^[7]

The "Marchioness" Melbourne to Wellington (or Nelson) arr 29 May 1855; reported the following passengers a Mr Stevens Snr 56; Mrs Stevens Snr 50, servant; Mrs Stevens jnr, 22, servant; Mr Stevens jnr; two female Stevens children, 11 & 7. Presumably these are John (snr, then aged 50) and Susan Steven (age 50), his daughter-in-law (unknown name, presumably John (jnr)'s wife – but possibly Mary, in error), eldest son John (then aged 24), Anne Mein (then aged 12) and Grace (then aged 9). (missing is Mary, then aged 20 – who was reported to have arrived in Hawkes Bay with her parents).

His occupation was variously listed as a builder (death certificate) and farmer (electoral rolls). John (Snr) is listed in the Napier 1861 Jury List. In 1866-68 he owned section #182 in Carlyle St, Napier, but by 1868-69 this had changed to section #189, Carlyle St. It was likely he was farming since 1866-68 electoral records show he also owned 20 ac at Eskdale (in Section #75). By 1868-69 ownership of land at Eskdale appeared to have been transferred to John Steven jnr (whose holding increased to 40 ac - "Eskbank"). He was one of the first elders of St Paul's Presbyterian in Napier, in which church his daughter (Anne) was the first bride to be married.

It is not known when his family moved to Kaikora however he was the first Postmaster/Station-Master when the P.O. was gazetted 4 Nov. 1865-1 Oct. 1874. By 1879-80 the Steven family had sold their land in Napier, and Wises New Zealand Directory 1883-84 & 1885-86 shows he had retired (listed as Settler). John Steven was active in the community, being a member of the establishment committee, which built St Paul's Presbyterian (Otane) in 1877, and he built Otane and Kaikora schools.

According to his letter of 1881, John never regretted leaving Scotland (again, spelling his own):
This is a splendid Country for any Person having a little Capital if the Farmers who are so hard pressed at Home knew the advantages to be got in this land of New Zealand, the thought of a long voyage would not trouble them much - any persons of a steady disposition may meet with some little difficulties after first landing but to a steady going person he is sure to succeed but the worst place in the world if given to drink - I never was a day idol after coming to this place unless for my own pleasuer. When I landed at Napier their was only 3 houses now it is a large City a good many of the houses I put up and I was fortunat to get the contract for the Government Buildings at a much less sum than some of the Contractors one of them for 2800£ others a little less mine was 1935£ and nearly 200£ for extrays I cleared upwards of 300£ on the Contract.^[8]

Little is recorded about Susan. By the time of their Golden wedding anniversary in Feb. 1880 they had 24 grandchildren and 2 great- grandchildren. At his death in 1894 he had 25 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren.

From the Hawke's Bay Herald: Our Waipawa correspondent writing yesterday says The funeral of Mr John Steven took place at Kaikora yesterday afternoon, when about 130 friends, including 38 relatives attended from all parts of the district. The Rev. H.W. Johnston officiated. There would have been a much larger attendance but for the cold wet weather.^[9]

Both John and Susan were buried in the Kaikora North cemetery, but were later moved to the new Otane cemetery. Their graves have no headstones.

Sources

1. ↑ (possibly) South Leith Parish Records (transcribed by Mirren McLeod)
2. ↑ Index (c) IRI. Used by permission of FamilySearch Intl [FindmyPast online]. Scotland Marriages 1561-1910: Parish Marriages - https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=R_694429404/1
3. ↑ 1832-33 Post Office Directories: Edinburgh & Leith, Midlothian, Scotland [FindmyPast] - https://search.findmypast.com/record?id=S2/US/MCV/977527/PAGES/0104&parentid=S2/US/MCV/977527/PAGES/0104
4. ↑ © brightsolid online publishing ltd [FindmyPast]. 1841 England, Wales & Scotland Census - https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=GBC/1841/0017375890
5. ↑ Royal Scottish Society of the Arts. 'Report of Prize Committee 1845-6', Transactions of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts v.3 1851 Appendix F [e-book] HathiTrust, p.70 <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015063573011k : accessed 10 Mar 2024)
6. ↑ Steven, John. 'Description of a model of an improved method of hanging windows, whereby, at a small expense, windows in common use can be so altered, that the sashes can be taken out and cleaned, painted or glazed, from the interior of the room,' Civil Engineer and Architect's Journal, v.9, 1846, p.157 [e-journal] HathiTrust <https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c2531627 : accessed 10 Mar 2024>
7. ↑ Evans, J.G. Kaikora - a new discovery. The kiwi Vol. 34 (5) Sep 1985 [PDF document] accessed 26 Sep 2020 - http://www.nzsgb.org.uk/kiwi_cd/vol34/no5.pdf
8. ↑ Evans, J.G. Kaikora - a new discovery. The kiwi Vol. 34 (5) Sep 1985 [PDF document] accessed 26 Sep 2020 - http://www.nzsgb.org.uk/kiwi_cd/vol34/no5.pdf
9. ↑ Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9743, 27 July 1894 [PapersPast] - https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBH18940727.2.7

• John and Susan (nee Graham) STEVEN [website] prepared from cemetery records & photographs, family archives, transcripts from Waipawa Mail & Hawke's Bay Herald& "125 Off the Beaten Track -A Diary of Kaikora/Otane from 1874" (Mudgway) by Dave Barker, 5 March 200. Accessed 16 December 2018 by Nicola Sherrock - http://www.monro.freeservers.com/steven.html