d, from
drink. About the same time the Stevensons, who were mostly in Cunningham
before, crop up suddenly in the parish of Neilston, over the border in
Renfrewshire. Of course, they may have been there before, but there is
no word of them in that parish till 1675 in any extracts I have. Our
first traceable ancestor was a tenant farmer of Mure of
Cauldwell's--James in Nether Carsewell. Presently two families of
maltmen are found in Glasgow, both, by re-duplicated proofs, related to
James (the son of James) in Nether Carsewell. We descend by his second
marriage from Robert; one of these died 1733. It is not very romantic up
to now, but has interested me surprisingly to fish out, always hoping
for more--and occasionally getting at least a little clearness and
confirmation. But the earliest date, 1655, apparently the marriage of
James in Nether Carsewell, cannot as yet be pushed back. From which of
any number of dozen little families in Cunningham we should derive, God
knows! Of course, it doesn't matter a hundred years hence, an argument
fatal to all human enterprise, industry, or pleasure. And to me it will
be a deadly disappointment if I cannot roll this stone away! One
generation further might be nothing, but it is my present object of
desire, and we are so near it! There is a man in the same parish called
Constantine; if I could only trace to him, I could take you far afield
by that one talisman of the strange Christian name of Constantine. But
no such luck! And I kind of fear we shall stick at James.

I. JAMES, a tenant of the Mures, in Nether-Carsewell,
|| Neilston, married (1665?) Jean Keir.
|| |
----------------------------------------------
|
II. ROBERT (Maltman in Glasgow), died 1733,
| married 1st; married second,
| Elizabeth Cumming.
| ||
| ------------------------------
| |
WILLIAM (Maltman in Glasgow). III. ROBERT (Maltman in
| Glasgow), married
-------------------- Margaret Fulton (had
| | | a large family).
| | | ||
ROBE