He was born on 11 January 1815 at 2 Baxters Place[1] at the top of Leith Walk in Edinburgh, the son of Jean Smith and engineer Robert Stevenson.

In addition he helped Richard Henry Brunton design lighthouses for Japan, inventing a novel method for allowing them to withstand earthquakes.

[4] In 1836 he made a tour of the United States and Canada, subsequently publishing a book on North American civil engineering in 1838.

The book provided a detailed overview of various aspects of inland navigation, including the history, construction, and maintenance of barge and ship canals.

He played a significant role in developing harbours and rivers in Scotland, including works on the Forth, Tay, Ness, Nith, and Clyde.

[3] Notable works in England and Wales included the Dee, Lune, Ribble, and Wear rivers, along with the restoration and enlargement of the Foss Dyke in Lincolnshire.

Stevenson was also influential in matters related to salmon fishing in rivers and estuaries in Scotland, and he made a significant report on the subject for the Dornoch Fisheries in August 1842.