He was born in Paisley on 28 April 1786 the son of James Stevenson, a silk gauze manufacturer, and his wife, Margaret Cochran.

[4] The family moved into central Glasgow in 1825, running the firm James Stevenson & Co, cotton brokers, from 104 Hutcheson Street.

[5] James inherited the family business on his father's death in 1806.

In 1844 he also became a senior partner at the Jarrow Chemical Works in South Shields: a firm supplying dyes for his cottons.

[7] He was portrayed by Norman Macbeth and Thomas Annan photographed the portrait.