James Stevenson, Jr. was the younger son of James and Sara Groenendyck Stevenson. He probably was born during the mid-1730s. He was the younger brother of John Stevenson, a prominent Albany merchant.

His name is conspicuously absent from the community record where his father and brother were Albany leaders and regularly referenced. However, in 1768 he was listed as a communicant at St. Peter's Anglican church.

In 1763, he was identified in the will filed by his father and was left a monetary bequest. In November, a codicil to the will advanced James £1,000 Sterling.

This James Stevenson seems to have been a military officer and frontier contractor. The papers of Sir William Johnson include many letters and references to him including his statement that he had married "an Amiable Seneca" woman in November of 1769. At that time, he was "in command" at Niagara. Another source has identified him as a surgeon there. In 1770, he was a captain in the 60th Regiment on duty at Detroit.

In 1774, he was identified as "of Albany" and named co-executor of Johnson's estate. He frequently corresponded with Johnson.

In the summer of 1775, he applied to the Albany Committee for a pass to go to Canada. His request was denied twice.

Perhaps he returned to Albany after the war. However, he does not seem to have lived with his prominent older brother and he was not otherwise accounted for on the Albany censuses in 1790 or 1800.

In September 1801, Alexander Hamilton wrote to him "regarding business matters."

In 1802, a house and lot on Orange Street under the name of James Stevenson appeared on the city assessment roll.

His nephew and future mayor of Albany, James Stevenson, was born in 1788.

Following the latest sweep of online resources and with important life issues still unresolved, we move on for now from the life of James Stevenson, Jr.

Sources: Because he was an Albany native, the life of James Stevenson, Jr. needs a CAP biography number. This sketch is derived chiefly from family and community-based resources. His marriage to a Seneca woman and subsequent custody conflict have been analyzed by Gail D. Mac Leitch.