-A Visit to The Richmond Arms by Mark Twain -

(as researched by St Peter’s Heritage Trust)

James C Stephen was born in 1878 in Cheetham by Manchester. His parents were Alexander G Stephen, an Insurance Surveyor and Agnes Thomson, both originally from Peterculter.

James’s father Alexander was born and brought up at East Lodge at the east entrance gate to Culter House. Agnes his mother was brought up at Clovencraigs, her father being the first Chemist in Peterculter.

They married in Peterculter and duly moved south to Manchester where James was born. Unfortunately James’s mother died and James and his brothers and sisters returned with their father back north to live in Peterculter.

Many years later, James became a barman in the public house that is called today the ‘Richmond Arms’ here in Peterculter.

James eventually emigrated to the USA where he married and brought up his own family.

He died in Massachusetts in 1967 at the age of 89 years.

The following is an extract from an article that James wrote in 1960 for an American magazine, where he told of some of his exploits while in Peterculter.

“ I was a native of Peterculter on the Deeside for several years. I was a bartender.

I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Twain once when he stopped for refreshments at our bar.

He was seated inside a covered wagon. He had a coloured man whom he called his coachman. He had one large horse in the shafts and a pony alongside to help pull up on the hills.

I told him about Rob Roy’s statue. He said he would like to see it, so I locked up and got into his wagon and stopped at the bridge to see it.

He gave me a silver half crown, which I had mounted in a silver frame. I presented this along with four Mark Twain books to the Mark Twain Foundation, of which I am a member.

Samuel Clements – Mark Twain – told me he was going to Banchory, Aboyne, Ballater, Balmoral and on to Braemar.”

The article continues

“ I am in hopes of spending a vacation in this old ‘Stamping Ground’ some day.

I was a member of the Culter Cycling Club and two or three of us boys used to ride our bikes around Balmoral Castle.

One Sunday we were there, an outrider on horseback told us to dismount and take off our hats as Queen Victoria was coming past.

We boys all separated and cheered as she went by.

We separated so we could each get an individual bow from the Queen, which we did.”