Edmund Ray Stevens (June 20, 1869 – August 25, 1930) was an American lawyer and judge. He was a justice of the

Wisconsin Supreme Court The Wisconsin Supreme Court is the highest appellate court in Wisconsin. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over original actions, appeals from lower courts, and regulation or administration of the practice of law in Wisconsin. Location The Wi ...

from 1926 until his death in 1930. He previously served 23 years as a

Wisconsin circuit court The Wisconsin circuit courts are the general trial courts in the state of Wisconsin. There are currently 69 circuits in the state, divided into 10 judicial administrative districts. Circuit court judges hear and decide both civil and criminal case ...

judge and was a member of the

Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...

, representing the city of

Madison Madison may refer to: People * Madison (name), a given name and a surname * James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States Place names * Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...

in the 1901 session.

Biography

Stevens was born Edmund Ray Stevens on June 20, 1869, in

Lake County, Illinois Lake County is situated in the northeastern corner of the U.S. state of Illinois, along the shores of Lake Michigan. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 714,342, making it the third-most populous county in Illinois. Its county seat ...

. His family later moved to

Janesville, Wisconsin Janesville is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. It is the county seat and largest city in the county. It is a principal municipality of the Janesville, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Madison–Jane ...

. He graduated from the

University of Wisconsin Law School The University of Wisconsin Law School is the professional graduate law school of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Located in Madison, Wisconsin, the school was founded in 1868. The University of Wisconsin Law School is guided by a "law in ...

in 1895. As a young man, he was a prolific writer on the problems of government and pushing for progressive solutions. He also worked as a special correspondent for the ''

Milwaukee Sentinel The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper. It is also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely distributed. It is currently ...

'', making trips to Europe to report on the urban European perspective.

Career

From 1896 to 1903, Stevens and future U.S. Representative

Burr W. Jones Burr W. Jones (March 9, 1846January 7, 1935) was an American lawyer, politician, jurist, and law professor. He was a member of the United States House of Representatives in the 48th Congress, and a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Biogr ...

operated the law firm Jones & Stevens. Additionally, Stevens was elected to the

in 1900. In 1903, Stevens was appointed a

judge by Governor

Robert M. La Follette Robert Marion "Fighting Bob" La Follette Sr. (June 14, 1855June 18, 1925), was an American lawyer and politician. He represented Wisconsin in both chambers of Congress and served as the 20th Governor of Wisconsin. A Republican for most of his l ...

. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 1925 and served as a member until his death. During his time with the Supreme Court, he was also a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Law School. Stevens died at his home in the Nakoma neighborhood, in

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...

, on the morning of August 25, 1930. He suffered a brief illness that resulted in a heart attack.

Personal life and family

Stevens married Kate Sabin of

Windsor, Wisconsin Windsor is a village and former town in Dane County, Wisconsin. The population was 8,754 at the time of the 2020 census. The communities of Lake Windsor, Morrisonville, and Token Creek are located within the village. Windsor voted to incorporate ...

. Sabin was also a University of Wisconsin graduate; she worked as a high school teacher in

Stevens Point, Wisconsin Stevens Point is the county seat of Portage County, Wisconsin, United States. The city was incorporated in 1858. Its 2020 population of 25,666 makes it the largest city in the county. Stevens Point forms the core of the United States Census Bur ...

, served as Dane County superintendent of schools, and taught at the

Milwaukee-Downer College Milwaukee-Downer College was a women's college in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in operation from 1895 to 1964. History Milwaukee-Downer College was established in 1895 with the merger of two institutions: Milwaukee College and Downer College of Fox Lak ...

. They had three children together, though one died young.

Electoral history

Wisconsin Assembly (1900)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 6, 1900

Wisconsin Supreme Court (1925)

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, April 7, 1925

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, E. Ray 1869 births 1930 deaths People from Lake County, Illinois Politicians from Janesville, Wisconsin Justices of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Republican Party members of the Wisconsin State Assembly Wisconsin lawyers University of Wisconsin Law School alumni University of Wisconsin–Madison faculty