Lewis Green Stevenson (August 15, 1868 – April 5, 1929) was an American politician. He was the
Illinois Secretary of State
The Secretary of State of Illinois is one of the six elected executive state offices of the government of Illinois, and one of the 47 secretaries of states in the United States. The Illinois Secretary of State keeps the state records, laws, libr ...
from 1914 to 1917 and a member of Illinois' political
Stevenson family
The Stevenson family is an American family from Illinois that has included notable politicians in the Democratic Party, many of whom have been named Adlai E. Stevenson.
Notable members
*Adlai Ewing Stevenson I (October 23, 1835 ...
.
Early life
Born in
Chenoa, Illinois
Chenoa is a city in McLean County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2020 census. The city is located at the intersections of Interstate 55, Historic Route 66, and U.S. Route 24. Founded in 1854 by Mathew T. Scott, Chen ...
, Stevenson was educated in the Bloomington public schools, at
Phillips Exeter Academy
(not for oneself) la, Finis Origine Pendet (The End Depends Upon the Beginning) gr, Χάριτι Θεοῦ (By the Grace of God)
, location = 20 Main Street
, city = Exeter, New Hampshire
, zipcode ...
, and at Illinois State Normal University (now
Illinois State University
Illinois State University (ISU) is a public university in Normal, Illinois. Founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University, it is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teaching and is recognized as one of th ...
). He died of a heart ailment, at his home, in
Bloomington, Illinois
Bloomington is a city and the county seat of McLean County, Illinois, United States. It is adjacent to the town of Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area. Bloomington ...
.
['Lewis Stevenson, Former Secretary, Dies In Bloomington,' The Decatur Evening Herald (Illinois), April 2, 1929, pg. 1]
Stevenson's father,
Adlai Ewing Stevenson I, was the 23rd
Vice President of the United States
The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...
from 1893 to 1897. Stevenson's son,
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (; February 5, 1900 – July 14, 1965) was an American politician and diplomat who was twice the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic nominee for President of the United States. He was the grandson of Adlai Steven ...
, was the
Governor of Illinois
The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...
, the
Democratic candidate for
President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
in 1952 and 1956 and later the
United States Ambassador to the United Nations. His grandson,
Adlai Ewing Stevenson III, was a
U.S. senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. The
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
McLean Stevenson
Edgar "Mac" McLean Stevenson Jr. (November 14, 1927 – February 15, 1996) was an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake in the television series ''M*A*S*H'', which earned him a Golden Glob ...
was his first cousin twice removed.
Marriage and issue
![Helen Louise Davis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Helen_Louise_Davis.jpg)
Lewis Stevenson married Helen Louise Davis, daughter of ''
Pantagraph'' publisher W. O. Davis and granddaughter of
Jesse Fell
Jesse Fell was an early political leader in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He was one of the first Pennsylvanians to successfully burn anthracite on an open air grate. Anthracite differs from wood in that it needs a draft from the bottom, and Judge ...
. They had two children, Elizabeth "Buffy" and
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (; February 5, 1900 – July 14, 1965) was an American politician and diplomat who was twice the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic nominee for President of the United States. He was the grandson of Adlai Steven ...
.
Political career
Lewis followed in his father's footsteps as a Democratic Party leader. He served as his father's private secretary while his father was Vice President of the United States. Later, Lewis served as chairman of the Illinois State Board of Pardons, president of the Illinois Centennial Commission, and as Secretary of State under Governor
Edward Dunne. He took an active part in the national conventions of the Democratic party and was frequently consulted on party policy.
Notes
External links
Stevensons put stamp on history
1868 births
1929 deaths
American people of Scotch-Irish descent
Illinois Democrats
Secretaries of State of Illinois
Stevenson family
Children of vice presidents of the United States
People from Bloomington, Illinois
People from Chenoa, Illinois
Illinois State University alumni
Phillips Exeter Academy alumni
Politicians from Bloomington, Illinois
{{Illinois-politician-stub