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, 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. Bloomingto ...

.'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 pr ...

from 1893 to 1897. Stevenson's son, Adlai Ewing Stevenson II, 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 ...

, 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 St ...

in 1952 and 1956 and later the

United States Ambassador to the United Nations The United States ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is formally known as the permanent representative of the United States of America to the United Nations ...

. His grandson, Adlai Ewing Stevenson III, was a U.S. senator from

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockfo ...

. 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 (), lit ...

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 Glo ...

was his first cousin twice removed.

Marriage and issue

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.

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