William E. Stevenson
Encyclopedia
William Erskine Stevenson (March 18, 1820 November 29, 1883) was an American
cabinet-maker, farmer, and Republican
politician from Parkersburg, West Virginia
. He was the third Governor of West Virginia from 1869 until 1871.
William was the son of Irish
immigrants, and was born in Warren, Pennsylvania
. His parents, James and Elizabeth (Erskine) Stevenson, had immigrated to America in 1817. In 1829 James moved his young family to Pittsburgh
to work as a cabinet-maker. William apprenticed at his father's trade, then went into business for himself. In September 1842 he married Sarah Clotworthy
, another second generation American whose parents came from Belfast, Ireland
.
Largely self-educated, Stevenson began his interest in politics as a labor spokesman. He was associated with the Pittsburgh unit of the National Reform Association, and an advocate for the ten-hour workday. He became an adherent of the new Republican Party, and shared in their early success by being elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1857. Later that same year he bought a small farm and moved to Wood County
in western Virginia
.
Stevenson remained an advocate of labor and also became a supporter for continuing the union. As the American Civil War
grew closer, a warrant was issued for his arrest in 1859. He was accused of sedition against the state for circulating a book, "The Impending Crisis of the South" by Hinton Rowan Helper
, that was critical of slavery. Hoping to make a case for the freedom of ideas, Stevenson attempted to surrender to the Wood County sheriff, who declined to arrest him. But, from this point forward, he became a militant anti-slavery and pro-union activist.
In 1860 Stevenson was a delegate to the Republican national convention in Chicago. At home, he campaigned for Abraham Lincoln
. When war finally came he was an outspoken advocate to the creation of the state of West Virginia
. He was a delegate for Wood County in the constitutional conventions of 1862 and 1863. When the second of these successfully withdrew from Virginia and statehood was achieved he was elected to the West Virginia State Senate.
Stevenson served in the State Senate from 1863 until 1868, and during the last three years he was its President. That year he was elected on the Republican ticket as Governor of West Virginia. He served as Governor for two years, but lost his bid for reelection in 1870. After the bulk of his political career he became a partner in the Parkersburg State Journal and a director of the West Virginia Oil Land Company.
Stevenson had two more major political tasks, he seved as a Presidential Elector in 1872 as he had in 1864. He died at his home on Juliana Street in Parkersburg, West Virginia
and is buried in the Riverview Cemetery there.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cabinet-maker, farmer, and Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
politician from Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
. He was the third Governor of West Virginia from 1869 until 1871.
William was the son of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants, and was born in Warren, Pennsylvania
Warren, Pennsylvania
Warren is a city in Warren County, Pennsylvania, United States, located along the Allegheny River. The population was 9,710 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Warren County. It is home to the headquarters of the Allegheny National Forest and the Cornplanter State Forest...
. His parents, James and Elizabeth (Erskine) Stevenson, had immigrated to America in 1817. In 1829 James moved his young family to Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
to work as a cabinet-maker. William apprenticed at his father's trade, then went into business for himself. In September 1842 he married Sarah Clotworthy
Sarah Clotworthy Stevenson
Sarah Clotworthy Stevenson was the wife of former Governor of West Virginia William E. Stevenson and served as that state's First Lady, 1869-1871. She was born in 1824, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1842, she married William E. Stevenson. In the 1850s, the Stevensons moved from Pittsburgh,...
, another second generation American whose parents came from Belfast, Ireland
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
.
Largely self-educated, Stevenson began his interest in politics as a labor spokesman. He was associated with the Pittsburgh unit of the National Reform Association, and an advocate for the ten-hour workday. He became an adherent of the new Republican Party, and shared in their early success by being elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1857. Later that same year he bought a small farm and moved to Wood County
Wood County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 87,986 people, 36,275 households, and 24,884 families residing in the county. The population density was 240 people per square mile . There were 39,785 housing units at an average density of 108 per square mile...
in western Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Stevenson remained an advocate of labor and also became a supporter for continuing the union. As the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
grew closer, a warrant was issued for his arrest in 1859. He was accused of sedition against the state for circulating a book, "The Impending Crisis of the South" by Hinton Rowan Helper
Hinton Rowan Helper
Hinton Rowan Helper was a Southern US critic of slavery during the 1850s. In 1857, he published a book which he dedicated to the "nonslaveholding whites" of the South...
, that was critical of slavery. Hoping to make a case for the freedom of ideas, Stevenson attempted to surrender to the Wood County sheriff, who declined to arrest him. But, from this point forward, he became a militant anti-slavery and pro-union activist.
In 1860 Stevenson was a delegate to the Republican national convention in Chicago. At home, he campaigned for Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. When war finally came he was an outspoken advocate to the creation of the state of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. He was a delegate for Wood County in the constitutional conventions of 1862 and 1863. When the second of these successfully withdrew from Virginia and statehood was achieved he was elected to the West Virginia State Senate.
Stevenson served in the State Senate from 1863 until 1868, and during the last three years he was its President. That year he was elected on the Republican ticket as Governor of West Virginia. He served as Governor for two years, but lost his bid for reelection in 1870. After the bulk of his political career he became a partner in the Parkersburg State Journal and a director of the West Virginia Oil Land Company.
Stevenson had two more major political tasks, he seved as a Presidential Elector in 1872 as he had in 1864. He died at his home on Juliana Street in Parkersburg, West Virginia
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
and is buried in the Riverview Cemetery there.