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James Stevenson (Pennsylvania politician)

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James Stevenson
Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Washington County
In office
1814–1816
In office
1806–1808
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate
from the 18th district
In office
1808–1810
Preceded byWilliam McArthur Sr.
Succeeded byIsaac Weaver Jr.
Personal details
Born1740
Frederick County, Virginia (today Berkeley County, West Virginia)
Died1813(1813-00-00) (aged 72–73)
Cross Creek, Pennsylvania
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
Spouse(s)Rachel McKeevers Stephenson (d. December 14, 1789)
Martha Barr Stephenson
Children8
Military service
Branch/service United States
Years of serviceAmerican Revolutionary War
RankCaptain

James Stevenson (1740–1813) (also spelled Stephenson) was an American politician from Virginia that would go on to represent the 18th district in the Pennsylvania State Senate, as well as representing Washington County in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a Democratic-Republican.[1] Stevenson was one of the close childhood friends of George Washington and served as a Captain during the American Revolutionary War for the Continental Army.[2]

Biography

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James Stephenson was born in Frederick County, Virginia, in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia, in 1740 to Richard and Honora Stephenson née Grymes.[2][1] In 1767 Stephenson married Rachel Stephenson née McKeevers and the couple had two sons, Moses, and William, and a daughter Theodosia.[1] Stephenson was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War serving as a Captain and paymaster of the 13th Virginia Regiment. James also had a brother, William Stephenson, who served as a Lieutenant during the Illinois campaign under George Rogers Clark.[3] Stephenson also had a half brother, William Crawford a war-hero from the French and Indian War who led the ill-fated Crawford expedition, resulting in his defeat at the Sandusky and subsequent capture by the Delaware Nation who tortured him for two hours before burning him at a stake.[2] Crawford was the son of Honora to her earlier husband, Hugh Crawford, an Indian trader.[2] Prior to Crawford's death, a young George Washington would often visit the Stephenson household, and would become a childhood friend of James.[2]

In 1781 Stephenson left Virginia for Western Pennsylvania due to the vast abundance of cheap land taking with him his only slave named "Fortune" who was previously owned by George Washington and was given to Stephenson as a gift.[2] Stephenson and Fortune traveled on foot the entire distance and established a 500-acre farm and built a cabin on the property before leaving Fortune in charge of the estate by himself and returned to Virginia to make the trip again but with his family.[2] On December 14, 1789, Stephenson's wife Rachel died and he remarried to one Martha née Barr, the couple had four sons, Benjamin "James", Richard, Joseph, and John, as well as a daughter Achsah.[2]

Stephenson's first entry into politics was an unsuccessful bid for Washington County commissioner in 1792.[1] He would be elected as a Conventionalist Democratic-Republican to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1806 to 1808 when he was elected to the Pennsylvania state senate for the 18th district for a single term from 1808 to 1810. After a brief hiatus he returned to the house from 1814 to 1816. After-which he would unsuccessfully run for Sheriff of Washington county in 1820.[1]

There is a discrepancy in Stephenson's death, as he was reported dead in May 1813, however, he would stand for four subsequent elections from 1814 to 1820. Stephenson is buried in the Cross Creek cemetery.[1] Stephenson's second wife Martha would die in 1816.[2]

Electoral history

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1820 election for Sheriff of Washington County[4][a]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Robert Officer 1,779 25.24%
Independent Jacob Weirich Jr. 726 10.30%
Independent Samuel Hill 694 9.85%
Independent Thomas Ringland 672 9.53%
Independent James Dunlap 633 8.98%
Independent John Marshel 536 7.60%
Independent John Morgan 434 6.16%
Independent William Hoge 415 5.89%
Independent John Greer 361 5.12%
Independent James Stephenson 228 3.23%
Independent Moses Lyle 172 2.44%
Independent William Carter 142 2.02%
Independent James Lattimer 136 1.94%
Independent Robert Forsyth 67 0.95%
Independent James Ashbrook 54 0.75%
Total votes 7,049 100.0%
1815 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election for Washington County[5][b][a]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent John Hamilton
Independent Thomas Morgan
Independent James Stephenson
Independent William Vance
1814 election for Sheriff of Washington County[6][a]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Thomas Officer 1,603 40.02%
Independent Dickerson Roberts 1,267 31.63%
Independent Thomas Hopkins 628 15.67%
Independent James Stephenson 508 12.68%
Total votes 4,006 100.0%
1814 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election for Washington County[7][c][a]
Party Candidate Votes %
Independent Joshua Dickerson 3,018 24.58%
Independent James Stephenson 2,330 18.98%
Independent Thomas Morgan 2,126 17.31%
Independent Andrew Sutton 2,065 16.82%
Independent James Kerr 1,086 8.85%
Independent Robert Anderson 1,020 8.30%
Independent Robert Boland 634 5.16%
Total votes 12,279 100.0%
1813 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election for Washington County[8][d]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic-Republican Joshua Dickerson
Democratic-Republican Thomas MacCall
Democratic-Republican James Kerr
Democratic-Republican James Stevenson
1808 Pennsylvania State Senate election for the 18th district[9][e]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic-Republican Isaac Weaver, Jr. 4,886 41.45%
Democratic-Republican James Stevenson 4,415 37.46%
Federalist John Marshall 1,404 11.91%
Federalist John Flanagan 1,082 9.18%
Total votes 11,787 100%
1807 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election for Washington County[10][f]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic-Republican James Kerr 1,897 24.11%
Democratic-Republican Abel MacFarland 1,058 13.44%
Democratic-Republican James Stevenson 1,053 13.38%
Democratic-Republican Ebenezer Jennings 1,025 13.02%
Federalist John Marshall 962 12.22%
Federalist John Lyle 944 12.00%
Federalist Robert Machan 931 11.83%
Total votes 7,870 100%
1806 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election for Washington County[11][f]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic-Republican James Stevenson 1,804 25.52%
Democratic-Republican Abel MacFarland 1,735 24.53%
Democratic-Republican Ebenezer Jennings 1,497 21.17%
Democratic-Republican James Kerr 1,453 20.55%
Federalist Thomas Hopkins 582 8.23%
Total votes 7,071 100%
1805 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election for Washington County[12][f]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic-Republican John Marshall 2,281 17.55%
Democratic-Republican Aaron Lyle 2,166 16.66%
Democratic-Republican James Stephenson 2,152 16.55%
Democratic-Republican Samuel Agnew 2,126 16.36%
Federalist William MacFarland 1,002 7.71%
Federalist John Hoge 923 7.10%
Federalist James Mitchell 903 6.95%
Federalist Thomas Patterson 878 6.75%
Federalist Samuel Black 568 4.37%
Total votes 12,999 100%
1804 Pennsylvania House of Representatives election for Washington County[13][d]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic-Republican John Marshall
Democratic-Republican Samuel Agnew
Democratic-Republican James Stephenson
Democratic-Republican David Atcheson

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Despite Stephenson death being recorded in 1813, he is still listed as a candidate in this election
  2. ^ Top four candidates elected to the State House. All candidates elected unopposed. Votes and party affiliation not recorded
  3. ^ Top four candidates elected to the State House. Party affiliation not recorded
  4. ^ a b Top four candidates elected to the State House. All members elected unopposed, vote counts not recorded
  5. ^ Top two candidates elected to State Senate
  6. ^ a b c Top four candidates elected to the State House

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f "James Stevenson". Pennsylvania State Senate. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Commemorative biographical record of Washington county,. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. 1893. pp. 878–879. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  3. ^ "BROTHERS OF GREAT GRANDFATHER JOHN STEPHENSON" (PDF). Fort Vance Historical Society. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Pennsylvania 1820 Sheriff, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Pennsylvania 1815 House of Representatives, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Pennsylvania 1814 Sheriff, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Pennsylvania 1814 House of Representatives, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Pennsylvania 1813 House of Representatives, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Pennsylvania 1808 State Senate, District 18". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Pennsylvania 1807 House of Representatives, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Pennsylvania 1806 House of Representatives, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Pennsylvania 1805 House of Representatives, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Pennsylvania 1804 House of Representatives, Washington County". Tufts University. Retrieved 16 February 2024.