Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 7).djvu/300

254 public benefits of the inhabilunts. In 1890, on the creation of the New York city rapid transit commission, he was appointed one of its members.

STEPHENSON, John. car-builder, b. in County Armagh, Ireland, 4 July, )809 ; d. at New Rochelle, N. Y., 31 July, 1893. When he was two years old his parents emigrated to the United States, and in the public schools of New York city young Stephenson received the rudiments of his educa- tion, lie then continued his studies at the Wes- leyan university, Middletown, Conn. From his sixteenth till his nineteenth year he was employed in a store — his father having planned for him a mercantile career; but his tastes were in the line of mechanical pursuits, and he prevailed upon his father to permit him to follow his own inclina- tion. In 1831, after having served an apprentice- ship with a coaehmaker, he went into business on his own account, and built for Abrani Brower the vehicle known as an omnibus, which became very popular. In 1833 he constructed the first street-cars that were run in New York city, for the newly organized " New York and Harlem rail- road," and during the three succeeding years built others for the original street railway lines of Brooklyn, Jamaica, Paterson, N. J., JIatanzas, Cuba, and other places. In 1843 he suffered re- verses, but at once set to work to retrieve his losses. Henceforth his business was most successful, and he had amassed a fortune of several millions of dollars. His industry caused his name to be known in nearly every part of the civilized world, and for his private philanthropy he was justly regarded. He was very generally known as " Honest John Stephenson."

STEUART, George Hume, soldier, b. in Balti- more, Md., 34 Aug., 1838. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy in 1848, became 2d lieutenant in the 3d dragoons, November, 1849, 1st lieutenant in the 1st cavalry, 3 March, 1855, and captain, 20 Dec, 1855. He resigned in April, 1861, and on 16 June, 1861, was commissioned lieutenant-colonel of the 1st Maryland (Confed- erate) regiment. In July, 1861, he was promoted its colonel, and in March, 1862, he became briga- dier-general. In Stonewall Jackson's advance on Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks, in May, 1862, he led the cavalry, and he afterward had charge of an infan- try brigade. lie was badly wounded at Cross Keys, 8 June, 1862, and his brigade suffered se- verely in the attack on Culp's Hill, at Gettysburg. He defended the "bloody angle" at the battle of the Wilderness against Hancock's corps, and was taken prisoner, but exchanged in the winter of 1864^*5. Since the war Gen. Steuart has resided in retirement in his native city.

STEVENS, Charles Emery, author, b. in Pem- broke, N. H.. 34 March, 1815; d. at Worcester, Mass., 13 Dec, 189:3. He was educated at Pem- broke academy, read law for a time in his father's ofRee. and was at Andover theological seminary. He then followed the vocation of teacher, and was principal from 1847-'8 of the high-school at Barre, Mass. He edited several newspapers — the New Hampshire "Statesman," Barre "Patriot," Worcester " Daily Transcript," and was an assist- ant editor of the Massachusetts colonial records, 1853-'5. From 1855-'8 he was a literary reader and editor in Boston, from 1859-'6y assistant reg- ister of probate and in.solvency for Worcester county, and was register lH69-'84. After the latter date he practised law for nine years in Worcester. He was the author of "Anthony Burns, a History " (1856); "New Biographies of Illustrious Men" (1857); "Church and Parish" (1878); "Henry Chapin as Judge of Probate" (1881) ; " Noah Emery of Exeter " (1886) ; " Worces- ter Churches, 1719-1889" (1890); and " The Com- pany of the Moselle " (1891).

STEVENS, John Leavitt, diplomat, b. in Mount Veruon, Me., 1 Aug., 1820: d. in Au- gusta, 8 Feb., 1895. By his own endeavor he was educated at the Maine Wesleyan seminary and the Waterville liberal institute, studied theology, and was ordained to the Universalist ministry in 1844. He was in the ministry for ten years, being compelled to abandon it because of failing health. In 1855 he became associated with James G. Blaine in the editorship of the " Kennebec Journal," and three years later succeeded ftlr. Blaine as editor- in-chief, which position he filled until 1870. In that year he accepted the appointment of U. S. minister to Uruguay and Paraguay under Presi- dent Grant while these countries were passing through a condition of disturbance, and in his official capacity protected American interests, and aided in the re-establishment of peace between the two former countries. He resigned his post in 1873, took an active part in the presidential cam- paign of 1876, and from 1877-"83 was minister to Sweden and Norway. During his residence in Stockholm he wrote a life of Gustavus Adolphus and a treatise on the Thirty years' war. In June, 1889, he was appointed minister to the Hawaiian islands. On 30 Jan., 1893, a revolution broke out in Honolulu, by which Queen Liliuokalani and her government were overthrown. Mr. Stevens recognized the provisional government which was organized, and, while commissioners from the islands were sent to the United States to request annexation, he established a protectorate pending the negotiations. On 15 Feb. President Harrison sent to the U. S. senate a message in which he urged annexation, but the inauguration of Presi- dent Cleveland a few days later resulted in the withdrawal of the treaty, and James H. Blount was sent to Hawaii as a special commissioner to ascertain the facts in the case. Mr. Blount or- dered the protectorate withdrawn, and succeeded Mr. Stevens as minister in May.

STEVENSON, Adlai Ewing, vice-president, b. in Christian county. Ky., 23 Oct., 1835 ; educated at the common schools of that static, and afterward at Centre college in Danville, Ky., but did not graduate. The family removed to Bloomington, III., when he was seventeen yeai-s of age, and there he soon after be- gan the study of law, being admit- ted to the bar in May, 1857. He was in 1860 appointed a master in chan- cery, holding the office for four years. In 1868 he formed a law part- nership with James .S. Ewing, a rela- tive, which part- nership still exists. He was elected a ^ member of the 44th congress. On the expiration of his term he resumed his law practice in Bloomington, and was re-elected to the 46th congress, during which he served as chairman of the committee on mines and mining. He was chosen a delegate to the national convention that nominated GroverCleve-