William Cullen Stevens (August 29, 1848 – October 2, 1897) was an American merchant and politician from New York.

Life

Stevens was born on August 29, 1848, in Moira New York,[1] the son of Simon Dwight Stevens and Susan Burdick. His brother was newspaper publisher and assemblyman Halbert D. Stevens.[2]

Stevens moved with his parents to Bangor, Maine, when he was a few months old, later returning to Moira. At a young age, he started working as a store clerk in Moira. He then worked as a traveling salesman. He then became a commercial traveller for the wholesale crockery house Abram, French & Co. In 1874, he moved to Malone, became the senior member of the firm Stevens, Bowen & Co, and opened a hardware store. He later formed a new partnership with W. F. Symonds and opened a dry goods store. He disposed of his interest in 1889, when he was elected to the Assembly.[3]

Stevens was a trustee of the village of Malone. In 1888, he was elected to the New York State Assembly as a Republican, representing Franklin County. He served in the Assembly in 1889,[4] 1890,[5] and 1891.[6] While in the Assembly, he obtained appropriations for the Northern New York Institute for Deaf Mutes, which he helped found and took a deep interest in.[3] He then worked as the financial clerk in the Assembly in 1894,[7] 1895,[8] 1896,[9] and 1897.[10] In between Assembly sessions as financial clerk, he worked as a salesman for the Lawrence-Webter Company of Malone.[1]

Stevens was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.[11] In 1873, he married the eldest daughter of Wallace H. Webster. Their children were Mabel, Jennie, Susie, and Wallace H.[3]

Stevens died at home from heart failure on October 2, 1897, the day after he was appointed chairman of the Republican county committee.[3] He was buried in Morningside Cemetery in Malone.

References

  1. 1 2 Seaver, Frederick J. (1918). Historical Sketches of Franklin County and Its Several Towns. Albany, N.Y.: J. B. Lyon Company. pp. 775–776 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Landon, Harry F. (1932). The North Country, A History, Embracing Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Lewis, and Franklin Counties, New York. Vol. 3. Indianapolis, I.N.: Historical Publishing Company. pp. 1562–1563 – via Internet Archive.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "William Cullen Stevens". The Malone Palladium. Vol. LXIII, no. 7. Malone, N.Y. 7 October 1897. p. 4 – via NYS Historic Newspapers.
  4. ↑ The Argus Almanac, 1889. 1889. p. 160 – via Google Books.
  5. ↑ McBride, Alexander, ed. (1890). The Evening Journal Almanac, 1890. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons & Co. pp. 163–164 – via Internet Archive.
  6. ↑ McBride, Alexander, ed. (1891). The Evening Journal Almanac, 1891. Albany, N.Y.: Weed, Parsons & Co. p. 160 – via Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ Murlin, Edgar L. (1894). The New York Red Book. Albany, N.Y.: James B. Lyon. p. 430 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ Murlin, Edgar L. (1895). The New York Red Book. Albany, N.Y.: James B. Lyon. p. 617 – via Google Books.
  9. ↑ Murlin, Edgar L. (1896). The New York Red Book. Albany, N.Y.: James B. Lyon. p. 695 – via Google Books.
  10. ↑ Murlin, Edgar L. (1897). The New York Red Book. Albany, N.Y.: James B. Lyon. p. 738 – via Google Books.
  11. ↑ "Obituary". The Franklin Gazette. Vol. 59, no. 52. Malone, N.Y. 8 October 1897. p. 3 – via NYS Historic Newspapers.
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