STEVENSON, Alexander C. (Dr)
21 Nov 1802 – 2 Jan 1889 Forest Hill Cemetery, Greencastle
(son of James Stevenson and Margaret Campbell)
Source: Rushville Republican Thursday 10 Jan 1889 p 2
Dr. Alexander C. Stevenson, a pioneer of Putnam County,
Indiana died at his home, near Greencastle, aged 87.
Source: Greencastle Banner, 3 Jan 1889 p 4
Dr. A.C. Stevenson - Died at the residence of his
son-in-law, James Bridges in Greencastle, Jan 2, 1889. Dr. A.C. Stevenson in the 87th
year of his age. Dr. Stevenson was born in Woodford County KY Nov 21, 1802. He
was the eldest son of James and Margaret Stevenson of that county and grew to
manhood there. He had no advantages of education or training except such as afford
by his father’s home and the occasional private school of a frontier
settlement. He may be truthfully said to have been trained independent of books
and schools. Yet such was his ability and energy that before his 23d year he
was a distinguished man and successful physician of his native county. Impelled by his hostility to slavery however
he determined to make his home in Indiana. Following this determination he
became a citizen of Putnam County, Indiana in 1826 and ever afterwards made
this county his home. It is scarcely an
exaggeration to say the county has never had an abler, more distinguished
citizen or one who has left upon the county a deeper impress of his character.
He was the leading physician of the county until he retired from practice in
1843. He was one of the original promoters of the Indiana Asbury University
(now DePauw) and was the first president of its Board of trustees to which
position he was again elected in 1841 and to him and his efforts was in good
measure owing the location of this University at Greencastle and its early
success and prosperity. He very early became prominent in the politics of his
adopted county and in 1831, 32, 44 and 45 he represent his county in the
General Assembly of the State and the last named term was speaker of the House.
In 1839, 40 and 41 he was State Senator from his county and in 1846 was the
candidate of his party for Lt. Governor and in 1850 was a delegate to the
convention which framed the present constitution of the state and took a
leading part in the deliberations of that body. After this he never was a
candidate and never held public office, though always active and influential in
politics and always on the side of justice and right. On his retiring from the
practice of medicine he became a farmer and stock raiser. To his new calling he
brought his rare intelligence, energy and force of character, read much,
thought much, wrote much and published much on the subject. He was one of the earliest members of the
Indiana State Board of Agriculture for three years its president. In this
position he strove to do for the state what he had done for his county and to
his efforts is due a great share of what the State Board of Agriculture has
done for the farming interests of the state.
He was one of the early friends and promoters of the temperance reform
and sought during his active life to aid all efforts to restrain and overthrow
the saloon and all its influences, which he believed to be wholly vicious. He
was a devout believer in the religion of Christ. His parents were Presbyterians
and from them he learned his first lessons in Christianity. In his mature life
he became a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of which he was a honored member of the time of his death. He leaves surviving a wife and 12 children
for whom by his energy and industry he has provided amply and generously. He
died at the rip age of 86 years, 1 month and 11 days worn out by time and labor
but trustfully resigned to the will of Him who “doeth all things well,” and in the
full hope of immortal life with Him in whom he trusted.
Source: Greencastle Banner 10 Jan 1889 p 1
The
following resolutions on the death of Dr. Stevenson were unanimously adopted by
the State Board of Agriculture, at its meeting in Indianapolis on
yesterday:
Mr. President,
it becomes the painful duty of your committee on obituaries to formally make
known to you the death, very recently, of our distinguished predecessor and
former President of this Board, Hon. Alexander C. Stevenson, M. D. LL. D. which
occurred at the residence of his son in-law, James Bridges, in the city of
Greencastle on Wednesday last, the 2nd instant, at the advanced age of
eighty-six years, one month and eleven days. Dr. Stevenson was not only the
last remaining charter member of this Board, but he enjoyed the still greater
distinction of having held, as the appointee of Gov. Whitcomb, a position in
its immediate predecessor which, as a semi-official organization under the
statues and organic law of 1816, prepared the way for the present board, a
creature of subsequent legislation under our present constitution. It is also
fair to assume that he, as a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1850 |
and as an earnest friend of agriculture | and one of its far seeing advocates,
should have given Ids influence and the weight of his counsel in support of the
liberal provisions of our present constitution for the promotion of all rural
industries, including the organizations and maintenance of the Indiana State
Board of Agriculture. From its organization in 1851, to the beginning of 1859,
Dr. Stevenson continuously represented his district in this board, excepting
the two years (1855and 5«) when the late Hon. John A. Matson was its
representative. For three years of this time he was its honored President.
Dr.
Stevenson was an educated and highly successful physician and surgeon, but his intuitive
love for rural pursuits, prompted him, at a comparatively early age in life to
abandon the practice of his profession and retire to the far where he first embarked
in sheep-husbandry. Although very successful in his calling as the sale of his
clip of wool lfr the year 1853 for over $3,000 would indicate, he was forced,
solely through the losses and annoyance he sustained from predatory dogs, to
give up his flocks, which were high ley bred, and the most noted of that day,
and embarked In the cattle business. In this, as in sheep-husbandry he very
soon became a leader. His Short Horn herds became noted, as not only among the
best in the state, but lie, himself, was acknowledged as one of the best judges
of the points of excellence in this, as in
other
breeds of cattle.
His herds
were kept up and constantly improved by selections and careful breeding until
1873, when through a public sale, second in its results to none ever heldin the
State, he retired from active life, as a professional breeder, though his
strong natural affinities made much stronger by long association and study,
ever after held him close to the herds and the herdsmen of our State and the
Nation. Dr. Stevenson was a frequent and an able contributor to the Agriculture
press of the country, his articles taking wide range and scope, though
generally having direct or indirect reference to grazing and stock-farming. As
a member of this Board, few have served it more ably and none so long, for
although his official connection with it ceased thirty years ago, he never
during life, failed to hold its best interests sacred to his heart. This fact
is well attested through an examination of the records, where may be found, at
intervals covering this long period of time, numerous able contributions from
his pen, to its literature and evidences of bis benign presence, at its public
exhibitions and conventions. Indeed Ids last public appearance was at the
recent State Fair, held in this city, where he might have been seen with cane
in hand or under the escort of a friend, in a buggy or carriage, carefully and
intelligently inspecting the various objects of interests and offering such
comments and suggestions as only the deeply concerned could propose. It was
extremely satisfying to members of your committee, who witnessed this last public
assurance of our old time friend, that his presence should have elicited, from
the Board, such cordial recognition and that he should have been beyond the
great distinction of a place for the show-ring amongst his favorites, the Short
Horns, while the judges were awarding the prizes. In view, first of the upright
Christian character of the man, and second of his long able and faithful
services rendered this Board and to the cause of agriculture in general and to
the commonwealth as a citizen, we would respectfully
offer the following:
Resolved,
that a record of these procedures in memory of the distinguished
services,
in lite, of Dr. Alexander C. Stevenson and as evidence of our great sorrow, now
that lie is gone, be made conspicuous in the annals of the Indiana State Board
of Agriculture.
VY. II.
Kagan,
Chairman
of Committee.