Stevenson, S. O.

S. O. STEVENSON, merchant and miller, Utica, was born in Mercer, Pennsylvania, March 16, 1840, and is a son of Thomas and Sarah (Devore) Stevenson, natives of Washington county, Pennsylvania. His paternal ancestors came from Scotland and were among the early settlers of Virginia, in which state his grandfather, William Stevenson, was living at the time of the Revolutionary war. William Stevenson was an ardent patriot during that struggle, and served under Washington. Shortly after the close of the war he removed to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where he died about 1850. Thomas Stevenson, father of S.O., was born in Washington county, and was a merchant by occupation. He carried on a successful business for some years in the city of Pittsburgh, and later operated a large store in Mercer, where he died about 1847. His wife, Sarah Stevenson, was the daughter of S. Devore, whose ancestors were among the pioneers of Washington county, and were of French ancestry. Mrs. Stevenson died in Franklin, Pennsylvania. The following are the names of their children: Margaret, wife of William Hanna; S.O.; William, and Mary, the last two deceased. S.O. Stevenson spent his early years in Mercer, Franklin, and Meadville, in the schools of which he received his early educational training. While still young he accepted a clerkship in a mercantile house at Meadville, and after three years spent in that city was similiarly employed in other places until the breaking out of the Rebellion, when he entered the army as a private in the First West Virginia Cavalry, and served with his command in many of the bloodiest battles of the war, including Winchester, second battle of Bull Run, Gettysburg, Cedar Mountain, Port Royal, Fisher’s Hill, Blue Gap, Cedar Creek, and numerous other engagements, in all about sixty. His term of service extended over three years, during which time he never lost a day from duty, and although in the thickest of the many battles in which his command participated never received a wound or injury of any description. After his discharge in the fall of 1864, he returned to Pennsylvania, and for about one year thereafter clerked in the store of Devore & Nesbit, at Utica. He subsequently effected a copartnership in the business with Mr. Nesbit, and the firm thus formed still continues, and is one of the substantial mercantile houses of Venango county. In connection with merchandising the firm operates a flouring mill at Utica. Mr. Stevenson was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Shannon of Utica, and is .the father of four children, three of whom are living: Blanche; William D., and Ward T. Politically he is a Republican and one of the well- known citizens of the county.