Edmund Ray Stevens (June 20, 1869 – August 25, 1930) was an American lawyer and judge. He was a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 1926 until his death in 1930. He previously served 23 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge and was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the city of Madison in the 1901 session.[1]
E. Ray Stevens | |
|---|---|
| Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court | |
| In office January 1, 1926 – August 25, 1930 | |
| Preceded by | Burr W. Jones |
| Succeeded by | George B. Nelson |
| Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 9th circuit | |
| In office April 9, 1903 – December 31, 1925 | |
| Appointed by | Robert M. La Follette |
| Preceded by | Robert G. Siebecker |
| Succeeded by | Herman W. Sachtjen |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dane 1st district | |
| In office January 7, 1901 – January 5, 1903 | |
| Preceded by | George E. Bryant |
| Succeeded by | Matthew S. Dudgeon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 20, 1869 Lake County, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 25, 1930 (aged 61) Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Resting place | Forest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Kate S. Sabin (m. 1898–1930) |
| Children |
|
| Education | University of Wisconsin Law School |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Biography
editStevens was born Edmund Ray Stevens on June 20, 1869, in Lake County, Illinois.[2] His family later moved to Janesville, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1895. As a young man, he was a prolific writer on the problems of government and pushing for progressive solutions. He also worked as a special correspondent for the Milwaukee Sentinel, making trips to Europe to report on the urban European perspective.[3]
Career
editFrom 1896 to 1903, Stevens and future U.S. Representative Burr W. Jones operated the law firm Jones & Stevens. Additionally, Stevens was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1900. In 1903, Stevens was appointed a Wisconsin circuit court judge by Governor Robert M. La Follette. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 1925 and served as a member until his death.[4] During his time with the Supreme Court, he was also a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Stevens died at his home in the Nakoma neighborhood, in Madison, Wisconsin, on the morning of August 25, 1930. He suffered a brief illness that resulted in a heart attack.[5]
Personal life and family
editStevens married Kate Sabin of Windsor, Wisconsin. Sabin was also a University of Wisconsin graduate; she worked as a high school teacher in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, served as Dane County superintendent of schools, and taught at the Milwaukee-Downer College.[6] They had three children together, though one died young.
Electoral history
editWisconsin Assembly (1900)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 6, 1900 | |||||
| Republican | E. Ray Stevens | 3,468 | 56.32% | +6.29% | |
| Democratic | George W. Levis | 2,569 | 41.72% | −8.25% | |
| Prohibition | Charles H. Parr | 121 | 1.96% | ||
| Plurality | 899 | 14.60% | +14.54% | ||
| Total votes | 6,158 | 100.0% | +28.96% | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
Wisconsin Supreme Court (1925)
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, April 7, 1925 | |||||
| Nonpartisan | E. Ray Stevens | 256,431 | 65.81% | ||
| Nonpartisan | John C. Kleist | 133,164 | 34.17% | ||
| Scattering | 73 | 0.02% | |||
| Plurality | 123,267 | 31.63% | |||
| Total votes | 389,668 | 100.0% | |||
References
edit- ^ "Stevens, E to F". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ "E. Ray Stevens". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ a b "Biographical Sketches". The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1901. p. 744. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
- ^ a b "Judge Stevens Received Majority of 123,267 Votes". Iron County Miner. May 8, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Justice E. Ray Stevens Dead". The Capital Times. August 25, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "To Be Married". Stevens Point Journal. June 21, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.