Benjamin Stephenson (politician)

Benjamin Stephenson (July 8, 1769 – October 10, 1822) was the Congressional Delegate for the Illinois Territory from 1814 until 1816, and a delegate to the Constitutional Convention that made it possible for Illinois to become a state.

Benjamin Stephenson
Delegate to the
U.S. House of Representatives
from the Illinois Territory's
at-large district
In office
November 14, 1814 – November 1816
Preceded byShadrach Bond
Succeeded byNathaniel Pope
Personal details
Born(1769-07-08)July 8, 1769
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, British America
DiedOctober 10, 1822(1822-10-10) (aged 53)
Edwardsville, Illinois, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic-Republican
Spouse
Lucy Swearingen
​
(m. 1805)​
Children4, including James W. Stephenson
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceIllinois Militia
RankColonel
Battles/warsWar of 1812

Career

Stephenson moved to Kentucky before his father's death in 1804, and then further westward to the Illinois Territory around 1809.

He became sheriff of Randolph County, Illinois in 1809.

A colonel in the Illinois militia, Stephenson commanded a regiment during the War of 1812. In 1813 he was appointed adjutant general of Illinois. A Democratic-Republican[1] and ally of Governor Ninian Edwards, Stephenson was elected for a two-year term as delegate of the Illinois Territory in the United States Congress from 1814 to 1816, after which he became receiver of Public Monies, appointed by Edwards. Stephenson was a representative to the convention that wrote the first constitution for the State of Illinois in 1818.[2] In 1820, Stephenson owned seven slaves in Madison County.[3]

Death and legacy

Stephenson died on October 10, 1822, and is buried in Edwardsville, Madison County, Illinois.[4] Stephenson County, Illinois was named for him. The Benjamin Stephenson House in Edwardsville, which he finished shortly before his death, remains and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Now owned by the City of Edwardsville, it is one of the oldest houses still standing in the State.[2]

See also

References
  1. Norton, William T. (1912). Centennial History of Madison County, Illinois, and Its People, 1812 to 1912. Chicago, IL: Lewis Publishing Company. p. 88.
  2. "Historic 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House". Archived from the original on 2018-10-15. Retrieved 2016-10-21.
  3. 1820 U.S. Federal Census for Six Mile Prairie District, Madison County, Illinois, p. 2 of 3
  4. "Historic 1820 Colonel Benjamin Stephenson House". Archived from the original on 2016-10-22. Retrieved 2016-10-21.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.