Born to a family of petty nobles, Stanevičius studied at the Jesuit gymnasium in Kražiai from 1817 to 1821. For a year he worked in Kražiai as a private teacher, before enrolling into the Art and Literature Department of Vilnius University. There he was influenced by democratic ideas of professors such as Joachim Lelewel and Ignacy Onacewicz. Stanevičius joined a cultural movement to promote the Lithuanian language. After graduation in 1826, he stayed in Vilnius, working as a private tutor and preparing his works for publication. In 1829, he published three of his works (a grammar book, collection of folk songs, and his fables). Stanevičius then moved to Raseiniai and lived in the Plater estate, managing their private library. During the Uprising of 1830, Stanevičius traveled to Königsberg where he met with Ludwig Rhesa and collected materials for future publications. After the death of his patron Jerzy Plater in 1836, Stanevičius moved to the estate of Jerzy's brother Kazimierz Plater in Stemplės. There Stanevičius continued to care for the 3,000-piece library until his death from tuberculosis in 1848.