New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-06-17

tinentaI service and one OF the military es-
corts of General Washington on his
triumphaI entry TO this city. His father,
John Austin Stevens. was for many
years president of the Bank Of Commerce
and chairman of the committee of the as
ISOLATED banks which made the loan TO the
United States government in 1852
Mr.. Stevens received his early training IN
the New York Grammar School and at the
French Academy of Mr.. Puegnes. He was
graduated from Harvard in the class of
1876. then entering the Office OF Spoford,
Tileston & Co In 1852 he formed partner
ship with John Storey and engaged in trade
with Cuba.
In the fail of 1850 Mr.. Stevens organized
a great meeting on the steps of the Mer-
chants Exchange in support Of the federal
government. He also organized series of
public meetings at Cooper Institute. where
Chase, Grow. Doubleday and others allied
the people to the election of Lincoln, In
1862 Mr. Stevens brought the influence of
the people 70 bear In a novel manner, draw
ing a short document which pledged the
lives and fortunes of the citizens 10 main
tain the national integrity He posted II on
the buildings of The Tribune and The
Evening Post inviting signatures. and
nearly ten thousand persons affixed their
names TO this pledge. A public meeting Of
the signers was called at Cooper Institute.
council was appointed and the Loyal Ma
tionaI League formed. This was the intro
duction of the league principle in politics.
Chosen secretary of the Chamber of Com
rferce in 1862, Mr.. Stevens founded the large
gallery of portraits Of merchants and others
which now adorn its walls. He organized
the National War Committee and the plan
of depot camps. Appointed a member of the
arms and trophies committee of the great
Sanitary Commission Fair. held in this city
in 1863, Mr.. Stevens conceived the idea of
applying the elective system TO purposes of
charity.
In 1863 after organizing the celebration
of the 1oGth anniversary of the founding of
the Chamber of Commerce and publishing
the Colonial records of the chamber, Mr..
Stevens resigned his office and went TO
Europe. He saw the downfall of the French
Empire and the proclamation of the French
Republic. In 1876 Mr.. Stevens was elected
librarian of the New York Historical So
cietv. which position he held for two years.
In December. 1875. Mr.. Stevens conceived
the idea of forming a patriotic society
somewhat on the order of the Cincinnati,
but being more democratic in its plans
who served in the military naval and civil
service at the time of the Revolution He
issued can for a meeting to be held in
the rooms of the New York Historical So-
cietv on February % 1915. In the fall of
1871 he organized the meeting at the Acad-
erny of Music in commenoratiOn of the
Tooth anniversary of the adoption of the
constitution of the State of New York. He
also organized the celebration of the cen
tennial anniversary Of the battle of Har-
lem Plains In 1877 he founded The Maya
zine of American History" which he con-
tinued to edit until January. 1882.
Mr.. Stevens was the prime mover of the
national centennial of the battle of York
town and the secretary of the New York
commission which received and directed
the entertainment of the French deIega-
ton which visited New York on that occa-
sion. Later he organized and was chair
man of the committee celebrating the
evacuation of New York by the British
The memorial luncheon at the Chamber of
Commerce and the turtle feast in COM
memeration OF washingtons farewell to
his officers al Fraunces's Tavern were di-
rected by Mr.. Stevens. and the reorgani-
cation of the Society of the Sons of the
Revolution in the long room at Fraunees' 8
Tavern was carried out by him on Decem-
her 4. 1855, he being elected its first pFesi-
dent.
Mr.. Stevens wrote much on the Colonial
/ and Revolutionary history OF this country
| His principal works are Memoir of George
Gibbs Librarian" Progress of New
York in a Century" The Burgoyne Cam
paign,'' The Expedition of Lafayette
Against Arnold" The French in Rhode
Island. Memoirs of William Kelby. Lii
brarian, New York City In the Nine
teenth Century and the Life OF Albert
Gallatin.
of William Lewis Morris. of the Morrisania
family. His only son, Jonn Austin Stevens.
1r, died last year Mrs. Stevens and two
daughters. the Misses Mary and Abby
Stevens, survive him.