The Dickinson press., 1911-10-21
LYDIA STEVENSON TAKEN
TO HER HEAVENLY HOME

10 HER HEAVENLY home
The death of Mrs. LYDIA Stevenson on
Thursday morning of this week ends
life full of interesting experiences in
frontier life in North Dakota. Death
occurred in this city at the home of her
daughter. Mrs. Bert Townsend. with
whom she had been making her home
since the death of her husband, Don
Stevenson. three years ago the coming
December.
Mrs. Stevenson would have been II
years of age if she had lived until No.
vember. A general breakdown ended
her life in this world. The remains, ac-
companied by her children. were taken
10 Mandan on Friday. where they were
laid at peaceful rest beside those of her
late husband.
Lydia Ann Stone was born in New
Brunswick. eastern Canada. and was
married to Donald Stevenson at St.
Cloud. Minn., on March II, 1862, and
side by side this couple braved many
hardships in the early days both in
Minnesota and North Dakota.
After marriage they resided some
years at Osakis. Minn., where Mr.. Ste
venson was engaged in the Touring mill
business. In 1872. they came west eoins
into the ranchine business at Glencoe,
20 miles south Of Bismarck. in En-
mons county, near the old Fort Rice
Indian stronghold on the opposite side
lot the river. In 1886 they came west
Of the Missouri river, Is miles from
1.-THE mouth, of the Cannon Ball river
where they lived until about the time of
Mr.. Stevenson's death, and which place
was called Stevenson for him.
Life in those. early days among the
hostile indians was not the easiest
kind and demanded great deal Of
courage and fortitnde: In one in
stance, in the spring of 1876 before the
Custer massacre. a band of Indians 60
ing north, stopped al the Stevenson
ranch in the absence of the husband
and with great display Of courage,
Mrs. Stevenson induced them to 60
away without doing harm. In the fall
of the same year, band of several
hundred Sioux Indians returning from
the battlefield of the Little Big Horn
country. camped around the place for
some days.
Mrs. Stevenson leaves besides sister
in Kansas City, M O.. four children
Hugh Stevenson. ranchine on the Little
Missouri river near Ellsworth; Donald
Stevenson of Janesbure, rancher on
the Cannon Ball. 10 miles from the
mouth of the river: William Stevenson,
on the old Beiciel place north of Quinion,
also engaged in stock raising; also
Mrs. B. S. Townsend. who was the first
white child born in Emmons county.
Mr.. and Mrs. Townsend came in from
their ranch at the Beiciel place early in
the fall in order that they might be
handy for medical aid for their mother.
Mr.. and Mrs. Hugh Stevenson and
Mrs. Townsend. Donald and William
Stevenson accompanied the remains of
their mother to Mandan on No. Friday
morning, where burial was made in
4 the protestant cemetery.
Deceased was Presbyterian and it
was expected that the Mandan minister
Of this denomination would conduct the
prayer at the grave.
Mrs. Stevenson was woman of ex-
ceptional capabilities. possessing great
lpresence Of. mind at critical times and
her wise counsel and exemplary life
was worth everything to her children
and those about, her.
Thus the memorable lives Of two of
North Dakosa's pioneer residents have
passed into history with the death Of
Donald, Stevenson in December. 1908,
followed by the death Of Lydia Steven
son on Thursday. October 19.