The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-06-18
OLDEST MEMBER
OF U. S. SENATE
Senator Stephenson Is Eighty
Five Years Old Today


Isaac Stephenson of Wisconsin, who
has the distinction of being the oldest
member OF the United states senate
celebrated his eighty fifth birthday
anniversary today. Mr.. Stephenson's
term in the senate will end next March
and it is understood he will not be a
candidate for reelection.
The career of Senator Stephenson
affords a striking illustration Of what
may be accomplished 10y energy and
determination in the face of obstacles
that many would regard as insur-
Imountable. His birthplace was small
farm near the city of Fredericton, y,
b. His parents were extremely poor
| and young Stephenson was rot able To
acquire more than an elementary edu-
cation before he had To go To work To
assist his parents in supporting the
family. When mere lad he went TO
Bangor, Nc. and year later he joined
a family going TO the wilds Of Wisco"
sin To seek new home
Began Career as Farmer.
The future senator worked hard ana
faithfully and at the age of i ploWed
130 acres of land near GAINESVILLE, Wis
land helped put i'm 400 acres of wheat.
! I'm the winter he went To the lumber
region and hauled logs with team ok
six oxen. In lS47 he was placed in
charge of a lumber camp and in lN"O
ne cneaged in the lumber business an
his own account. During the summer
he sailed a vessel between Milwaukee,
and Escanaba and when winter came
he returned 20 the hard work in the
lumber camps.
In 1857 Mr.. Stephenson purchased q
quarter interest in some timber aud
saw mills and later he acquired control
OF the corporation. which was capital
lied at 100000. About the same time
he became associated with William b,
Ogden. Chirago's first may or, in the
Peshtlgo company. with a capital OF
ISl. 500. 600 and built for it the largest
woodenware factory in the world.
Mr.. stephenson was the first man to
tow bargcs on Lake Michigan. In as
ISOLATION with Jesse Spalding and
William L. strong he organized and
built the sturgeon Bay canal. which
was afterwards sold to the government
Nestor of Lumber Trade.
lie was selected by the lumbermer
of Wisconsin in 1867 to devise plan
for running logs on the Menomine,
River and built the boom that handles
more logs than any other in the world
He became president of the Stephenson
National Bank of Marinette and heac
OF several OF the largest lumber com
panies in the country He placed thu
first steamboats, on the rivers Of Wis
consin and for many years has been in
terested in almost innumerable com
, mercial and financial enterprises il
, Wisconsin and the neighboring states
The public career of Senator Steph
enson dates from 1866, in which veal
he was elected 20 the Wisconsin legis
, nature. I'm 1883 he was elected to con
gress and retired voluntarily afte
having served three terms He de
much 20 advance the political interest
. II Robert VI. LaFollettc and was
candidate for the United States senat
! when the late Joseph v Quarles wa
, elected and again when Mr., LaFollett
, was chosen at the end Of Senate
I Quarles term.
2 Mr.. Stephenson came 10 the senat
o in 1907 TO iii out the uneXpired teri
, 81 Senator Spoouer who resigned
Later hc was elected for the full teri
Of six years. After his election charg
; es were made by his political opponent
1 that he had been elected as the resu
o of corruption. After "A full investiga
tion OF the matter the senate commit
. tee on PRIVILEGES and Elections report
cd that the charges were not proven