The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-06-19
Oldest
United States Senator Is IS
Years Today

Washinton, d. c., June Ex-senator
Isaac Stephenson of Wisconsin, who
has the distinction of being the old
est member of the United States sen.
ate, celebrated his eighty-ffth birth.
day anniversary today. Mr.. Stephen.
sons term in the senate will end next
March and it is understood he will
not be candidate for reelection.
The career of Senator Stephenson
affords a striking illustration of what
may be accomplished by energy and
determination in the face of OBJ
stacles that many would regard as
insurmountable. His birthplace was
a small farm near the city of Fred
ericton, N. b. His parents we're ex-
tremely poor and young Stephenson
was not able to acquire more than an
elementary education before he had
to go to work to assist his parents in
supporting the family. When a mere
lad he went to Bangor, Me-, and a
year later he joined family going to
the wilds of Wisconsin to seek new
home.
The future senator worked hard and
faithfully and at the age of II plowed
1870 acres of land near Janesville,
Wis, and helped put in 400 acres of
wheat. In the winter he went to the
lumber region and hauled logs with
team of six oxen. In Il 1S47 he was
placed in charge of a lumber camp
and in 1850 he engaged in the lumber
business on his own account. During
the summer he sailed a vessel be-
tween Milwaukee and Escanaba and
when winter came he returned to the
hard work in the lumber camps.
In 1857 Mr.. Stephenson purchased
a quarter interest in some timber and
saw mills and later he acquired con-
troll of the corporation, which was
capitalized at 100000. About the
same time he became associated with
William B. Ogden, Chicago's first
mayor, in the Peshtigo Company, with
a capital of $1,5OO,00O and built for it
the largest woodenware factory in the
world. III
Mr.. Stephenson was the first man
to tow barges on Lake Michigan. In
association with Jesse Spalding and
William l.. Strong he. organized and
built the Sturgeon Bay canal, which
was afterwards sold to the Govern
ment.
He was selected by the lumbermen
of Wisconsin in 1867 to devise plan
for running logs ON the Menominee
River and built the boom that handles
more logs than any other in the
world. He became president of the
Stephenson National Bank of Marin
ette and head of several of the largest
lumber companies in the country. He
placed the first steamboats, on the
rivers of Wisconsin and for many
years has been interested in almost
innumerable commercial and financial
enterprises in Wiscosin and the neigh
boring States.
The public career of Senator Steph-
enson dates from 1866, in which year
he was elected to the Wisconsin
Legislature. In 1883 he was elected to
Congress and retired voluntarily after
serving three terms. He did much to
advance the political interests of
Robert M. LaFollette and was a can
didate for the United States senate
when the late Joseph v. Quarles was
elected, and again when Mr.. LaF'ol-
lette was chosen at the end of Senator
Quarles' term.
Mr.. Stephenson came to the senate
in 1907 to fill out the unexpired term
of Senator Spooner who resigned.
Later he was elected for the full
term of six years. After his election
charges were made by his political
opponents that he had been elected
as the result of corruption. After a
full investigation of the matter the
Senate Committee on Privileges and
Elections reported that the charges
were not proven.