The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1914-04-09
A NOTED v. c. 7. j.
WORKER DEAD
Mrs. |. M. N. Stevens
Succumbs to Illness
President of National and State M0-
mans Christian Temperance Unions
Often visited SkONhegan

saddened to learn of the passing out
occurred Monday at her home on
Westbrook street, Portland Mrs
Stevens, who was president of the Ma
tional and State Woman's Christian
Temperance Unions. had been a fire.
quent visitor in Skowhegan, where
she had attended the meetings of the
addressed public gatherings She
was often guest in the home of Levi
W Weston and had numerous ac-
quaintances in the community. Mrs.
Stevens was in Skowhegan last pro
badly about five years ago.
Lillian NJ. y. Stevens was born
March l. 1874, in Dover. Me, daugh-
ter of Nathaniel and Nancy (Parsons)
Ames She was educated in the Fox
croft Academy and in early woman
hood was a teacher She married in
| 1867 Michael Stevens of Portland, a
machinist.
When but 80 years old she assisted
in organizing the Maine w. C. T. L.,
her first office being as treasurer of
the State organization. In this ca
pacity she served from 1874 to 1877,
when she became president, contnu
ing to hold this responsible place
from that date to this
Mrs. Stevens election to the vice
presidency of the National W. c. T.
! L. came in 1894 and she held that Of
flee four years, when the death of
Mrs. Stevens was advanced to the
head of the national society as acting
president. Her formal election as
president came in the national con-
vention at ST Paul in 1898 and she
was reelected to the office without
opposition from year to year since
She also is vice observation-disclosures of
the Worlds W. c. T. L.
Among other honors bestowed upon
this Maine woman were the honorary
degree of Master of Arts by Bates
College in Lewiston; her election 10
be a representative for years in the
national conference of Charities and
Corrections and the position of lady
manager for the Chicago exposition in
1929.
Ia. al IN hANa pb1ts
of her States exhibition of charities
and correction in the anthropoogical
building. She was womans suffra-
gist
When sickness prevented the at
tendance of the Worlds president of
the Womans Christian Temperance
Union Mrs Stevens as Worlds vice
president presided over the great
convention held in Geneva, Italy, in
1908 BY her graciousness, tact and
judgment, she profoundly impressed
all nations with her ability and large
brain. large hearted efficiency Again
she presided at the Worlds convention
in Boston and in 1910 she went TO
Glasgow, Scotland. to preside once
more over the Worlds ". {. T. l.
AS National president of the W. c. T.
L. this woman was the unfaltering
leader of body, fast nearing the half
million mark-a mighty constituen
whose interest she jealousy guarded
Mrs stevens had not been well for
some time and Sunday grew worse.
She rallied however, and interested
herself in the cause so dear to her
heart a little after midnight, she
breathed a message to the women of
the W. c. 7. L organization, but as the
morning hours came she seemed to
sense the fact that life was fast slip
ping away, and her thought was of
those with whom she had labored and
sacrificed in the organization which
had received the best that her life
could give These she loved as her
! own kinspeOple, and to these per
sonally dictated message was given:
Give my love to all White Rib
bon friends she said, in the State.
the nation and the world
This was her last word to those out
side. To the immediate family circle,
about her bedside. consisting of her
husband ard daughter. the latter Mrs.
] Gertrude Stevens LeaYitt. Mr. LeaV-
itt Mrs. Stevens sister Mrs Robert
Skillin of South Portland and Miss
Anna Gordon, vice presdent-at-large
of the National W c. r. L.. she spoke
occasionally as she awakened from
a gentle sleep. These words were al
ways words of a strength of cheer
which always characterized her per
sonal comment The end came at
715.
L ~ 4,