The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-03-21
FORMER SENATOR
STEPHENSON DEAD
PIONEER ZIMMERMAN sUccUM5s
TO BRIEF ILLNESS AT
AGE OF SO YEARS.
LEAVES S4O,OOO,OOO ESTATE
Took important Part in Development
of Wisconsin and Michigan for
Past Fifty Years - Noted
for His Generosity.

Marinette-Isaac Stephenson, former
congressman and United States sena-
tor and one of the richest men in
/ Wisconsin, died at his home here He
had been sick about week as the re-
suit of a general breakdown due to
his age, nearly So He was estimated
to be worth $40,000,000.
Senator Stephenson, while in Wash
ington, was the oldest as well as one
of the wealthiest members of the up
per house of congress. Also he ranked
as one of the greatest producing lula.
bermen in the nation.
The principal scene of his opera
tons was in northern Michigan, that
section owing large part of its de-
velopment in the numbering and min
| ing industries to his efforts His prop.
critics still are among the largest hold
| ings in the state, and his various in
dustries employ thousands of men,
Born in New York on June 2S, 1929.
| he spent his early youth on his faith
ers farm and in working in the lum-
! Der woods. He practically had no
schooling. At 16 he left home and
went to Milwaukee. He found EN-
ployment with the Wells Lumber COM
pany and was associated with Daniel
Wells Jr. for many years In 1857 he
became an operator of lumber camps
in his own interest.
| His early political career included
two terms in the Wisconsin legislature
and three terms in congress
In May 1907. he was appointed to
| All the unexpired term OF Senator John
c. Spooner, resigned, and was elected
to succeed himself, in 1909. 1t was in
connection with this election that the
! Wisconsin legislature, after a lengthy
| Investigation of the senator's cam.
paign, filed charges with the United
| States senate, and asked an invest-
| cation into the election, alleging that
money had been used to unduly nhu.
ence votes. The investigating commit
| tee went into the matter extensively,
and while they showed that Mr. Ste
J phenson spent more than $4,000 TO
| be elected, no undue influence of graft
was shown and he was retained in his
seat by a vote of the senate, 40 to "a.
| He retired from the senate in 1915 at
| the expiration Of his term.
Senator Stephenson always remain
| ed a plain. unassuming man. His
greatest pleasure each year was TO
gather together a number of friends
who enjoyed the outdoor life and
trough it" at an old lumber camp on
his properties above Escanaba, Mich
Senator Stephenson owned the Bo-
nita, one of the finest steam yachts
in the great lakes. He seldom found
time to enjoy the craft, but he found
great pleasure in lending it to old
| friends, soldiers associations, lodges.
and similar organizations of his towns
people,
He was always open-handed with
Marinette, and scattered about the
city various buildings, parks, and 9TH
err memorials.
isaac stephenson published a book
of memoirs in 1915. which he called
"Recollections Of a Long Life" The
book details the authors own early
experiences in New Brunswick, his
trip to Wisconsin. and early expert
ences in the north woods and also
gives some interesting personal rem
iniscences of politics in which many
men figure who are still prominent pc.
litically today.
Mr. Stephenson also phlosophises
and declares that the high cost of liv.
ing at the time he wrote G9l5) was
not the result OF high prices, but the
| demand for luxuries and novelties
He says that since he has been 20
years old he has found four or five
| hours sIepn a day sufficient