The sun., 1919-05-19
RICHARD STEVENS
DIES OF PNEUMONIA
Son Of Founder Of Institute Of
Technology Passes Away
at Hoboken.
WAS IN HIS 51ST YEAR
End Comes in Small Dwelling
on Estate-Gave Home
stead to Government.

Richard Stevens, q member of one OF
the oldest and best known New Jersey
families and n son Of the founder of the
Stevens Institute Of Technology, died Of
pneumonia yesterday morning at his
home in Castle Point. Hoboken.
His death occurred in q small dwelling
on the Stevens estate, which he erected
Tor his own use after he had turned
over the Stevens homestead. Castle Ste
vens. to the United States Government
for use as a home for convaiescent SOL
d!ers. He would have been 81 years
old had he lived until next Friday.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. FL
sic c. Stevens; their -FOUR children.
Elsie, Caroline. Dorothy and Richard.
and one sister, Mira Otto H. Wittpenn.
wife Of the Naval Officer Of the Port Of
New York.
Mr.. Stevens was born in France while
his parents, the late Edwin A. and
Martha Bayard Stevens. were on visit
to that country. He was educated at
Columbia College and at st. Paurs
School in New Hampshire and during
his youth became widely known in sport
ing and college circles as an athlete,
particularly as an amateur tennis
champion. After completing the aca-
demio courses at school Mr.. Stevens
took up law and engaged in the practice
Of that profession.
At the time of his death he was a
member of the Hoboken law firm Of
Besson & Stevens. In politics he was
Democratic. although he never ran for
nfN onA AaI ~Ixr Toe Nn1
himself in politics. The only office he
ever accepted was that Of Probation Of
ficer of Hudson county. which he had
held ever since the position was created
fifteen years ago.
Interested in War Work.
Mr.. Stevens always had been greatly
interested in all philanthropic and well
fare movements In Hoboken. and when
the United States entered the war
against Germany he, his wife and their
four daughters became actively interest
ed in war work. Miss Caroline Stew
ems, the second Of his daughters, drove
an ambulance in France during almost
all OF 1917 until her strength gave out
and she was forced to return home.
Her two sisters were constantly at work
in war relief. and their father was a
leader in all the patriotic activities of
Hoboken during the conflict AS a men,
Der OF the American Defence Society he
was active in combating German prop
uganda, and offered a resolution which
the society adopted in 1918. pledging its
members not to buy from dealers han
ding German language newspapers. He
was also active in the efforts Of that or
ganization to get the Lackawanna Rail-
road to change the names OF Its ferry
boats Bremen and Hamburg.
The Baby Welfare Movement In Ho-
boken was established by Mr.. Stevens
and he operated a welfare and milk sta
ton there for several years. He was a
member of numerous charitable organi-
cations and OF the Union. Racquet and
New York clubs. He maintained a sum-
mer home at Beardsville. ~. J. His
business associations included the presi-
dency of the Hoboken Land and I'm
provement Company and he was also a
trustee OF the First National Bank of
Hoboken. trustee of the Holy Innocents
Church. treasurer OF Christ Hospital.
president of the United AID Association
OF Hudson County and president Of the
United States Tennis Association.
Family owns Noted Landmark.
Mr. stevens's family at one time
present city of Hoboken was built. and
for years Castle Stevens has been one OF
the famous landmarks of the harbor
For several generations the family has
numbered among its members noted en-
gineers and naval architects, and the
history of the Stevens family is almost
a history OF navigation on this continent
and of the important engineering featf
OF the nation. Henry Hudson's ship, the
Half Moon. the vessel in which the
Dutch explorer navigated the Hudson
anchored at Weehawken Cove. just
north Of Castle Point, during one OF his
voyages here.
The land which now constitutes Castle
Point and the city OF Hoboken came into
possession OF william Bayard. whose es-
tate was confiscated during Revolution
airy times because OF his sympathy with
the British. In 1884 the State sold the
property at auction. and 1t was pur-
chased by John Stevens, an ancestor OF
Richard Stevens, for 100000. John
Stevens and his father were particularly
active in the settlement OF the problems
that confronted the new State OF New
Jersey after the Revolution, the elder
Col. Stevens serving in the American
army and as Treasurer OF New Jersey
through the greater part of the war
His sister married Chancellor Robert
Livingston, a famous jurist of New
York. and her daughter became the wife
of Robert Fulton inventor of the steam
ship.
Col. John Stevens erected at Castle
Point a mansion that was his summer
home from 1886 to 1914, and after that
his home the year around. This struc-
ture stood until 1854, when 1t was torn
down and the present castle begun by
his son. Robert Livingston Stevens. and
finished later by the latter's brother,
Edwin Augustus Stevens. the father OF
Richard Stevens.
Inventive Genius OF Family.
Col. John Stevens took keen inter-
est in the problems OF steam propulsion
and particularly in its application to