Stevenson, William Francis, 1861-1942

William Francis Stevenson was salutatorian of the Davidson College class of 1885. While a student, he was a member of the Philanthropic Society. After graduation, he studied law. He served in the South Carolina legislature from 1896 to 1902 and was speaker of the house from 1900 to 1902. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1916 and served until 1932.

William Francis Stevenson was born in Iredell County, North Carolina. After graduating from Davidson College, he moved to South Carolina and was admitted to the bar in 1887. In 1892 he settled in Cheraw, South Carolina, where he continued his law practice and became active in local Democratic politics. He was a member of the State House of Representatives from 1896 to 1902 and from 1910 to 1914. He was the House Speaker from 1900-1902. Stevenson was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1917, a seat he retained until 1933. From 1933 to 1939 he was a member of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board, serving as its chairman in 1933.

William Francis Stevenson (1861-1942) was a native of Iredell County, N.C. He attended public schools and was also tutored by his father, a farmer and school teacher, while working on the farm. He taught school for a while before graduating from Davidson College in 1885. He again taught school in Cheraw, S.C., while studying for the bar, to which he was admitted in 1887, practicing in Cheraw and Chesterfield, S.C.

Stevenson was active in legal and business activities, taking part in the direction of the Chesterfield and Lancaster Railroad and acting as a general counsel for the Seaboard Airline Railroad, 1900-1917. He was attorney for the state of South Carolina in the legal arguments before the Supreme Court over the State Dispensary. He held offices in the county and state organizations of the Democratic Party. He was in the state legislature, 1896-1902 and 1910-1914, being speaker of the House of Representatives, 1900-1902. Stevenson was a candidate for Congress against the incumbent David E. Finley in 1914, but was defeated. After Finley's death in 1917, Stevenson was elected to Congress after defeating a number of opponents in two primaries. He served in the House from the 5th District of South Carolina, 1917-1933, and was a member of the board of the Federal Home Loan Bank in Washington, D.C., 1933-1939.

Stevenson was an opponent of Coleman Livingston Blease in South Carolina politics and was dubbed Seaboard Bill by Bleasites. He was a supporter of Woodrow Wilson and favored prohibition. Stevenson was also a prominent Presbyterian layman. In 1888 he married Mary E. Prince, daughter of W. L. T. Prince, a prominent attorney of Cheraw, S.C.