Samuel M. Stephenson

Samuel M. Stephenson
From Volume 1 of 1905's American Lumbermen.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 12th district
In office March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897
Preceded by	District established
Succeeded by	Carlos D. Shelden
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 11th district
In office March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1893
Preceded by	Henry W. Seymour
Succeeded by	John Avery
Personal details
Born	(1831-12-23)December 23, 1831 Hartland, New Brunswick, Canada
Died	July 31, 1907(1907-07-31) (aged 75) Menominee, Michigan, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Relatives	Isaac Stephenson (brother)

Samuel Merritt Stephenson (December 23, 1831 – July 31, 1907) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

Personal life

Stephenson was born in Hartland, New Brunswick, and moved with his parents to Maine, and later, in 1846, to Delta County, Michigan. He engaged in lumbering and moved to Menominee, Michigan, in 1858. He was interested in real estate, lumbering, general merchandising, and agricultural pursuits. He built the Menominee Hotel in 1881 to accommodate visiting lumber buyers; the structure burned down in 1977. After leaving Congress, Stephenson resumed the lumber business. He died in Menominee and is interred there at Riverside Cemetery.

His older brother Isaac Stephenson was a U.S. Representative (9th district) 1883-89 and U.S. Senator Class 3 1907-15 from the state of Wisconsin.

Political career

Stephenson served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives in 1877 and 1878. He also served in the Michigan Senate in 1879, 1880, 1885, and 1886. He was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions in 1884 and 1888.

In 1888, Stephenson was elected as a Republican from Michigan's 11th congressional district to the 51st United States Congress and was re-elected in 1890 to the 52nd Congress. After redistricting due to the 1890 census, Stephenson was elected from the newly created 12th district in 1892 and 1894. In all, he served from March 4, 1889, to March 3, 1897, in the U.S. House.

He served as chairman of the board of supervisors of Menominee County for several years.

References

• United States Congress. "Samuel M. Stephenson (id: S000865)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Political Graveyard