Adlai Stevenson I

Birth Name: Adlai Ewing Stevenson

Date of Birth: October 23, 1835

Place of Birth: Christian County, Kentucky, U.S.

Date of Death: June 14, 1914

Place of Death: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Ethnicity: Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, English, small amount of French Huguenot, distant Welsh

Adlai Stevenson I was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as Vice President of the United States, from March 4, 1893 to March 4, 1897. He was elected to the position in 1892. He was also State’s Attorney of Woodford County, Illinois, from 1859 to 1869, a Member of the House of Representatives from Illinois, from March 4, 1875 to March 3, 1877, and again, from March 4, 1879 to March 3, 1881; and First Assistant U.S. Postmaster General, from August 1, 1885 to March 4, 1889.

He was the Democratic Party’s nominee for re-election as Vice President of the United States in 1900.

Vice President Stevenson was the son of Eliza (Ewing) and John Turner Stevenson. He was married to Letitia Stevenson, until her death, with whom he had four children, including politician Lewis Stevenson, who was Secretary of State of Illinois, from October 14, 1914 to January 6, 1917. His grandson was politician, diplomat, and statesman Adlai Stevenson II, who was Governor of Illinois, from January 10, 1949 to January 12, 1953, and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, from January 1961 to July 14, 1965, as well as the Democratic Party’s nominee for President of the United States in 1952 and 1956.

Vice President Stevenson’s paternal grandfather was James Bell Stevenson (the son of William “Little Gabriel” Stevenson and Mary Agnes McLelland/McClelland). James was born in North Carolina, to parents from Antrim, Ireland. William was the son of Henry Stephenson and Ann Curlett, who were from Oxnam, Roxburghshire, Scotland. Mary was the daughter of William McLelland/McClelland and Mary Ross Armstrong.

Vice President Stevenson’s paternal grandmother was Nancy Young Brevard (the daughter of Col. Hugh Brevard and Jane Young). Nancy was born in North Carolina. Hugh was the son of Jean/John Brevard, whose father was French Huguenot, from Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine, and whose maternal grandparents were from Donegal, Ireland; and of Jane/Jean McWhorter, whose parents were from Armagh, Ireland, and whose grandparents were Scottish. Vice President Stevenson’s great-grandmother Jane was the daughter of Alexander Young, who was Scottish, and of Anne McWhorter.

Vice President Stevenson’s maternal grandfather was Adlai Osborne Ewing (the son of Nathaniel Ewing and Rebecca Osborne). Vice President Stevenson’s grandfather Adlai was born in North Carolina. Nathaniel was the son of Joshua Ewing, who was born in Carnshannagh, Donegal, Ireland, and of Jane Gillespie Patton, who was born in Londonderry, Derry, Ireland. Rebecca was the daughter of Col. Alexander Osborne/Osborn and Agnes McWhorter, who was born in Armagh, Ireland. Vice President Stevenson’s paternal grandmother and maternal grandfather were second cousins; his great-great-grandmothers Jane McWhorter and Agnes McWhorter were siblings.

Vice President Stevenson’s maternal grandmother was Sophia/Sophie Goodrich/Gillespie Wallis/Wallace (the daughter of John Fielding Wallis/Wallace and Isabella/Isabel Sharpe). Sophia was born in North Carolina. John was the son of Matthew Alexander Wallace and Jean Alexander. Isabella was the daughter of Thomas Sharpe and Elizabeth “Eliza” Gillespie.

Vice President Stevenson was a third cousin, once removed, of politician Richard Russell, Jr., who was Governor of Georgia, from 1931 to 1933, and President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, from 1969 to 1971. Vice President Stevenson’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Jean Brevard and Jane McWhorter, were also Richard’s maternal great-great-great-grandparents.

Sources: Genealogies of Adlai Stevenson I – https://famouskin.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com

2 Responses

  1. andrew says:

    He was related to politician Richard Russell, Jr through their shared Brevard ancestors.

    This is a tree of Russell family: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/9QKQ-64W

    • andrew says:

      Particularly, the McWhorter line is rather interesting, as with such spelling barely exists in homeland Northern Ireland, but it’s a common surname in U.S.
      The two aforementioned politicians, Taylor Fritz, Don Henley, Cate Blanchett and others are cousins of certain degree through shared McWhorther ancestors.

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