Edmund Ray Stevens (June 20, 1869 – August 25, 1930) was an American lawyer and judge. He was a justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court from 1926 until his death in 1930. He previously served 23 years as a Wisconsin circuit court judge and was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the city of Madison in the 1901 session.[1]

E. Ray Stevens
Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
In office
January 1, 1926 – August 25, 1930
Preceded byBurr W. Jones
Succeeded byGeorge B. Nelson
Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 9th circuit
In office
April 9, 1903 – December 31, 1925
Appointed byRobert M. La Follette
Preceded byRobert G. Siebecker
Succeeded byHerman W. Sachtjen
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Dane 1st district
In office
January 7, 1901 – January 5, 1903
Preceded byGeorge E. Bryant
Succeeded byMatthew S. Dudgeon
Personal details
Born(1869-06-20)June 20, 1869
Lake County, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 25, 1930(1930-08-25) (aged 61)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting placeForest Hill Cemetery, Madison, Wisconsin
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Kate S. Sabin
(m. 1898⁠–⁠1930)
Children
  • Ellen Stevens
  • (b. 1900; died 1911)
  • Myron R. Stevens
  • (b. 1902; died 1994)
  • Henry S. Stevens
EducationUniversity of Wisconsin Law School
ProfessionLawyer

Biography

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Stevens was born Edmund Ray Stevens on June 20, 1869, in Lake County, Illinois.[2] His family later moved to Janesville, Wisconsin. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1895. As a young man, he was a prolific writer on the problems of government and pushing for progressive solutions. He also worked as a special correspondent for the Milwaukee Sentinel, making trips to Europe to report on the urban European perspective.[3]

Career

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From 1896 to 1903, Stevens and future U.S. Representative Burr W. Jones operated the law firm Jones & Stevens. Additionally, Stevens was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1900. In 1903, Stevens was appointed a Wisconsin circuit court judge by Governor Robert M. La Follette. He was elected to the Supreme Court in 1925 and served as a member until his death.[4] During his time with the Supreme Court, he was also a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin Law School.

Stevens died at his home in the Nakoma neighborhood, in Madison, Wisconsin, on the morning of August 25, 1930. He suffered a brief illness that resulted in a heart attack.[5]

Personal life and family

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Stevens married Kate Sabin of Windsor, Wisconsin. Sabin was also a University of Wisconsin graduate; she worked as a high school teacher in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, served as Dane County superintendent of schools, and taught at the Milwaukee-Downer College.[6] They had three children together, though one died young.

Electoral history

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Wisconsin Assembly (1900)

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Wisconsin Assembly, Dane 1st District Election, 1900[3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, November 6, 1900
Republican E. Ray Stevens 3,468 56.32% +6.29%
Democratic George W. Levis 2,569 41.72% −8.25%
Prohibition Charles H. Parr 121 1.96%
Plurality 899 14.60% +14.54%
Total votes 6,158 100.0% +28.96%
Republican hold

Wisconsin Supreme Court (1925)

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Wisconsin Supreme Court Election, 1925[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
General Election, April 7, 1925
Nonpartisan E. Ray Stevens 256,431 65.81%
Nonpartisan John C. Kleist 133,164 34.17%
Scattering 73 0.02%
Plurality 123,267 31.63%
Total votes 389,668 100.0%

References

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  1. ^ "Stevens, E to F". Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  2. ^ "E. Ray Stevens". Wisconsin Court System. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
  3. ^ a b "Biographical Sketches". The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1901. p. 744. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Judge Stevens Received Majority of 123,267 Votes". Iron County Miner. May 8, 1925. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Justice E. Ray Stevens Dead". The Capital Times. August 25, 1930. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "To Be Married". Stevens Point Journal. June 21, 1898. p. 1. Retrieved December 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Dane 1st district
January 7, 1901 – January 5, 1903
Succeeded by
Legal offices
Preceded by Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge for the 9th circuit
April 9, 1903 – December 31, 1926
Succeeded by
Preceded by Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court
January 1, 1926 – August 25, 1930 (death)
Succeeded by