Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Stevenson, Thomas 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 29, 2008, 12:26 am

Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

Thomas Stevenson, supreme commander of the Order of the White Cross, was born 
March 7, 1857, in Glasgow, Scotland, a son of Thomas and Isabella (Barr) 
Stevenson. His father died in 1867, and in September, 1869, his mother came 
with her children to America, locating in Braidwood, Will county, Illinois. 
Our subject went to work in the mines and continued thus employed until he was 
twenty-four years of age, when at the request of his wife he quit the mines 
and went into the book and stationery business in Braidwood, continuing to 
engage in that enterprise until his removal to Joliet in January, 1886. It was 
on the 27th of March, 1880, that he was united in marriage to Miss Emma 
Oliver, a native of Wisconsin, and this union has been blessed with two sons 
and four daughters, their home being at 116 Linden avenue, Joliet. In politics 
Mr. Stevenson is a republican. While a resident of Braidwood he was elected 
and served two years as town clerk, three years as assessor and three years as 
a member of the board of education, serving two years as secretary of the 
board. In January, 1886, he was appointed chief deputy sheriff of Will county 
and served in that position for four years under Sheriff Robert Huston. On 
retiring from that office he engaged in the business of life insurance for a 
number of years. On the 7th of April, 1897, he was appointed by Governor John 
R. Tanner, chief grain inspector. for the Joliet district, and has served in 
that position four years under Governor Tanner, four years under Governor 
Yates, and at this date—March, 1907-still holds the position under Governor 
Deneen. In May, 1902, he was elected alderman from the seventh ward and as 
such served two years in the city council of Joliet. In December, 1899, with 
the aid of a few of his friends, Mr. Stevenson organized the Supreme Council, 
Order of the White Cross, a fraternal and beneficial society. For years he had 
been engaged as a general organizer for two well known fraternal orders, 
having done business for them in twelve states and in Ontario, Canada. He had 
some ideas of his .own in regard to fraternal insurance on a more solid and 
permanent basis, these ideas becoming incorporated in the plan of the Order of 
the White Cross. When this order was organized he was elected to the position 
of supreme recorder for a term of two years, was re-elected and served another 
term of two years, and was then elected supreme commander of the order for a 
term of two years. At the meeting of the supreme council, held in January, 
1906, he was, by the unanimous vote of the members present, re-elected as 
supreme commander for a term of three years, in which position he is now 
serving. Mr. Stevenson is recognized as one of the best posted men in the 
state in regard to fraternal insurance; as an organizer he has few superiors 
and is endowed with an abundance of tact, which is very essential in this line 
of business. As the executive head of the order he uses good judgment and he 
is in every respect well suited for the position he holds. He is deeply 
interested in the success of the order and is building up an organization that 
has done great good and is destined to become, in the near future, one of the 
leading fraternal societies of our country. Mr. Stevenson is a strong advocate 
of fraternal insurance and holds membership in a number of leading orders such 
as the Modern Woodmen of America, National Union, Independent Order of 
Foresters and the Order of Scottish Clans. For many years he has been a member 
of the head camp of the Modern Woodmen and has served as a member of some of 
its important committees. He is past grand representative in the Knights of 
Pythias and a member of the grand lodge since 1880. He is also an Odd Fellow, 
an Elk and a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, being past master of 
Mt. Joliet lodge, No. 42; a member of Joliet chapter, No. 27, R. A. M.; Joliet 
council. No. S2, R. & S. M.: Joliet commandery, No. 4, K. T.; and a thirty-
second degree member of Oriental consistory Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite 
of Freemasonry. In religious belief he is a Presbyterian, a firm believer in 
the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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