Drs. T. Y. and R. R. Stevenson Biography


	This biography appears on pages 794-799 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside
	a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at

	http://usgwarchives.org/sd/sdfiles.htm


				DRS. T. Y. AND R. R. STEVENSON. 

	Thomas Young and Romeo Roderick Stevenson are specialists and 
partners in the treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat 
at Sioux Falls. They constitute the oldest firm of specialists in their 
line in the state and their careful diagnosis and expert surgical work 
have given them statewide and well merited reputation. The brothers are 
natives of Minnesota. Thomas Young Stevenson was born in Quincy on the 
25th of May, 1859, and Romeo R. in Quincy on the 16th of July, 1866. 
Their parents were Thomas and Jane (Aitken) Stevenson, who were born, 
reared and married in Edinburgh, Scotland, and the Drs. Stevenson 
display many of the sterling characteristics of their Scotch ancestry—
the thoroughness, ability and industry which have ever been strong 
traits of the Scottish race. The parents sailed for the United States 
immediately following their marriage and after reaching American shores 
made their way to Kewanee, Illinois. Two or three years later they 
moved to Quincy, Minnesota. Mr. Stevenson was employed as hoisting 
engineer in a coal mine in Scotland but after coming to this country 
devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits. 

	Thomas Stevenson was reared under the parental roof and acquired 
his early education in the public schools. In 1881 he took up the study 
of medicine, reading under the preceptorship of his brother, Dr. G. A. 
Stevenson, of Albert Lea, Minnesota. In the fall of the same year he 
entered the Bennett College of Eclectic Medicine and Surgery in 
Chicago, being graduated from that institution with the class of 1885. 
In 1896 he attended and was graduated from the Harvey Medical College 
of Chicago, which institution also conferred upon him the degree of M. 
D. In 1898 he took a trip abroad and pursued special work in the 
treatment of the eye, ear, nose and throat in Berlin, Vienna, London 
and Paris, spending about six months in this manner. Following his 
graduation from Bennett College, in 1885, he located for practice at 
Wentworth, South Dakota, where he followed his profession until 1892, 
when he removed to Sioux Falls and has there since remained. Since his 
return from Europe he has been engaged in special practice, giving his 
entire attention to the treatment, of the eye, ear, nose and throat, in 
which he has attained an enviable reputation and prestige. 

	In 1887 Dr. Stevenson was united in marriage to Miss Emma Lord, 
of Wentworth, south Dakota, who passed away in 1911, leaving one son 
and an adopted daughter. Dr. Stevenson is well known in Masonic 
circles, belonging to the following organizations: Sioux Falls Lodge, 
No. 5, A. F. & A. M.; Sioux Falls Commandery, K. T.; Sioux Falls 
Consistory, A. & A. S. R.; and El Riad Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is 
likewise identified with Sioux Falls Lodge, No. 262, B. P. O. E.; Sioux 
Falls Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; the Knights of the 
Maccabees; the Ancient Order of United Workmen; and the Woodmen of the 
World. 

	R. R. Stevenson, like his brother, acquired his preliminary 
education in the public schools of Minnesota and, entering upon the 
profession of teaching, spent five years as principal of schools, his 
last position in that connection being at Eyota, Minnesota. After 
completing a full course of study in the Northwestern University 
Medical School of Chicago he won his M. D. degree in April, 1894, and 
in May of the same year located for practice in Sioux Falls. After a 
short period spent in general medical and surgical practice he began 
special study in Chicago on diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat 
and afterward studied abroad for a year. Since that time he has 
confined his practice exclusively to the line of his specialty and has 
supplemented his earlier preparation by frequent trips to Europe for 
post-graduate work in his chosen line, studying in London, Vienna, 
Paris, Berlin, Zurich and Christiania. His chief ambition has ever been 
along the line of his profession that he might attain high rank therein 
and make his service of the greatest possible benefit to his fellow 
men. 

	In 1905 Dr. R. R. Stevenson was married to Miss Emile Frances 
Avery, of Chicago, a lady of rare intelligence and culture. Dr. 
Stevenson is a Knight Templar and Scottish Rite Mason and a member of 
the Mystic Shrine, and also belongs to the Knights of Pythias, the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, 
and the Maccabees. He is very public-spirited and eager to support and 
assist any movement for the betterment of city and state but is 
absolutely devoid of political aspirations. He has always had unvarying 
faith in the future of South Dakota, as shown by his large investments 
in lands in this state. 

	After all, proficiency in their specialty has been the only 
ambition of the Drs. Stevenson, both of whom stand high professionally 
and otherwise. They are constantly studying along their special line, 
thus broadening their knowledge and promoting their efficiency, and 
their opinions concerning diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat and 
their treatment are accepted as authority by members of the medical 
profession in this part of the country.