Biographical Sketches:  ISAAC STEPHENSON


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The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin Compiled and Published under
the direction of J. D. Beck, Commissioner of Labor and Industrial
Statistics 1907.

The Wisconsin Blue Book. VII. Biographical Sketches. Members of the
Sixtieth Congress. United States Senators, p. 1115-1116

ISAAC STEPHENSON (Rep.) was born in York county, near Fredericton, New
Brunswick, June 18, 1829. His early life was spent in assisting his
father who was a farmer and lumberman. A short time was spent at
public schools but most of his education is the result of observation
and experience. At the age of fourteen years he moved to Bangor, Me.,
but shortly thereafter came west, locating at Milwaukee. After a few
years spent in unsuccessful farming, he transferred his operations to
lumbering in the northern peninsula of Michigan. His earliest work in
the field was contracting for putting in logs in the winter, while
during the summer, he carried freight to Chicago and Milwaukee by
boat. When the first land office was opened in northern Michigan in
1848, Mr. Stephenson and his associates purchased large tracts of
timber lands on the Escanaba, Ford and Sturgeon rivers and on Big Bay
de Noquet. In 1857 he discontinued contracting logs and engaged in the
manufacture of lumber. Since that date his business operations have
grown rapidly until today he is one of the most extensive lumber
manufacturers in the United States. In addition to its manufacture, he
maintains large yards for the wholesale and retail of paper. Mr.
Stephenson is also a banker and owns a model dairy and stock farm. His
business interests are centered at Chicago, Milwaukee and at his home
city, Marinette. Politically, he has been a republican since the
organization of that party. He was a member of the assembly in 1866
and re-elected in 1868. In 1882 he was elected to congress and served
three terms when his business affairs required his declining a
renomination. In 1880 and in 1892 he was a delegate to the republican
national convention. In 1900 was delegate at large to the Republican
National convention at Philadelphia; honestly elected delegate at
large to Chicago Convention in 1904 and was chairman of the
delegation, but was counted out because the national committee had the
power to do as it pleased. In May, 1907, Mr. Stephenson was elected to
the United States senate to serve for the unexpired term of Hon. John
C. Spooner, resigned. His term of office will expire March 4, 1909.