John Gould Stephenson

Wabash Valley profiles : a series of tributes to hometown people and events that have shaped our history

Description:	One typed page including portrait; biography of John Stephenson, librarian of Congress. ABASH VALLEY WP R O F I L E SA series of tributes to hometown people and events that have shaped our history.John Gould Stephensonffective May 24, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln selected Terre Haute physician John Gould Stephenson as librarian of Congress, succeeding John S. Meehan. Stephenson was only the fifth person to hold the coveted post. Founded in 1802, the Library of Congress -- the sole national book repository in Washington D.C. -- then was located in an elegant room on the first floor of the Capitol Building. Meehan, a 32-year veteran, had been chosen librarian by President Andrew Jackson in 1829. Born in Lancaster, N.H., on March 1, 1828, Reuben and Mary (Baker) Stephensons fourth son was educated at prestigious Lancaster Academy (founded by his father), Dartmouth College and Castleton Medical College in Montpelier, Vt., earning a medical degree on Nov. 23, 1849. A bachelor, he situated in Terre Haute in early 1851, residing at the Clark House hotel. Brother Oliver followed him, settling in Marshall, Ill. Though he advertised his professional services, John was not active in medical societies. Instead, he became immersed in temperance causes and politics. In 1859, he co-founded the Terre Haute Lincoln Club. For a year he canvassed the Wabash Valley on horseback to boast about Republican aspirants, particularly Lincoln and Terre Haute attorney Thomas Henry Nelson, engaged in a congressional race against Daniel W. Voorhees. Stephensons education and dedication, at his great financial loss, earned endorsements from Hoosier Republicans including Gov. Oliver P. Morton, Nelson (Lincolns ambassador to Chile); superintendent of Indian affairs William Dole; and secretary of the interior Caleb Smith. During Dr. Johns tenure, more than 13,000 books were added to the Librarys holdings. Significantly, he also hired Ainsworth R. Spofford of Cincinnati -- a close friend of brother Reuben Stephenson Jr. -- as assistant. In October 1862 Stephenson persuaded Congress to remove the bread ovens in the Capitol basement to protect archives from soot. When a typhoid epidemic riddled the 19th Indiana Regiment while encamped near Washington D.C. in late 1861, Stephenson created a hospital in the Patent Office building and became regimental aide-de-camp. Participating in engagements at Fitzhugh Crossing, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, he earned praise from Gen. Abner Doubleday and Gen. Solomon Meredith. In late 1862, officers of New York regiments presented Stephenson with sleeve buttons and shirt studs set in diamonds for his medical devotion. Resigning as librarian effective Dec. 31, 1864, Stephenson practiced medicine in Washington and eventually accepted employment in the surgeon generals office. When he died unexpectedly, Nov. 11, 1883, at age 55, the front page of the Washington Post reported he was medical examiner in the Pension Office. He is buried at Washingtons Congressional Cemetery. The $6.3 million Library of Congress, dedicated in 1897, was championed by Sen. Voorhees -- against whom Stephenson campaigned in 1860 -- and Spofford, Stephensons esteemed successor. Oliver Stephenson, who wed Minerva Shaw, served several terms as Clark County surveyor before his death in Marshall on Dec. 16, 1903.ETERRE HAUTE(812) 238-6000NATIONAL BANKAlways Close to HomeDate published: June 8, 2000Filename: Stephenson, John Gould profile
Origin:	2000-06-07
Created By:	McCormick, Mike
Publisher:	Terre Haute Tribune-Star
Source:	http://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/vchs/id/589
Collection:	Vigo County Historical Society
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/
Copyright:	Copyright Undetermined
Subjects:	Stephenson, John Gould, 1828-1883 Librarians Physicians People

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