William H. Stevenson
The La Crosse Tribune,September 19, 1940
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromWisconsin's3rd district
In office January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1949
Preceded by	Harry W. Griswold
Succeeded by	Gardner R. Withrow
District Attorney ofLa Crosse County, Wisconsin
In office January 7, 1935 – January 3, 1941
Preceded by	Fred G. Silberschmidt
Succeeded by	John S. Coleman
District Attorney ofRichland County, Wisconsin
In office January 1, 1925 – January 1, 1927
Preceded by	O. D. Black
Succeeded by	Van R. Coppernoll
Personal details
Born	September 23, 1891 Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died	March 19, 1978(1978-03-19) (aged 86) La Crosse, Wisconsin, U.S.
Resting place	Onalaska City Cemetery,Onalaska, Wisconsin
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Lulu Belle Bucklin ​ ​ (m. 1913⁠–⁠1978)​
Children	Phyllis Belle (Grams) (b. 1914; died 1996)
Education	La Crosse Normal School (B.A.) University of Wisconsin School of Law (LL.B.)
Profession	Lawyer, politician

William Henry Stevenson (September 23, 1891 – March 19, 1978) was an American lawyer andRepublican politician fromLa Crosse County, Wisconsin. He served four terms in theU.S. House of Representatives, representingWisconsin's 3rd congressional district from 1941 to 1949. Earlier in his career, he served asdistrict attorney of La Crosse County (1935–1941) andRichland County, Wisconsin (1925–1927).

William Stevenson was born inKenosha, Wisconsin, in September 1891.^[a] As a child, he moved with his family toLa Crosse, Wisconsin, where he was raised and educated.^[1] He graduated from La Crosse Central High School and went on to attend La Crosse Normal School (nowUniversity of Wisconsin–La Crosse), where he graduated in 1912.^[1] While attending the normal school, he helped organize the Union Free High School inHolmen, Wisconsin, and after graduating he taught at that school for two years.^[1] He subsequently worked as principal of the high school inNeillsville, Wisconsin, from 1914 to 1916.^[2][3]

In 1916, Stevenson returned to school, entering theUniversity of Wisconsin Law School. While attending law school, he taught class atMadison Central High School. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin and earned hisLL.B. in 1919.^[2] He was also a member of thePhi Alpha Delta legal fraternity.^[3]

After he was admitted to the bar, Stevenson returned to La Crosse and partnered for a year with J. E. Higbee. In 1920, he moved toRichland Center, Wisconsin, and partnered withLevi H. Bancroft, effectively taking over his private practice while Bancroft served as a Wisconsin circuit court judge. During those years, Stevenson also served as a court commissioner for the circuit court inRichland County, Wisconsin.^[4] After Bancroft left office, their partnership continued for three years.^[2]

Stevenson made his first run for public office in 1924, when he was electeddistrict attorney ofRichland County, Wisconsin.^[5]

After his two year term, Stevenson formed a new law partnership with his former high school teacherA. H. Schubert, following the death of Schubert's previous partner.^[2] Initially, Stevenson split his time between an office in Richland Center and another in La Crosse, but Stevenson eventually relocated to La Crosse.^[6]

In La Crosse, Stevenson resumed his political and civic activities. In 1932, he sought the Republican nomination for district attorney ofLa Crosse County, Wisconsin, challenging the incumbent Republican Rudolf M. Schlabach.^[7] The Republican primary was extremely close, with Schlabach ultimately prevailing by less than 100 votes.^[8] Schlabach went on to lose the general election to Democrat Fred G. Silberschmidt.^[9]

Two years later, Stevenson ran again. This time, Stevenson faced attorneyThomas H. Skemp, who was at the same time the head coach of theLa Crosse Lagers football team. Despite Skemp's standing as a local celebrity, Stevenson prevailed in the primary by nearly a 2-to-1 margin.^[10] Earlier in 1934, theWisconsin Progressive Party had been established, splitting from theRepublican Party of Wisconsin. This resulted in a three-way race in the general election for district attorney, with the Democrats nominating the incumbent, Fred G. Silberschmidt, and the Progressives nominating Frank R. Schneider. All three candidates polled more than 5,000 votes in the general election; Stevenson won the race with 7,146.^[11] Stevenson won re-election in 1936 and 1938, defeating Frank Schneider again in both elections.^[12][13]

On July 4, 1939, U.S. RepresentativeHarry W. Griswold died of a sudden heart attack, creating a vacancy inWisconsin's 3rd congressional district. Despite being only six months into a two-year term, no special election was called to fill the seat for the remainder of the76th Congress. In July 1940, Stevenson announced that he would seek the Republican nomination to succeed Griswold in the 3rd congressional district for the77th Congress. In announcing his campaign, Stevenson came out against the United States joiningWorld War II, and endorsed the idea of a national highway system for employment and national defense purposes.^[14] In the Republican Party primary, Stevenson faced three other credible opponents, state senatorEdward J. Roethe, La Crosse businessmanRaymond C. Bice, and formerUnion Party gubernatorial candidate Joseph F. Walsh. Stevenson narrowly prevailed in the primary by a margin of just 274 votes over Roethe.^[15][16]

His chief opponent in the general election was the Progressive Party nominee, former U.S. representativeGardner R. Withrow, but a Democratic candidate, George T. Doherty, was also in the race. In the general election, Stevenson attacked theNew Deal of the Roosevelt administration and said that Roosevelt's decision to seek a third term as president represented a danger to American democracy. He advocated new tariffs to prop up the price of milk and butter for Wisconsin farm producers.^[17] Stevenson won the general election in another relatively close race, taking 46% of the vote to Withrow's 44%.^[16]

During the first year of the77th Congress, Stevenson continued to oppose new trade deals aimed at lowering tariff barriers. He also opposed Roosevelt'sLend-Lease act, though he supported other domestic military spending.^[18] One of his chief achievements in his congressional career occurred in these early months in office, when he secured the creation of theBadger Army Ammunition Plant for his congressional district as part of the defense build-up.^[19] The character of his first term changed dramatically with theattack on Pearl Harbor. Stevenson joined other Wisconsin Republicans indicating that they would drop any remainingisolationist positions.^[20]

Stevenson faced aprimary challenge in 1942 from Joseph F. Walsh, who had also run in 1940. Walsh attacked Stevenson for his previous isolationist positions and indicated he would be a more supportive ally for Roosevelt in the war.^[21] Stevenson prevailed in another close primary, receiving 53% of the vote to Walsh's 47%.^[22] In the general election, he faced a rematch with Progressive Gardner Withrow, who reiterated criticisms of Stevenson's past isolationist positions and fully endorsed the Roosevelt platform for domestic and foreign policy.^[23] Stevenson defeated Withrow again, slightly expanding his margin from 1940.^[22]

Stevenson faced another primary challenge in 1944 from Joseph Walsh, and won another close victory. The Progressive Party ran no candidate that year, and Stevenson won a landslide in the general election.^[24] He won a fourth term in 1946, winning another competitive primary, and another landslide general election.^[25]

Stevenson ran for a fifth term in 1948. By then, the Wisconsin Progressive Party had disbanded and many of the voters and officials had chosen to return to the Republican Party. In the 1948 Republican primary, Stevenson faced his two-time Progressive rival from 1940 and 1942, Gardner Withrow. A third candidate also ran in the primary, Carl Neprud, who had recently served as a technical advisor at theBretton Woods Conference.^[26] Stevenson faced intense criticism for voting for a deep cut in farm benefits.^[27] Withrow also reiterated old criticisms of Stevenson over his pre-Pearl Harbor isolationist positions.^[28] Withrow defeated Stevenson in a close election, taking 41% to Stevenson's 38%.^[29]

After leaving office, Stevenson returned to his law practice in La Crosse. In 1952, he attempted to reclaim his seat in Congress, launching a primary challenge against Gardner Withrow.^[30] Stevenson's attempted political comeback was fueled by stalwart Republican discontent over their progressive incumbent, Withrow.^[31] In the end, Stevenson fell just short of Withrow in his last election, receiving 48.7% to Withrow's 51.3%.^[32]

Stevenson resumed his law practice, and moved to neighboringOnalaska, Wisconsin, in the late 1950s. He died at a La Crosse hospital on March 19, 1978, and was buried in Onalaska.^[1]

William Stevenson was a son of Major John Stevenson and his wife Minnie.^[1] John Stevenson was described as an Indian scout and friend of generalCharles King.^[3]

William Stevenson married Lulu Bucklin of Onalaska in 1913. They had one daughter, Phyllis Belle, who survived them.^[1]

• Badger Army Ammunition Plant

• United States Congress."William H. Stevenson (id: S000896)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• William H. Stevenson atFind a Grave
• William Henry Stevenson entry atThe Political Graveyard

 This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.

• 1891 births
• 1978 deaths
• People from Richland Center, Wisconsin
• Politicians from Richland County, Wisconsin
• Politicians from Kenosha, Wisconsin
• Politicians from La Crosse, Wisconsin
• People from Onalaska, Wisconsin
• University of Wisconsin–La Crosse alumni
• University of Wisconsin Law School alumni
• District attorneys in Wisconsin
• Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin
• 20th-century Wisconsin politicians
• 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives

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