Charles C. Stevenson


Charles Clark Stevenson was an American politician. He was the fifth Governor of Nevada. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Biography

Stevenson was born on February 20, 1826 in Phelps, New York. His education was from the common schools of Canada and Michigan. He married Margaret M. Rogers in November 1848 and they had two sons, Edward and Lou. They were divorced in 1880 in Virginia City, Storey County, Nevada. He then married Ellen Mary Frary on June 20, 1881 in San Francisco, San Francisco County, California.

Career

In 1859 Stevenson arrived in Ophir, Nevada, where he worked in mining, milling, and agriculture. He became part-owner of the Cooper and Stevenson quartz mine.
Stevenson was elected to Nevada Senate representing Storey County, serving three terms. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1872 and 1884. Elected Regent of the University of Nevada, he served in that position for 11 years from 1875 to 1887.
Stevenson was elected Governor in 1886, and served to 1890. During his tenure, programs were established which supported livestock and farming industries, the Stewart Indian School was created, and the University of Nevada was reconstructed. His brother, Edward A. Stevenson, was Governor of Idaho at the same time.

Death

Stevenson died of typhoid fever while in office on September 21, 1890 in Carson City, Nevada, at the age of 64. That made him the first Nevada Governor to die while in office. He is interred at Mountain View Cemetery.