James Stevenson (Pennsylvania politician)

James Stevenson (1740–1813) (also spelled Stephenson) was an American politician from Virginia that would go on to represent the 18th district in the Pennsylvania State Senate, as well as representing Washington County in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives as a Democratic-Republican. Stevenson was one of the close childhood friends of George Washington and served as a Captain during the American Revolutionary War for the Continental Army.

Biography
James Stephenson was born in Frederick County, Virginia, in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia, in 1740 to Richard and Honora Stephenson née Grymes. In 1767 Stephenson married Rachel Stephenson née McKeevers and the couple had two sons, Moses, and William, and a daughter Theodosia. Stephenson was a veteran of the American Revolutionary War serving as a Captain and paymaster of the 13th Virginia Regiment. James also had a brother, William Stephenson, who served as a Lieutenant during the Illinois campaign under George Rogers Clark. Stephenson also had a half brother, William Crawford a war-hero from the French and Indian War who led the ill-fated Crawford expedition, resulting in his defeat at the Sandusky and subsequent capture by the Delaware Nation who tortured him for two hours before burning him at a stake. Crawford was the son of Honora to her earlier husband, Hugh Crawford, an Indian trader. Prior to Crawford's death, a young George Washington would often visit the Stephenson household, and would become a childhood friend of James.

In 1781 Stephenson left Virginia for Western Pennsylvania due to the vast abundance of cheap land taking with him his only slave named "Fortune" who was previously owned by George Washington and was given to Stephenson as a gift. Stephenson and Fortune traveled on foot the entire distance and established a 500-acre farm and built a cabin on the property before leaving Fortune in charge of the estate by himself and returned to Virginia to make the trip again but with his family. On December 14, 1789, Stephenson's wife Rachel died and he remarried to one Martha née Barr, the couple had four sons, Benjamin "James", Richard, Joseph, and John, as well as a daughter Achsah.

Stephenson's first entry into politics was an unsuccessful bid for Washington County commissioner in 1792. He would be elected as a Conventionalist Democratic-Republican to the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from 1806 to 1808 when he was elected to the Pennsylvania state senate for the 18th district for a single term from 1808 to 1810. After a brief hiatus he returned to the house from 1814 to 1816. After-which he would unsuccessfully run for Sheriff of Washington county in 1820.

There is a discrepancy in Stephenson's death, as he was reported dead in May 1813, however, he would stand for four subsequent elections from 1814 to 1820. Stephenson is buried in the Cross Creek cemetery. Stephenson's second wife Martha would die in 1816.