a biography of the day-lillian m.n. stevens (temperance reformer)

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Lillian M. N. Stevens

Dates: March 1, 1844 - April 6, 1914

Occupation: temperance reformer

Known for: WCTU president, 1898-1914



Born in Maine, Lillian Ames married Michael T. Stevens in 1865. They had one child. Lillian Stevens soon became involved in the "woman's crusade" beginning in the 1870s, and she helped form the Maine Women's Christian Temperance Union. She served as president of the Maine WCTU from 1878 until her death in 1914. Her husband supported her temperance activity, agreeing to have a governess take care of their daughter and the household while Lillian worked against alcohol.

From her work with the Maine WCTU, Lillian Stevens became involved in the national WCTU organization. She was a good though not exceptional speaker, became a secretary of the WCTU in 1880, and was close to Frances E. Willard who admired her organizational abilities.
When Frances Willard died in 1898, Lillian Stevens was elected to the presidency of the WCTU. Willard had made clear her wishes that Stevens would succeed her. Under the presidency of Lillian Stevens, the WCTU grew considerably in membership. With increased activity on the part of the Anti-Saloon League as well, victories made it possible to change strategy from working for prohibition in a variety of localities, to working for national prohibition.

During Stevens' term as national president, the sale of alcoholic beverages was banned on military bases. Six states passed prohibition laws: Georgia, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia.

Lillian Stevens gave less priority than Willard had done to the "Do-Everything" strategy of working for other causes -- such as suffrage -- and not just temperance. Though these other issues were not as important to the WCTU as temperance and prohibition, nevertheless the WCTU helped to pass the federal Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, the Mann Act of 1910, and several woman suffrage initiatives in states.

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http://womenshistory.about.com/library/bio/blbio_stevens_lillian.htm