Dewitt Stevens is assistant manager and engineer in the Star mills, two miles southeast from Lookout. He has demonstrated himself a man of ability and integrity and is one of the foremost men in the development of the country and labors for its progress.
DeWitt Stevens was born in Tennessee on December 30, 1859, being the son of George W. and Lydia E. (Dillingham) Stevens, mention of whom is made in this work. He grew up with his parents, receiving a common schooling, which was completed in the State Normal at Fort Scott, Kansas. Soon after the family came from Kansas to this country. DeWitt followed and he has been associated with his parents and brothers in business more or less since that time. He operated in sawmills with his brother George, and then, in 18934 opened in the furniture and undertaking business in Moscow. A fire destroyed their property and but slight insurance recompensed them, so it was almost a total loss. Then we find Mr. Stevens associated with Mr. McCarty in the flour and feed business under the firm name of Stevens & McCarty. Later he sold his business and came to take part in the sawmill business with his brothers, George.
On April 6, 1890, Mr. Stevens married Miss Ida K. daughter of Henry J. and Mary (Ertle) Fry, natives of Germany. The father was a prominent business man in Moscow but is now deceased. Mrs. Stevens has two sisters. Elmina Fry, treasurer of Latah County, and Emma, wife of George Steward, of Moscow. To Mr. and Mrs. Stevens there have been born the following children, Ray, Fred, Paul. Jesse. Ruth. Hazel, deceased, and Esther. James F. Stevens, a brother of our subject, was born in Tennessee and grew up in the various places where the family lived and two years after the family came to the coast he came also. He returned to Georgia and two years after that came back to Whitman County. Washington. He operated as section foreman until he was crippled by moving cars and then upon recovery he worked in Moscow. Finally, he went to Coos County, Oregon, and took a claim where he dwells at the present time, devoting his attention to his farm and the duties of a Dunkard preacher. He was married in Atlanta, Georgia, to Rhoda E. Quillen. They have six children. We desire to add that the subject of this sketch is one of the substantial and worthy men of this section and stands well with his fellows, being a man of enterprise, wisdom and integrity.
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Source: An Illustrated History of Northern Idaho, Embracing Nez Perce, Idaho, Latah, Kootenai and Shoshone Counties, Western Historical Publishing Company, 1903