John Gould Stephenson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Gould Stephenson
|
|
|---|---|
John Gould Stephenson
|
|
| 5th Librarian of Congress | |
| In office May 21, 1861 – December 31, 1864 |
|
| President | Abraham Lincoln |
| Preceded by | John Silva Meehan |
| Succeeded by | Ainsworth Rand Spofford |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 1, 1828 Lancaster, New Hampshire |
| Died | November 11, 1883 (aged 55) Washington, D.C. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | New Hampshire Medical Institution Castleton Medical College |
| Known for | Librarian of Congress |
John Gould Stephenson (born March 1, 1828 – died November 11, 1883) was an American doctor and soldier. He served as the fifth Librarian for the United States Congress. He held this important job from 1861 to 1864. People often called him the "librarian of the Civil War era." This is because his time leading the library covered almost the entire length of the American Civil War.
Contents
John Gould Stephenson's Life Story
John Gould Stephenson was born in Lancaster, New Hampshire. His parents were Ruben Stephenson and Mary King Baker. As he grew up, he decided he wanted to become a doctor.
Becoming a Doctor and Politician
Stephenson studied medicine at the New Hampshire Medical Institution and Castleton Medical College. After finishing his training, he moved to Terre Haute, Indiana. There, he became very active in the Republican Party. He was also one of the first teachers at the Vigo Collegiate Institute.
Stephenson was strongly against slavery. He supported Abraham Lincoln when Lincoln ran for senator in 1858, even though Lincoln didn't win that election. Two years later, Stephenson gave speeches to help Lincoln become president. After Lincoln won, he chose Stephenson to be the Librarian of Congress. It's not fully clear why a doctor wanted this job.
Serving During the Civil War
Stephenson spent most of his time as Librarian also serving as a colonel in the Union Army. This was during the American Civil War. He first served with the 19th Indiana Regiment. Later, he joined the Army of the Potomac.
He fought in several important battles. These included the Battle of Fitzhugh Crossing, the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the famous Battle of Gettysburg. He was known for being brave. He helped rally troops and volunteered to assist generals.
Important Changes at the Library
Stephenson made a very important decision for the Library of Congress. He hired Ainsworth Rand Spofford as his chief assistant librarian. Spofford later took over as the main librarian after Stephenson. Spofford was key in changing the library from just a resource for Congress into a national institution for everyone.
During Stephenson's time, the library building had a strange problem. It was forced to house bakeries that made bread for Union soldiers. These soldiers were stationed in Washington, D.C. Stephenson didn't like this. He went directly to President Lincoln and convinced him to remove the bakeries from the library.
After His Time as Librarian
Stephenson resigned from his role as Librarian of Congress in 1864. After that, he held several other political jobs. For example, he worked as a medical reviewer at the Pension Office. He passed away on November 11, 1883.
