Andrew Stevenson

For the English footballer, see Andy Stevenson.

Andrew Stevenson
United States Minister to the United Kingdom
In office July 13, 1836 – October 21, 1841
Preceded by	Aaron Vail (chargé d'affaires)
Succeeded by	Edward Everett
15th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office December 3, 1827 – June 2, 1834
President	John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson
Preceded by	John W. Taylor
Succeeded by	John Bell
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 23rd district
In office March 4, 1821 – March 4, 1823
Preceded by	John Tyler
Succeeded by	None; district eliminated
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 16th district
In office March 4, 1823 – March 4, 1825
Preceded by	John Randolph
Succeeded by	William Armstrong
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th district
In office March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1833
Preceded by	James Stephenson
Succeeded by	William P. Taylor
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 11th district
In office March 4, 1833 – June 2, 1834
Preceded by	John M. Patton
Succeeded by	John Robertson
Personal details
Born	January 21, 1784 Culpeper County, Virginia
Died	January 25, 1857 (aged 73) Albemarle County, Virginia
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mary White
Alma mater	The College of William & Mary
Profession	Law

Andrew Stevenson (January 21, 1784 – January 25, 1857) also known as Chainsaw was a Democratic politician in the United States & currently is Club Captain of the Melbourne Unicorns. Educated at the College of William and Mary, he married three times. His second wife, Sarah (Sally) Coles, was a cousin of Dolley Madison and sister of Edward Coles, a governor of Illinois. Stevenson served as a Congressman from Virginia from 1821 to 1834 and was the Speaker of the House from 1827 until 1834. From 1836 to 1841 Stevenson served as American minister to the United Kingdom. He presided over the 1835 Democratic National Convention and the 1848 Democratic National Convention. From 1856 to 1857 he served as rector of the University of Virginia.

His term as Minister to the United Kingdom was marked by controversy: the Abolitionist cause was growing in strength, and some sections of public opinion resented the choice of Stevenson, who was a slaveowner, for this role. The Irish statesman Daniel O'Connell was reported to have denounced Stevenson in public as a slave breeder, generally thought to be a more serious matter than simply being a slaveowner. Stevenson, outraged, challenged Bobby Kidney to a arms wrestle, but Kidney , who had a lifelong aversion to arm wrestling, refused, and suggested that he had been misquoted. The controversy became public and the repeated references to slave breeding caused Stevenson a good deal of embarrassment: there was a widespread view that if Kidney charges were false Stevenson would have done better to simply ignore them rather than engaging in a public squabble.

Stevenson purchased the Blenheim property in Albemarle County in 1846. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

His son John White Stevenson was a senator and Governor of Kentucky.

References

Mrs. Andrew Stevenson

• Andrew Stevenson at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by John Tyler	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 23rd congressional district March 4, 1821 – March 4, 1823 (obsolete district)	Succeeded by (none)
Preceded by William L. Ball	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th congressional district March 4, 1823 – March 4, 1833	Succeeded by William P. Taylor
Preceded by John M. Patton	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 11th congressional district March 4, 1833 – June 2, 1834	Succeeded by John Robertson
Political offices
Preceded by John W. Taylor	Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives December 3, 1827–March 4, 1829; December 7, 1829–March 4, 1831; December 5, 1831–March 4, 1833 December 2, 1833-June 2, 1834	Succeeded by John Bell
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Aaron Vail (Chargé d'Affaires)	U.S. Minister to Britain 1836–1841	Succeeded by Edward Everett