Katharine Lente Stevenson was an American temperance reformer, missionary, and editor. She was a successful platform speaker, writer and officer of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union on whose behalf she also visited Japan, China, India, Australia and other countries as a missionary.
Early years and education
Katharine Lente was born in Copake, New York, May 8, 1853. Her father was Marvin R. Lente; her mother, Hannah Lonzada. On the mother's side, she was of Jewish ancestry. In 1881, Stevenson graduated from Boston University School of Theology, the only woman in her class, and pronounced by the dean "the best balanced mind in the school."
Career
The refusal of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church to recognize women as preachers terminated her ministry as associate pastor of the Methodist church in Allston, Massachusetts, but it was her dream to be in charge of a church—Methodist if it may be, Independent if it must be. After marrying James Stevenson, a merchant of Boston, Newton, Massachusetts became her home until 1893, when she came to Chicago as editor of the department of Books and Leaflets for the Woman's Temperance Publishing Association, and contributing editor to the Union Signal. In November, 1894, the National WCTU showed its appreciation of her two years' service, 1891–93, as Corresponding Secretary of the Massachusetts WCTU by electing her to the same office in the national organization. In September 1909, she had traveled to Christchurch, New Zealand and spoke on behalf of temperance. In November, Stevenson, the missionary, toured Australia in the interests of temperance reform, sent by the WCTU as a representative of the world's officers of the Union on a special mission to the educational institutions of the Far East, including India, China, Japan, and Burma. Australia was not on her program, but when she had finished in China and Japan, she resolved, on her own account, to make a tour through Australia to see it, and to help the temperance workers in the chief centers.
Personal life
Stevenson was also a homemaker and step-mother to three daughters. She was a member of Good Templars Commonwealth Lodge of Boston. She died in 1919.
