Hiram S. Stevens was born in Western Vermont on March 20th, 1832, and came to Arizona in 1855.
When a youth of 19 he enlisted as a United States soldier and came to New Mexico in Company “I,” First United States Dragoons. On being discharged from the service in 1855, he came to Arizona where he resided continuously up to the time of his death. At first he was a sporting man, then afterwards a trader and speculator, and in 1874, he was counted one of the richest men in the Territory.
At this time he was elected Delegate to Congress. The story told of how his election was accomplished, is illustrative of the wild and woolly way of doing things at that time. The gambling fraternity was a very numerous and influential citizenship of Arizona. R. C. McCormick had served several terms in Congress, and in seeking a reelection, was supported by the administration, both territorial and national, which was a force hard to overcome. Stevens was equal to the occasion. He took twenty-five thousand dollars for his campaign fund and sent his agent to all the prominent gamblers in the Territory, saying to them: “Bet one thousand; bet two thousand; three thousand, according to the influence of the man and his following, on Stevens being elected, and if you win, return to me the amount which you have wagered, keeping your winning.” In this way he enlisted the active support of the sporting fraternity of Arizona, with the result that he was elected by a handsome majority. He served two terms as Delegate to Congress; several terms in the Territorial Legislature, and two terms as Treasurer of Pima County, where he died on March 24th, 1893.
