Representative William Dennison Stephens

William Dennison Stephens served as a Representative from California in the United States Congress from 1911 to 1917. A member of the Progressive Party, William Dennison Stephens contributed to the legislative process during 3 terms in office.

William Dennison Stephens’s service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history. As a member of the House of Representatives, William Dennison Stephens participated in the democratic process and represented the interests of constituents.

William Dennison Stephens (December 26, 1859 – April 25, 1944) was an American federal and state politician. A three-term member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1911 to 1916, Stephens was the 24th governor of California from 1917 to 1923. Prior to becoming Governor, Stephens served as the 27th lieutenant governor of California from 1916 to 1917, due to the death of John Morton Eshleman, and served a brief time as Mayor of Los Angeles in 1909 due to the resignation of Arthur C. Harper. He served as the 27th Mayor of Los Angeles in 1909. As governor, he was a Progressive who kept the reforms of his predecessor, Hiram Johnson, and remained visible throughout his governorship. He lost a bid for re-nomination in 1922 to California State Treasurer Friend William Richardson, who campaigned as a conservative.