John W. Ensign resigned as mayor in November, 1908, and John B. Stevenson was elected to fill out his unexpired term.
As a young man, Stevenson went to work for the pioneer wholesale grocery firm of Sehon, Blake & Company. Six years later, in a reorganization of the firm, he became a partner in the business, which henceforth was known as Sehon, Stevenson & Company.
Stevenson would go on to establish the Westova Bus Company, created to operate bus lines within the city. It had opened only one route when it was purchased by the Ohio Valley Bus Co., an affiliate of the Ohio Valley Electric Railway.
He long was active in Democratic politics, as evidenced by his election as mayor to fill the void left by John Ensign’s resignation.
Stevenson was 56 years old when he died in 1925.
