John Dunlap Stevenson (1821-1897) was a lawyer, abolitionist, and politician who lived in Saint Louis, Missouri. In 1841 he graduated from the Staunton Law School and began practicing law in Saint Louis. In 1845 he married Hannah Letcher Stevenson (1819-1901) and they had four children: Virginia Diamant (1851-1943), John Chiles Houston (1853-1922), Caroline Harman (1857-1871), and Sallie Dunlap (1859-1863). Stevenson fought in the United States Army during the Mexican War as a Captain of the Missouri Mounted Volunteers. In 1861 he was commissioned as an officer in Company S, Missouri 7th Infantry Regiment, and in 1865 was promoted to Brevet Major General. Stevenson served in Georgia during Reconstruction until the 150th Illinois Infantry was recalled in January 1866. Upon his return to Saint Louis, he served as a city assessor, health commissioner, and city comptroller.