author
Frank Everett Stevens
1856–1939
A lifelong Illinois historian, he wrote vivid accounts of frontier conflict and local memory, including a well-known history of the Black Hawk War. His work helped preserve the stories of Lee County and the wider region for later readers.
1 Audiobook
The Black Hawk War Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life
by Frank Everett Stevens
About the author
Born in Dixon, Illinois, on January 5, 1856, Frank Everett Stevens became known as a regional historian and writer whose books focused on the early history of Illinois. Reliable records connected with his life identify him as the son of Captain John Stevens and place his death on October 16, 1939.
His best-known work is The Black Hawk War: Including a Review of Black Hawk's Life, first published in the early 1900s and still circulated in reprints and digital editions. He also wrote History of Lee County, Illinois, a large local history that reflects his deep interest in the people, events, and communities of northern Illinois.
Stevens wrote in a documentary, story-driven style that appealed to readers interested in frontier history, military episodes, and local heritage. Today, his books remain useful mainly as historical sources from their own era, especially for listeners curious about how Illinois history was recorded and remembered in the early twentieth century.