(Editor’s note: This is Part 2 of “Jean McNaughton Stevens Never Led A Quiet Life.” Part 1 was published in the July 23-24 Weekend Edition of The Minot Daily News.)

Jean McNaughton Stevens had a long list of accomplishments due to her ability to communicate and lead. She would host public speeches to large audiences and people looked upon her as a source of inspiration and a guide to educate them. She was a strong leader and in demand even with her Scottish brogue.

As the author of a newsworthy column under the name “Bits of Pioneer History” for the Ward County Independent as early as 1914, Jean stated in one of her columns… “that the people of Minot secured enough signatures to a petition for removal of the county seat from Burlington to Minot in the fall of 1888.” The column was later changed to “Stevens Chimney Corner. Burning Clear and Bright” in 1917. She was the news correspondent for Educational Sidelights and Relief meetings. Jean, in speaking of her newspaper career, told an interesting story of her first article written for the Minot Reporter many years ago. A bit of her humor is shown in a column written on Sept. 4, 1913: “Just see! McJannet and Weagant advertised in the Villard Leader, in the summer of 1887, that they were dealers in Furniture, Bedding and Coffins. Well, well, the last sleep did not need much bedding, did it?”

Jean was very active in her community of Towner, forming the public library and organizing women’s clubs, including The Darner’s Club of Towner which was founded by Jean 100 years ago on March 22, 1922. Jean invited seven ladies to organize the club. They were Mrs. A. E. Anderson, Mrs. Emma Cross, Mrs. Harvey Curfman, Mrs. Olaf Eidness, Mrs. Charles Rosencrans, Mrs. Olaf Strand, and Mrs. J.A. Wik. The purpose was teaching other women to speak and read English. They would sit and “darn” clothing while they were practicing their lessons. The club promoted better citizenship and to read and discuss the literature of the day. Due to her Scottish heritage she organized a “Robert Burns Night” each year on his birthday for the local Great Britain immigrants. In the 1920s, the Darners were instrumental in the founding of a PTA unit.

Jean was initiated into Sylvan Chapter No. 21 Order of the Eastern Star in Towner on July 13, 1895, and served as Worthy Matron in 1907 – the same year she was appointed Grand Marshal of the Grand Chapter of North Dakota. In 1908 she was appointed Grand Chaplain. She was a young woman of 20 years then and served in that capacity until 1928.

Jean had been a member and became Superintendent of the North Dakota Women’s Christian Temperance Union whose purpose was to promote good citizenship, purity, peace, and the general welfare.

After her husband’s death she moved to Minnewaukan to live with her stepdaughter, Mrs. George Dickinson Sr. On May 12, 1936, Jean suffered a fall, fracturing her hip, and was confined to a hospital bed at Devils Lake until July 17, when a heart attack together with complications brought her life to a close at the age of 80 years. She is buried in Illinois with her husband.

Jean was a leader in the women’s movement in North Dakota as women went forth from the domestic setting into the public and work world.