in the State of New York Inc. with Stevens as its President. Stevens declined reelection as president of the Sons of the Revolution in a letter addressed to its annual meeting on December 4, 1884. Stevens declined reelection in protest to the decision by the membership to raise funds for the construction of the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty. The reason for Steven's disagreement was that Stevens viewed the Sons of the Revolution as being an exclusive social organization not to be involved with external matters. In the early years after the reorganization, Society of the Cincinnati President-General Hamilton Fish gave much support and encouragement to the New York society. He referred often to its members as the "younger brothers of the Cincinnati." General Society Sons of the Revolution President Frederick Tallmadge presented the society Founder's badge to Stevens on October 28, 1898 and wrote that "[t]he noblest tribute that can be paid to your patriotism is the fact that the Society organized by you now numbers over two thousand members, that, of itself, is the proudest monument you could ask for to your energy and patriotism." Stevens was also a member of the General Society of Colonial Wars. Personal life On June 5, 1855, Stevens married Margaret Antoinette Morris (1830–1911), a daughter of William Lewis Morris, in New York. Together, they were the parents of one son and two daughters, none of whom married: Abby Weld Stevens (1857–1939) Mary Morris Stevens (–1943), who wrote poetry, both unpublished and published, and often contain political themes. John Austin Stevens III (1859–1909) After he completed his service as the first president of Sons of the Revolution, Stevens moved to and lived the last 20 years of his life in Newport, Rhode Island where he continued to write about history and cultivated roses. Stevens died on June 10, 1910 at Newport, Rhode Island. Stevens died at his home on Rhode Island Avenue in Newport, where his funeral service was held on June 18, 1910. A second service was held on June 21, 1910 at St. Paul's Chapel in New York and a procession through the city was conducted by Sons of the Revolution, Chamber of Commerce and Historical Society leaders. The procession was viewed by uncovered thousands where it moved down Broadway to Fraunces Tavern which was draped in black. The interment was in the family vault in Green-Wood Cemetery where his