Surnames: Sturdevant, Youmans, Paulson

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co. Wis) 04/??/1958

Clark County News April 1958

Word was received here Tuesday of the death of Maj. Gen. Clarence L. Sturdevant, a native of Neillsville who was in charge of engineering for the Alcan Highway during World War II.

Funeral services were to be held today, according to the work received by Mrs. Claude R. Sturdevant, a relative, from Miss Rita Youmans of Madison.

It was not known here where General Sturdevant was at the time of his death at 8 a.m. Monday. However, he and Mrs. Sturdevant had been making their home in Silver Springs, Md., since his retirement several years ago.

Gen. Sturdevant was the son of Lafayette Sturdevant, one-time Attorney General of Wisconsin. His father built the house now occupied by the Dr. Kenneth Manz family on Clay Street and it was in that house that Gen. Sturdevant spent his boyhood.

He was graduated from West Point Military Academy and became a career army officer. The high point of his career was the construction of the famous Alcan Highway, which connects the United States with Alaska by overland route through Canada. This highway, still in use, was recognized as a tremendous feat of engineering and construction skill.

Gen. Sturdevant was married to Beth Youmans, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Youmans, early residents of Neillsville and Clark County and was a sister of the late Guy C. Youmans. Their home was a landmark on Pleasant Ridge until it was razed a few years ago by C. A. Paulson and replace by a smaller, modern structure.

Also surviving are two children: John, and Miss Elizabeth, who is a librarian in Walter Reed Hospital at Bethesda, Md.

As far as is known here, General Sturdevant achieved the highest military rank of any native son of Clark County.

(The former Sturdevant home is located on the northwest corner of the Clay and West Second Street intersection. D.Z.)