The subject was the son of Ebenezer and Elizabeth (Weld) Stevens of Boston. He was a participant in the Boston Tea Party in 1773, and served in the Continental Army. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1778 he served under Lafayette at Yorktown. After the Revolution, Stevens became a successful merchant in New York City. The tailcoat, epaulets, and Society of the Cincinnati badge worn by Stevens in this portrait are all in the collections of the New-York Historical Society.