Biography of Abner Lewis, pages 727/728.  Memorial Record of Northeastern 
Indiana; The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1896.

	Abner Lewis, a lumber merchant of Auburn, Indiana, has figured 
prominently as a business man of this place for more than twenty years, 
and in this time has made a wide acquaintance and has won and maintained 
the good will of all with whom he has had dealings.
	Mr. Lewis was born in Albion, New York, November 4, 1836, son of 
Samuel C. and Anna (Warner) Lewis. Samuel C. Lewis was of Welsh extraction, 
was born in Poultney, Vemont, and passed his life as a farmer in New York 
State from 1816 until his death, in June, 1876; he died at the advanced 
age of eighty-two years.  His wife, a daughter of English parents, died in 
1843, at the age of forty-three years. In their family were five children, 
two sons and three daughters, of whom all except one are still living.	
	Abner, the second in order of birth, passed his boyhood days on his 
father’s farm, and util he was seventeen attended the district schools.  
He continued farming on the home place until 1861, in which year he went 
up into Michigan and at Wayland, in Allegan county, opened a hotel, called 
the Half-Way House, its location being half way between Kalamazoo and Grand 
Rapids. After running this hotel two years, he sold out and went to 
Middleville, Michigan. There he formed a partnership with a Mr. Withey and 
engaged in general merchandise, which they continued successfully about 
eight years, at the end of which time his partner died and he sold out.  
His next location was at Greenville, Michigan, where he became employed 
with his brother-in-law, C. F. Wright, in a lumber business, for four 
years, and from there in 1874 he came to Auburn and embarked in his 
present business,---in lime, cement, lumber and all kinds of dressed 
building material; and he is the only dealer of this line in Auburn. 
	Mr. Lewis has been twice married. In 1859 he wedded a Miss Fuller, a 
daughter of Mr. Benjamin Fuller, a prominent lawyer of Michigan, and after 
a number of years of happy married life she was called to her last home, 
her death occurring in 1876. For his second wife he married Miss Alice M. 
Widney, a daughter of John P. Widney, one of the early settlers and most 
prominent citizens of De Kalb county.  Their union has been blessed in the 
birth of one child, Harry L., now on the verge of manhood.
	Mr. Lewis and his family are identified with the Methodist Episcopal 
Church and are active and influential members of the same. Fraternally, he 
maintains a membership in good standing in both the Masonic and Knights of 
Pythias orders. His political views are those advocated by the Republican 
party.
	Such, in brief, is a sketch of the life of one of Auburn’s leading 
business men and most worthy citizens.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com