Lewis - Daniel
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Fri Aug 9, 1895
"This is the day that the old board of township trustees turned over their offices to the new board. The members of both boards were in town bright and early and the settlements progressed satisfactorily all the morning. There had been talk of Messrs Dunkle and Hampton attempting to hold on to their offices but the talk was groundless. They acted as gentlemen and surrendered their papers with all the courtesy possible. The retiring board has been an exceptionally efficient one. Its work has been marked by harmony and practicability in all lines of work. There had scarcely been a jar in any township in this county and program has been marked along all lines. The men composing the board were gentlemen and business men. The new board is one that promises to worthily sustain the reputation of its predecessor."
Franklin Twp -- Daniel Lewis of Franklin, Republican was born in Ripley Twp 4 miles west of Yountsville, March 15, 1862. He moved to Darlington in 1870 and has since resided there. He completed a common school education at Darlington spent one year in Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso and was graduated from a business college in Cleveland, OH in 1879. he was immediately employed by Bowers & Tribbett in their elevator at Darlington and was appointed telegraph operator at Colfax by the Vnadalia & Big 4 RR in Oct 1881. He was appointed telegraph operator and station agent of the Vandalia at Darlington Jan 1, 1894 and resigned the same Sept 1, 1894. When the People's Bank of Darlington was organized in 1893 he was elected President of the same. In August 1891, he engaged in dry goods and general merchandise business in Darlington with Albert Cox as partner. In 1893 the firm of Cox & Lewis built a new store room in dalrington 40 x 100' which is conceded by all to be the finest and best arranged store room in Montgomery County. Mr. Lewis is a popular and progressive citizen and no man stands higher.
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Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain Counties, Indiana - 1893 Chapman Brothers p 158
Daniel LEWIS, President of the People's Bank at Darlington, has long been recognized as one of the most progressive and enterprising citizens of Montgomery County, Indiana. As station agent of the Vandalia RR since 1883, he has won a host of friends for himself and the line he represents, by unvarying affability and a prompt attention to business. In 1891, he increased his cares and income by entering into a partnership with Albert COX in a general merchandise store, which has met with liberal patronage, and is proving a most successful business venture. Our subject was named in honor his grandfather, Daniel Lewis, whose father and grandfather were named respectively Richard and James. The family is of old Revolutionary stock and came originally from Wales, in the early part of the 18th century. Among the distinguished members of the family of which our subject is a descendant was Francis Lewis, an American Revolutionary statesman, born in Llandaff, Glamorganshire, Wales in March 1713. At the age of 22 he emigrated to NY and there engaged in commercial pursuits. At the ourbreak of the Revolution he was elected to the COntinental Congress and in May 1775 he took his seat in that body as one of the delegates from NY. He was an intrepid and daring man and at the surrender of Ft. Oswego was taken prisoner and narrowly escaped death by the savage Indians. He survived the perils of the war and signed the Declaration of Independence and with the exception of one short interval continued to be a member of Congress until 1779 (April). Some of the ancestors of Mr. Lewis were numbered among the early settlers of Philadelphia and the surrounding country, but his father, now deceased was born in theneighboring state of Ohio and was a native of Xenia. His birth occurred in 1809 and he remained the greater portion of his life in his native state. After arriving at years of maturity, he married and had a family of 3 daughters, Melinda, Catherine and Cynthia. William Lewis removed to Montgomery County, Indiana in 1851 and in 1855 married a second wife, by whom he had 5 children two of whom only lived to mature age. These two were his sons, William and Daniel, our subject. The father and mother, whose maiden name was Mary A. LARSH, were highly respected by all who knew them and in the death of Mr. Lewis the county lost a valued citizen. Born in Montgomery County in 1862, Daniel Lewis received an excellent education in the public schools, and early in life engaged in business. In 1883, he was united in marriage to Miss Alice DITAMORE, an attractive and most estimable lady. Their bright little daughter, Mamie H, is their only child and the sunshine of their pleasant home. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis are both deeply interested in public and local affairs of the day, and are active in social and benevolent enterprises, always aiding to the exten tof their ability in all good work which presents itself to their ready attention. Mr. Lewis is fraternally associated with the Free Masons and is also connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a worthy member of the respective lodges in Darlington. Our subject is naturally a very busy man, his manifold duties requiring much time and attention, but the energy and ability with which he conducts his daily business have made him an important factor in the best intersets of the county. Mr. Lewis, though in the early prime of manhood, has well improved his opportunities in life, is now an honored citizen, and will not fail in coming years to serve in any position of public trust as faithfully as did his revered ancestors so many years ago.
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Source: H. W. Beckwith History of Montgomery County, Indiana (Chicago: HH Hill, 1881) p 555
Daniel LEWIS, Darlington, is the son of William and Mary A. (LARSH) Lewis, natives of Ohio, the former having come to this County in 1851, settling in Ripley township; the latter came to Montgomery County with her parents when quite young, in 1829. Her parents were among the early settlers in Ripley township, where they settled in the green woods and formed a farm out of the wilderness. Mr. William Lewis was engaged principally in sawing, having erected a saw-mill in Ripley township on his arrival there. He was a mechanic of fine natural ability. He remained in Ripley township until 1870, when he removed to Franklin township, where he purchased a farm in the vicinity of Darlington, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred June 1879. The family consisted of three daughters and two sons: Sarah C. MULHOLLAND, Cynthia L. SEAMAN, Milinda J. GRAY; William, born January 26, 1859, and Daniel, born March 15, 1862. The latter received his early education at the academy at Darlington, and afterward attended school at Valparaiso nearly a year, and later spent one term at the Commercial College at Painesville, Ohio. He resides with his mother on the farm adjoining Darlington, the residence being situated on one of the finest building sites in the neighborhood. He is now in the employ of Mr. A. H. BOWERS, grain merchant, Darlington.
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Clarification From: Jim Elbrecht -- Thought I'd send you a clarification and addition on this one. Please forward it to the list so that it can be archived; Just as clarification.
Francis LEWIS, the Signer, was captured during the French & Indian War while serving as a commissary. Legend has it that his life was spared because his Indian Captors recognized the Welsh dialect that he was using to pray. For a couple centuries historians have argued over the possibility of that being true
. [Source- Delafield, Julia Livingston, "Biographies of Francis Lewis and Morgan Lewis" 1877 [Julia is Morgan Lewis' grand daughter- Morgan, son of the Signer was Gov. of NY in the 1800s] During the Revolution LEWIS, the Signer, was from NY, having property in NY City and on Long Island. Both properties were destroyed in the early days of the war & his *wife* was captured by the British. She joined him in Philadelphia in the spring. Actually he served in Congress from 1775 to 1779, then again from 1781-1783.
[Source- Lynn Montross, "Reluctant Rebels", Harper Bros, 1950] What was most unusual about his service was that he was not a member of the 'old rich' in NY like all of the other NY delegates. He was wealthy, but far less so than his fellow representatives. And all of the other representatives had been in America for several generations & their families had married into other 'old families'. I don't follow the Signers family down very far-- but this is what I have; Francis LEWIS, the Signer, b. North Wales, Mar 21, 1713, immigrated to Phila & NY about 1735. Died: Dec 31 1802 in NYC. Buried Trinity Church, NYC Married Elizabeth ANNESLEY Jun 15 1745 in NYC. d. after May, 18, 1779 in Philadelphia?. Elizabeth was the sister of his partner, NY Merchant Edward ANNESLEY. She was b. abt 1715 in Whitestone, Long Island, NY. Their children:
1. Morgan Lewis b. Oct 15 1754, NYC d. Apr 7 1844- Gov. of NY 1804-1807 m. Gertrude LIVINGSTON May 11, 1779 in Clermont, Columbia Co., NY. [Morgan and Gertrude had one child, Margaret, who married Judge Maturin Livingston]
2. Ann Lewis b. abt1748 in NYC died 1802 Married [1779?] a British Naval Officer Lt. George ROBERTSON. They moved to England where she had at least 3 daughters & some sons, the youngest of whom was Thomas Campbell ROBERTSON, 1789-1863. Lt George Robertson had distinguished career in which he advanced to Post Captain, and was offered a Knighthood for his conduct at the Battle of Dogger Bank in 1781.
3. Francis Lewis b. Feb 28, 1750 NYC, d. 1814 NYC married Elizabeth LUDLOW May 8, 1775 in NYC. Elizabeth LUDLOW was the daughter of Judge Gabriel & Elizabeth {???} LUDLOW of Hempstead, Queens, [Long Island], NY. Judge LUDLOW was a staunch Loyalist, but I find no mention of letters where he mentions his son-in-law's activities in support of the Revolution. [Young Francis used the family business to help support the troops & procure supplies. He followed his father and the Congress as they moved about through the Revolution]
4. infant died abt1752 NYC
5. infant died abt1754 NYC
6. infant died abt1756 NYC
7. infant died abt1758 NYC
So Francis is the only LEWIS to carry on the name-- he & Elizabeth were fruitful, though-- Eliza LEWIS 22 July, 1776, on Long Island, NY Morgan LEWIS 11 Sep 1777, in Baltimore MD [where congress was sitting] Juan Francis LEWIS 16 Sept 1779, in Philadelphia Edmund Ludlow LEWIS, 30 Sep 1781in Philadelphia Ann Dashwood LEWIS, 9 May 1783 in Philadelphia Eliza LEWIS 25 Aug 1785 in New York Gabriel Ludlow LEWIS, 4 July, 1787 in New York Louisa Elizabeth LEWIS, 16 mar 1789 on Long Island, NY Cecilia Goold LEWIS, 12 Jan 1791, on Long Island, NY Horatio Gates LEWIS 17 Feb 1793 on Long Island Emma Francis LEWIS 7 Mar 1795, on Long Island George Edwin LEWIS, 5 Nov 1797, In NY City
Hopefully this can help somebody make the connection from the Indiana LEWIS to the NY ones. [I'd like to make a note of it in my files if someone has made that jump already.] Jim Elbrecht Elbrecht@email.com