THE LEWIS FAMILY.
Augusta is undoubtedly the county in which something should
be said of this name, as John Lewis, the father of the numerous
families of Lewises in Western Virginia, was the great Augusta
pioneer in 1720. Whether this family, and other families in Virginia
of the same name, are allied by reason of a common origin
in a foreign land, cannot positively be affirmed; but the sameness
of family names, and oftentimes resemblance of personal appearance
and character, are such that many have inferred a common
origin. Such was the expressed opinion of the late Benjamin
Watkins Leigh, as of others. Mr. John Lewis, of Augusta, came
from the county of Dublin, in Ireland, about the year 1720,—his
eldest son, Thomas, being born there in 1718: some ascribe a Welsh
origin, and others a Huguenot, to the family. His eldest son,
Thomas, was a vestryman of the early Church in Augusta, and one
of the first delegates to one of the first Conventions in Virginia
after our troubles began. His library was well stored with old
English theological books; and such was his attachment to the
Episcopal Church, that in his will he requested that his friend and
brother-in-law, old Peachy Gilmer, should read the burial-service
of the Prayer-Book over his remains, there being no minister in the
parish at that time. At one time he was in correspondence with
the Rev. Mr. Boucher in reference to Augusta parish. He was the
father of the Charles Lewis spoken of above, and grandfather of
the present General Lewis, of Port Republic. There were three
other sons of the first John Lewis. The second was Andrew Lewis,
the hero of Point Pleasant. The third was William, who was also
a vestryman in Augusta, and afterward settled at the Sweet
Springs. The fourth was Charles, who was killed by the Indians
in the battle of Point Pleasant. Such is the information I received
from one of the family, who speak of only four sons. Howe in
his book on Virginia, and Charles Campbell after him, speak of
two others. They say that all six of the brothers, under the command
of Samuel, the oldest, were with Washington at Braddock's
defeat.
