Lewis Family, Joshua and Hampton

Submitted by Mike Miller

The Lewis Family.--There were many first settlers of the Lewis family in America, but it is said that they all originally came from the same Welsh stock, showing their descent from Howell, Lord of Nannan, Wales, who in turn descended from Cynfyn, who died in 972, and was prince of Powys and king of Wales, whose ancestor was Howell Dha, king of all Wales, who married Isabel, daughter of Picot de Say, a Norman Baron. The southern Lewis family- -the family from which sprang the Lewises of Virginia, is one of the largest American branches, and their genealogies begin with the first settlement in Virginia of the five distinct heads of the Lewis family: first, Robert Lewis, a native of Wales, who sailed from England in 1635, and settled in Gloucester county, Va.; second, John Lewis, of Henrico county, whose name first appears on the records of that county in 1660; third, John Lewis, who settled in Hanover county, Va., in 1675; fourth, Zachary Lewis, who came to Virginia in 1692 and obtained a grant of land in King and Queen county in 1694; fifth, John Lewis, born in Donegal county, Ireland, in 1678, a grandson of William Lewis, of Wales, married Margaret, the daughter of the Laird of Lynne, of Scotland, and with seven children born in Ireland, were the first white settlers in Augusta County, Va., in 1732. They had eight children who were as follows: Samuel, Thomas, Andrew, Alice, William, Margaret, Anne, and Charles--all save Charles were born in Ireland. Samuel was a captain in the French and Indian war, and his brothers, Andrew, William, and Charles fought under him. Andrew served as a major in Washington's Virginia regiment prior to the Revolution, and was with him at Braddock's defeat in 1755. He was taken a prisoner at Fort Duquesne, and carried to Montreal. Later he was exchanged. He was with the future head of the American nation at the surrender of Fort Necessity, and Commanded the Sandy Creek expedition in 1756. He was a member of the House of Burgesses for years, and a delegate to the Virginia convention in 1775, his statue occupying one of the pedestals surrounding the equestrian statue of Washington, in Richmond, Va. Charles Lewis was killed at the battle of Point Pleasant, W. Va., 1774. Joshua Lewis, grandson of pioneer John Lewis, known as the first settler of Augusta county, Va., was born in the Valley of Virginia in 1772, and married America Lawson in 1797, a daughter of Gen. Robert Lawson. Her mother was a daughter of Sir John Pierce. Gen. Lawson was with Gen. Greene in his memorable southern campaign, and commanded the Virginia contingent with Gen. Stephens. Later he was under the immediate command of Lafayette. His military service terminated at Yorktown. Pres. Thomas Jefferson, because of his personal acquaintance with the different branches of the Lewis family, sent Meriwether Lewis, born in 1774, to the Northwest, and Joshua Lewis to New Orleans. This gentleman, a lawyer by profession, and a graduate of Washington college, had first located at Richmond, Va., whence he had removed to Lexington, Ky., practicing his profession. He was elected to the state legislature of Kentucky. Six children were born to them in Lexington, Ky., as follows: Sidonia Pierce, who married Peter Knight Wagner, a celebrated journalist, personal friend and political advisor of Andrew Jackson; John Lawson, sheriff of Orleans parish, La., mayor of the city of New Orleans, and major general of the state militia at the opening of the Civil war, colonel and brigadier general in the Confederate army; Theodore, major in the Mexican war of 1847, and served in the Confederate army; Eliza Cornelia; Louisa Maria, and Alfred Jefferson. When Louisiana was purchased in 1803, Joshua Lewis was sent to New Orleans by President Jefferson, together with Edward Livingston, and James Brown to receive the purchased territory from the French. In 1806 he was appointed judge of the superior court of the Territory of Orleans, and when the state was admitted into the Union, was made judge of the first judicial district, which position he retained, filling it with distinguished ability, until his death in 1833. He served under Andrew Jackson in the second war with Great Britain, and participated in the night attack on the British, Dec. 23, 1814, as the captain of an organized military company composed of Americans. His brother-in-law Columbus Lawson, at the head of a troup of mounted men, was mortally wounded at the battle of New Orleans. So prominent a citizen was Judge Lewis that at the second election after the admission of Louisiana to the Union, he was placed in the gubernatorial field against Jacques Villere, who owing to the intense rivalry between the Creole and American elements defeated him, by a small majority. Upon his death in 1833, the members of the bar desired to erect a monument to his memory, but his children declined the honor, because their father had requested that he should rest in the same spot with his wife, who had preceded him to the grave some 3 years, and he was entombed with her in the cemetery just above Madisonville, on the west bank of the Tchefuncta river. The lake front of his country seat in St. Tammany was then sold in town lots, and named Lewisburg, in his honor. John Hampden Lewis B. A., B. S., M. D., A. M., 4th son and 7th child of the union of Judge Joshua Lewis and America Lawson, was born in New Orleans, Sept. 14, 1810. His twin brother was Algernon Sidney, father of the eminent physician and specialist, Earnest Sidney Lewis. John Hampden Lewis as a boy was a student, and received an education befitting the rank and intelligence of his ancestors, and matriculated in Yale college, where he distinguished himself by his strong mental power, and force of character. He was a leader in the famous Conic section revolt, which prevented him from receiving a degree. On the death of his mother, in 1830, he left Yale college, and in obedience to the wishes of his father, decided to study medicine. Following a winter course at Cincinnati, he returned to New Orleans to prosecute his studies in the Charity hospital, and was appointed assistant surgeon. In 1832 he went to Paris to complete his studies. After spending 18 months abroad, he returned to this city, and graduated in the first class from the Louisiana Medical college. In the meantime he was in charge of a private infirmary. He returned to Paris with the view of prosecuting the study of medicine as far as the science of the day would permit. He could not enter the Paris School of Medicine, however, without a diploma as bachelor of arts and sciences, so he entered the Sarbonne, received his degrees, and then matriculated in the medical school, from which he graduated in 1839. He then entered into active practice in New Orleans, which was uninterrupted except by the Civil war, until he retired in 1889. As a physician he was honored, as a scholar he was admired, as a man he was esteemed and loved, not alone for his accomplishments and learning, but for his nobility of character and his thorough manliness. During the Civil war, Dr. Lewis was surgeon of Col. Skymanski's regiment, which was detailed at the quarantine station near Fort St. Philip and Fort Jackson, on the Mississippi river, and when Admiral Farragut captured these forts, he was made a prisoner, but was shortly afterwards paroled. There are 4 children living from the marriage of Dr. John Hampden Lewis and his wife, Annie E. L. nee Von DeBritton; Yettendahl native of the island of St. Thomas, viz.: Sidney Francis Lewis, Wranie P. Lewis, who married Gabriel Villere, deceased, the grandson of Gov. Jacques Villere; America Lawson, who married Benjamin Joseph Simms, and Ernestine, who married Edgar White. Sidney Francis Lewis, son of Dr. John Hampden Lewis, and grandson of Judge Joshua Lewis, is descended on his father's side from the Southern branch of the Lewis family, the early settlers in Virginia, all of whom originally came from the same Welsh stock. His mother was of Danish and English parentage. He was born in New Orleans, Jan. 28, 1854. He first attended school, at the opening of the Civil war, at Mrs. Vatinel's, a French school still in existence on South Esplanade avenue, near Chartres street. At the age of 10 he entered the higher class of the public grammar school, on St. Philip street, and was graduated, at the age of 15, at the boy's high school in 1869, with distinction. At times, he had private instructors Edward Rapier, Dr. John I. Meylor, and Ulric Bettison, all prominent educators. In the fall of 1870 he matriculated at the University of Virginia, one of the youngest students who ever entered the portals of this famous institution. He was taken desperately ill in June, 1874, after his final examination in astronomy, in the Natural Science course. He was given up by 4 eminent physicians of the university, and Charlottesville. On the second day of his illness his father was telegraphed that his son could not possibly live, whereupon his father immediately left for Charlottesville, and after 3 months of ceaseless nursing and care, his father saved his life, but he was a living skeleton on crutches for many months afterward. The faculty of the university voted him the permission to return and take the last of his examinations when his health would permit. He returned in May, 1875, and passed the final examination on applied chemistry, under Dr. J. W. Mallet, and received his titled degree, dated in his honor June, 1874, having received diplomas in all the branches of the prescribed course of Science and Engineering, as well as certificates of distinction in Latin, Greek, German, and French. Returning to New Orleans during the final troubles of the Reconstruction period, he practiced his chosen profession under difficulties. In 1877, when the Democratic party overthrew the "Carpet-Bag" government, and Gen. Francis T. Nichols became governor of the state, he was employed as draftsman and assistant engineer in the state engineering department. He was appointed assistant state engineer in 1880, by Gov. L. A. Wiltz. From 1880 to 1908 he was a member of the board of state engineers, and in the fall of 1908, he was elected chief engineer of the Orleans levee board, which position he now holds. In 1877 he joined the state militia as a private in Battery C, La. field artillery, and rose to the captaincy of Battery A, of the same regiment, and was then transferred to the staff of Gov. S. D. McEnery, and served as colonel of engineers to 1888. He became a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers in 1881. The first president of the Louisiana Engineering society, in 1898. President of the Alumni society of the Boys' high school, for the years 1900 and 1901. Member of the Knights of Honor since 1881. New Orleans Lodge, No. 30, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks since 1910; member of Camp Beauregard Sons of Confederate Veterans; member of St. Vincent DePaul Society of St. Louis Cathedral; President of the Holy Name society of the St. Louis Cathedral; member of the Young Men's Gymnastic club; member of carnival orgarizations. In 1880 he married Clara Davis, who died in 1889, leaving 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, as follows: Sidney Francis Lewis, Jr., who married Alice Villere, who have 5 children; Lillian, professor at Sophie Newcomb high school; John Hampden, U. S. assistant engineer; Clara Rose, married Alfred P. Landry. In 1892 he married Evelina Nicaud, by whom he has 5 children living, viz.: Evelyn Marie, Edna Lee, Mildred Frances, Enid Frances, and Thelma Frances. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States, visiting the principal cities on the Atlantic ocean, the interior, and those on the Pacific ocean; through the south of Canada from ocean to ocean, visiting the principal cities in Canada, and the Republic of Mexico.

Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 256-259. Edited by Alcée Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.