Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/444

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LEWIS


LEWIS


son of Lawrence and Eleanor Parke (Custis) Lewis and of Dr. John Redman Coxe (q.v.). He was a student at the Episcopal High scliool, Alex- andria, Va., and was graduated at the Virginia Military institute at Lexington, Va., Dec. 6,1861, at which time with his class he entered the Confederate army and served throughout the war, rising to the rank of captain on the staff of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart. At the close of the war he returned to " Audley," his family seat. He was married in 1871 to Carter Penn, daughter of John Freeland, of Richmond, Va., and had twelve chil- dren. He was a representative in the Virginia legislature for two terms; president of the Shen- andoah Agricultural fair for ten years; president of the board of visitors of the Virginia Military institute for many years, and major on the staff of Gov. Fitzhugh Lee, cf Virginia. He died at " Audley," Berry ville, Va., Dec. 18, 1893.

LEWIS, James Taylor, governor of Wiscon- sin, was born in Clarendon, N.Y., Oct. 80, 1819; eon of Shubael and Eleanor (Robertson) Lewis, and grandson of Samuel Lewis, a resident of Brimfield, Mass. He removed to Wisconsin Ter- ritory, where he was admitted to the bar of the United States district court in 1845, and settled in prac- tice at Columbus, Columbia county. He was married in 1846 to Orlanda M., daugli- ter of David Sturges, of Clarendon, N.Y. He was district at- torney, county judge, a member of the sec- /7 f^-/' ^^^ ond constitutional

/y^ yj c>^^£.--c-c>-'t<> convention of 1847- 48, and on the or- ganization of the state government in 1848, he was admitted to practice in the supi-eme court of the state. He was a member of the state as- sembly, 1852; a state senator, 1853; a member of the court of impeachment, 1853; lieutenant- governor of Wisconsin from Jan. 2, 1854, to Jan. 7, 1856; secretary of state, 1862-64, and governor from Jan. 4, 1864, to Jan. 1, 1866. As a war gov- ernor he aided in recruiting troops and was ac- tively engaged in caring for the sick and wounded soldiers. He obtained a special order from the surgeon-general of the United States for the transfer of all the sick and wounded soldiers from Wisconsin to hospitals within the state, which he established. He also founded a soldiers' home and provided for soldiers' families. He refused a renomination as governor in 1865, a diplomatic office tendered by President Lincoln, the office


of commissioner of internal revenue in 1866, the Republican nomination for representative in con- gress in 1866, the positions of railroad commis- sioner and regent of the University of Wisconsin from the governor of Wisconsin, and other public offices. He devoted a portion of his annual in- come to the building and support of educational institutions, and also to public charities. He re- ceived the degree of LL.D. from Lawi-ence uni- versity, Wisconsin, in 1864. He visited Europe during the Franco-Prussian -war and subsequently made a journey around the world, visiting nearly every country of the globe.

LEWIS, John Francis, senator, was born near Port Republic, Rockingham county, Va., March 1, 1818; son of Gen. Samuel H. and Ann

(Lewis) Lewis; grandson of Charles and

(Hance) Lewis; great-grandson of Thomas and Jane (Strother) Lewis, and of Col. Charles Lewis, who was killed while fighting the Indians at Point Pleasant, Va., under his brother. Gen. Andrew Lewis, 1774; and greats-grandson of John and Margaret (Lynn) Lewis. John Lewis Avas an early settler in the Valley of Vir- ginia, three of whose four sons were Indian fighters before the Revolution, and one of whom, Gen. Andrew Lewis, is represented in a statue on the Washington monument, Richmond, Va. John Francis Lewis married a daughter of the Hon. Daniel Sheffej' (q.v.). He was a member of the state convention of 1861, and was the only member of that body who refused to sign the or- dinance of secession. He was the Union candi- date for representative in congress from the sixth Virginia district in 1865, but was defeated by A. H. H. Stuart. He was elected lieutenant-gov- ernor on the ticket with Gilbert C. Walker for governor in 1869, leading his ticket b^^ several thousand votes. The legislature in 1869 elected him U.S. senator, and he served from Jan. 24, 1870, to March 3, 1875. In the senate he was chairman of the committee on the District of Columbia. In 1877 he was appointed by Presi- dent Hayes U.S. marshal for the western district of Virginia, and subsequently resigned, that his son, Daniel Slieffey Lewis, iniglit accept the posi- tion of U.S. district attorney. He was elected lieutenant-governor on the Readjuster ticket with William E. Cameron for governor in 1881. He died at Harrisonburg. Va. , Sept. 2, 1895.

LEWIS, John Lawson, soldier, was born in Lexington, Ky., March 26, 1800; son of Joshua Lewis and grandson of one of the four brothers, Andrew, Thomas, William and Charles Lewis, sons of John and Margaret (Lynn) Lewis, who came from Ireland to Augusta county, Va., in 1734. Joshua Lewis, born in Augusta county, removed to Kentucky and was a friend andpolit' ical adviser of Henry Clay; one of the tliree