Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/445

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LEWIS


LEWIS


U. S. commissioners appointed by President Jef- ferson to take possession of Louisiana Territory on its purchase, in 18U3, and subsecjuently judge of the supreme court of the territory. John Lawson Lewis was educated in New Orleans and at Litchfield, Conn, In 1814 lie was a volunteer aide to General Jackson, serving as a courier in the battle of New Orleans. He was admitted to the bar in 1821, and rose to high rank at the New Orleans bar. He also became prominent in the state militia, gaining the rank of major-gen- eral of the first division in 1842, and was elected sherifY of New Orleans in 1850, and mayor of the cit}' in 1855. In the civil war he preserved the organization of the state militia, which he com- manded in the defence of the city and in the Red River campaign, and he was severely wounded at Mansfield, La., April 8, 1864. He died in New Orleans, La., May 15, 1886.

LEWIS, Joseph Horace, soldier, was born in Barren county, Ky., Oct. 29, 1824. He was graduated at Centre college, Ky., in 1843, was admitted to the bar in 1845 and settled in practice in Glasgow. He represented his county in the state legislature, 1850-53. He commanded the 6th Kentucky regiment in the Confederate army at Stone's River, Dec. 31, 1862-Jan. 3, 1863, in Hanson's brigade, Breckinridge's division, Har- dee's corps ; and at Chickamauga, Sept. 19-20, 1863, in Helm's brigade, Breckinridge's division. Hill's corps, and when Gen. B. H. Helm was killed he succeeded to the command of the brigade. He commanded the 2d brigade in Bate's division, Breckinridge's corps at Chat- tanooga, Nov. 23-27, 1863, and in the Atlanta campaign. May to September, 1864, he com- manded the 1st brigade of Bate's division, Har- dee's corps. On Sept. 4, 1864, his brigade was as- signed to Jackson's cavalry division in the inva- sion of Tennessee and protected the flank move- ment of the Confederate army at Franklin and Nashville. He returned to Glasgow at the close of the war ; was again a representative in the state legislature, 1869-70. and was a Democratic representative from the third Kentucky district in the 41st congress in place of J. S. GoUaday, who resigned April, 1870, and in the 42d congress, 1871-73. He was twice married, first, Nov. 29, 1845, to Sarah H. Rogers of Glasgow, Ky., and secondly, IMarch 29, 1883, to Mrs. Cassadra John- son of PVaiikfort, Ky.

LEWIS, Josiah, educator, was born at Ray- town, Ga., May 4, 1839 ; son of Josiah and Eliza- beth (Moore) Lewis ; and grandson o{ Walker and Polly (Graham) Lewis and of John and Eliz- abeth (Davis) Moore. He was graduated from Emory college with first honors, A.B., 18-59, A.M., 1862 ; served in the Confederate army four years ; was professor of Greek in Emory college,


1866-77; professor in Southern university, Greens- boro, Ala., 1877-79 ; chancellor of the latter, 1879-81, and in 1881 re-entered the Methodist itinerancy. He was twice married, first, May 3, 1866, to Mary Rosina Hubert, and secondly, to Sallie Williams(;n Lamar. He received the hon- orary degree of D.D. from Trinity college, N.C., in 1878. He died in Sparta, Ga., Feb. 13, 1885.

LEWIS, Lawrence, soldier, was born in Fred- ericksburg, Va., April 4, 1767 ; son of Col. Field- ing and Elizabeth (Washington) Lewis and grandson of Augustine and Mary (Ball) Wash- ington. He resided at Woodlawn, near Mt. Ver- non, and served as aid to General Morgan in his expedition to quell an insurrection, in Pennsyl- vania in 1794. He was General Washington's favorite nephew and after Washington's retire- ment from public life, resided with him at Mt. Vernon. He was married, Feb. 22, 1799, to Eleanor Parke, daughter of John Parke Custis and a granddaugliter of ]\Iartha (Custis) Wash- ington ; she was adopted with her brother, George Washington Parke Custis, by General Washington on the death of their father in 1783. Eleanor Parke (Custis) Lewis (born Marcli 21, 1779, died at Audley, Clarke county, Va., July 15, 1852), was the mother of one son, Lorenzo, and of three daughters, one died in youth, an- other became Mrs. Conrad of New Orleans, and another Mrs. Butler. Lawrence Lewis was the last living executor of the will of General Wash- ington and continvied to reside at Mt. Vernon until the death of Martha Washington, !May 22, 1802. He died at Arlington, Va., Nov. 30, 1839.

LEWIS, fieri wether, governor of Louisiana, was born near Charlottesville, Va., Aug. 18, 1774 ; the youngest son of Capt. W^illiam and Lucy (Meriwether) Lewis ; grandson of Col. Robert and Jane (Meriwether) Lewis, and of Thomas Meri- wether ; great grand- son of William Meri- wether ; greats-grand- son of Nicholas Meri- wether of Wales ; and grand nephew of John Lewis, a member of the King's council before the Revolu- tion, and of Fielding Lewis (q. v.), and nephew of (^ol. Nicho- las Lewis, who com- manded a regiment of Virginia militia in the successful ex- pedition against the Cherokee Indians in 1776, and who on the death of Meriwether's father became his guardian. Meriwether attended a Latin school, 1787-92;