Lucas-Des Moines County IA Archives Biographies.....Lewis, William Edwin 1846 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 9, 2007, 7:51 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1896)

WILLIAM EDWIN LEWIS has for some years been identified with the business
interests of Chariton, and belongs to that class of American citizens whose
progress and enterprise have been the means of developing this country in a way
that has excited the admiration and commanded the respect of the world. He is a
true Western man, imbued with its spirit of energy and advancement, and is a
native of the State which is still his home.

   Mr. Lewis was born September 18, 1846, in Burlington, Iowa, and is a son of
William and Amanda M. (Anderson) Lewis, the former a native of Virginia and the
latter of Louisville, Kentucky. His father was of Welsh and Irish descent, and
his mother of English lineage, though both families have long been represented
in America. William Lewis was the youngest of seventeen children, and when quite
young left his home, to which he never returned. In 1836 he became a resident of
Burlington, Iowa, then a small settlement on the Western frontier, almost beyond
the bounds of civilization, and there he followed the carpenter's trade for a
number of years. On the 31st of December, 1840, he married Miss Anderson, and
fifteen years later they removed from Burlington to Chariton. At the time of the
gold excitement in California, Mr. Lewis went to the Pacific slope, where for
three years he engaged in mining, with a fair degree of success. In i860 he
embarked in the grocery business in Chariton, in connection with our subject,
and carried on operations in that line until his death. In the family were three
sons and a daughter, the eldest of whom is William Edwin; George died in
Colorado; Frank is a clerk in his brother's store; and Cora became the wife of
Willard P. Beam, assistant cashier of the First National Bank of Chariton.

   A worthy son of the Hawkeye State, William Edwin Lewis acquired his education
in the schools of his native city and of Chariton, whither he came with his
parents when a child of nine summers. He has since here made his home, and those
who have, known him from boyhood are numbered among his most stalwart friends, a
fact which indicates a well spent life. When his father became interested in the
grocery business he entered the store and subsequently was admitted to
partnership, and upon his father's death became sole proprietor of what is now
one of the leading establishments in his line in the city. He carries a full
stock of groceries, both staple and fancy; and his fair dealing, courteous
treatment and earnest desire to please his patronage has won him the confidence
of the public, and the volume of his business has increased to extensive
proportions.

   In 1869 Mr. Lewis was joined in wedlock with Miss Maggie M. Reed, a native of
Ohio, and to them were born three children, two of whom are yet living, namely:
William Robert, who is now in Texas; and Edwin Erie, who is an employee in the
post-office. Myrtle died at the age of two and a half years. Mrs. Lewis shares
with her husband in the esteem in which he is held and has a large circle of
admiring friends.

   In 1885 Mr. Lewis was appointed Postmaster of Chariton, and filled that
position for four years, when on the change of administration he was succeeded
by a Republican. On the 31st of March, 1894, he was again appointed to the
position, which he is now acceptably and creditably filling, administering the
affairs of the office with discrimination and with satisfaction to all
concerned. It seems superfluous to say that he is a Democrat and a recognized
leader in the councils of his party, unswerving in his allegiance to its
principles. He has filled the offices of Alderman and City Treasurer, and has
been the nominee of his party for County Auditor and Representative, but the
Democracy being in the minority in this locality he failed of election. He is a
prominent member of the Odd Fellows society, in both the subordinate lodge and
encampment, and also belongs to the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He is a
pleasant, genial gentleman, very highly esteemed by his many friends, has been
prominent in the social and political development of the county, and is widely
and favorably known as a successful business man and public official.


Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

A MEMORIAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF IOWA

ILLUSTRATED

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."'—MACAULAY.

"Biography is by nature the must universally profitable, universally pleasant,
of all things."—CARLYLE

"History is only biography on a large scale"—LAMARTINE.

CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1896


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