Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Lewins, William 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 6:51 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

LEWINS, William, one of the substantial men and successful miners of Coal 
City, who has filled the office of supervisor of Felix Township since April, 
1911, is a man who knows how to represent his fellow workmen because he is one 
of them.  His influence among the miners is strong, and he wields it for a 
good purpose and for the bettering of existing conditions.  Mr. LEWINS was 
born in Durham County, England, in 1870, a son of Martin and Elizabeth (MILLS) 
LEWINS.  Both parents were born in the same county as their son.  The father 
was engaged in operating some newly opened mines in England, prior to 1887, 
when he came to the United States.  He located in Alabama, where he worked as 
a stone mason and his family joined him in 1888.  Alabama continued to be 
their home until 1892, when the father went to Joliet to work in the wire 
mills there.  He is now living at Hot Springs, Ark., where he is working as a 
stone mason.  The children in his family were:  Samuel; Mary LEWIS, who is 
deceased; William; Martha HARDING; John Thomas, who is deceased; Elizabeth 
HELMAN; Thomas M.; Gertrude; and James, who is deceased.

William LEWINS attended the public schools of his native place until he was 
twelve years old, and then entered the mines, where he worked as shipping 
clerk for the company, and was employed also in a stone quarry.  In 1893 he 
came to Coal City and here entered the mines where he has been employed ever 
since.  He is an important factor in the Mine Workers Union, of which he has 
been secretary for eight years.  While he works at Coal City, his place of 
residence is Eileen, where he has held the office of village clerk for ten 
years.  For five years he has been on the school board of Felix Township, and 
was the successful candidate for the office of supervisor from the township in 
1911.

On December 31, 1896, Mr. LEWINS was married to Martha BETTS, born in England, 
who came to Coal City in 1884 with her mother to join her father who had come 
here in 1881.  Mrs. LEWINS is a daughter of Andrew BETTS, who is now a guard 
in the Joliet penitentiary.  Mrs. BETTS is living in Coal City.  Mr. and Mrs. 
LEWINS have had four children:  Myrtle, Russell, William L. and Hazel, of whom 
William L. is deceased.  The family are Episcopalians.  Fraternally, Mr. 
LEWINS belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Odd Fellows.  In political 
faith, he is a Republican and has done yeoman service for his party.  He is 
one of the live men of this locality.

page 852

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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