Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Lewis, Cyrus A 1824 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 8, 2007, 1:50 am Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890 CYRUS A. LEWIS. Among the leading men in the community of New Lenox Township, none are held in more genuine respect than Mr. Lewis. He possesses all the qualities of "a gentleman to the manor born," being liberal, enterprising and public spirited as a citizen, skillful and thorough as a farmer, and has surrounded his family with all of the comforts of life. He is now approaching the sixty-sixth year of his age, the date of his birth being July 19, 1824, and his native place was the town of Decatur, Otsego County, N. Y. He was the youngest of two sons and two daughters, the offspring of Justus and Candacc (Spencer) Lewis, who were both natives of New Hartford, Conn. The father served three years as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and by occupation was a skilled mechanic. After marriage the parents settled in Decatur, Otsego County, N. Y., where the father engaged in farming, and where both parents spent the remainder of their lives, the mother dying in the fall of 1833 and the father in the fall of 1847. Mr. Lewis spent his boyhood and youth in his native county remaining there until 1850. He became familiar with the various employments of farm life, and when approaching the twenty-third year of his age, was married, February 23, 1847, at Decatur, to Miss Emeline, daughter of Jesse and Zurviah (Peek) Seward. The father of Mrs. Lewis was a cousin of William H. Seward, Secretary of State during President Lincoln's administration, while Mrs. Seward was a relative of ex-Governor Marcy, of New York State. Mrs. Seward died there, while Mr. Seward died in the city of Joliet, Ill. Mrs. Lewis was born in Decatur, N. Y., September 20, 1825, and remained there with her parents until her marriage and until the spring of 1850. In the above-mentioned year Mr. and Mrs. Lewis came to Illinois and settled on section 30, New Lenox Township, this county. Mr. Lewis is the owner of nearly four hundred acres of land, which he has brought to a high state of cultivation. A part of this was purchased by him at 84 per acre, but under his careful management it has now become more valuable property. Nine children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, the eldest of whom, a daughter, Mary, is the wife of William Greenwood, of New Lenox Township. The eldest son, Spencer, was piously inclined from his youth, and is now a missionary under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church and stationed at Chunk King, in which is located the Wrest China Mission. He is an earnest laborer in the Master's vineyard and possesses in a marked degree the talents and ability suitable to his responsible position. Candace is the wife of Calvin Armagast, of Joliet; Nellie is the wife of Julian Barnes, of that city; C. Almon is an architect, of Spokane Falls, Wash.; Sherman and Jennie remain at home with their parents. Florence Ida died aged two years, and an infant died unnamed. Mr. Lewis has for some time entertained a warm interest in the temperance movement and in politics is now a Prohibitionist. He and his family are all members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Mr. Lewis being a Trustee of the Ottawa Street Church, at Joliet, and one of the chief pillars. Aside from holding the offices of Road Commissioner and School Trustee, he has kept aloof from the cares and responsibilities of public life. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/lewis1389nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb