Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Lewis, Rev James 1836 - 
************************************************
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 5, 2007, 6:22 pm

Author: Portraits & Bio Sketches, 1890

REV. JAMES LEWIS, Pastor of the Central Presbyterian Church at Joliet, was 
called to this charge in May, 1882, and has since been connected with it. He 
is a minister of talent, and greatly beloved both as pastor and preacher. 
Thoroughly educated and alive to the duties of his calling, his has been the 
rare privilege to pursue a career of more than ordinary usefulness and 
success. He is a native of Hamden, Delaware County, N. Y., and was born May 
23, 1836. Mr. Lewis comes of substantial ancestry, being the son of Alexander 
and Rebecca (Crawford) Lewis, who were natives respectively of Peebleshire and 
Argyleshire, Scotland, whence they came to America in 1834. The father was a 
weaver by trade, and a well-educated man, and after coming to this country 
occupied himself as a teacher, and also engaged in farming pursuits. The 
children of the parental household are recorded as follows: William C. 
occupies himself as a lumberman in Delaware County, N. Y.; James, our subject, 
was the second born; Alexander, Jr., is assistant engineer of railway 
construction in that county; Mathew C, who earned the title of Captain by 
defending the Union in the late war, is a contractor and builder, mostly in 
the railway service, making his headquarters in his native county; Louis K. is 
a dyer of Delhi, N. Y., and although nearly blind turns out some remarkably 
fine work; Celia, Mrs. Smith, died at Delhi, N. Y., in the year 1868; Jennie 
C. also died at Delhi, in 1865, when an interesting maiden of eighteen years; 
Margaret, Mrs. Boyd, is a resident of Hays City, Kan., where her husband 
officiates as Superintendent of Public Instruction; Rebecca died in Hays City, 
Kan., in 1884. Alexander Lewis departed this life at his home in Hamden, 
Delaware County, N. Y., in 1886, at the age of seventy-three years; the mother 
died in Hays City, Kan., March 3, 1890, at the age of seventy-nine. The 
subject of this notice spent his boyhood days in his native county, and from 
the age of ten to seventeen was employed in a woolen factory. He then served 
an apprenticeship at house painting and paper hanging. In the meantime, 
however, he kept steadily in view his desire and determination to acquire a 
thorough education, and now commenced in earnest to put his resolution into 
practice. When nineteen years old he began to prepare for college under the 
instruction of Professors Sawyer and E. O. Cobb, with each of whom he remained 
one year. In 1857 young Lewis became a student of Amherst College, wherein he 
took the full course and was graduated in 1861. For one year afterward he was 
employed as a teacher in the academy at Ithaca, N. Y. The Civil War now being 
in progress, he deemed it his duty to lay aside his personal plans and 
interests, and entered the Union service, September 27, 1862, as Captain of 
Company C, One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York Infantry. In July, 1863, he 
was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and after commanding his 
regiment in this capacity ten months, was presented, in November, 1864, with 
the commission of Colonel. He remained in the army until the close of the war, 
and was mustered out in July, 1865. He was present at many important battles, 
including the sieges of Suffolk and Charleston, in 1863, the battles of John's 
Island, Honey Hill, Deveaux Neck, James Island and in several skirmishes. 
Although experiencing some hairbreadth escapes, he was neither wounded nor 
captured, being permitted to return home in safety. Soon after leaving the 
army Col. Lewis entered the Union Theological Seminary in New York City, from 
which he was graduated in 1868. Then, as one of a band of nine home 
missionaries, he repaired to the Western frontier, and soon organized a church 
of six members in Humboldt, Kan., of which he continued the pastor seven 
years. In the meantime he had charge of all the Home Missionary work in that 
section, the Presbytery including Indian Territory. He was called from that 
field of labor to take charge of the Presbyterian Church in Howell, Mich., 
where he remained until coming to Joliet. The marriage of the Rev. James Lewis 
and Miss Mary Coe Farrand, was celebrated at the home of the bride's parents 
in Detroit, Mich., November 17, 1869. Mrs. Lewis was born in Hudson, Ohio, 
August 16, 1842, and was the eldest child of Jacob S. and Olive C. Farrand. 
She became the mother of four sons and one daughter, and departed this life at 
her home in Joliet, December 3, 1889. The sons of Mr. Lewis are named 
respectively: Jacob Farrand, James Lang, Alexander and William Mather. They 
are all at home with their father. The only daughter, Olive Farrand, died at 
the age of seventeen months. Mrs. Mary Coe (Farrand) Lewis was a lady of rare 
loveliness of character, and proved to her husband an invaluable assistant in 
his struggles and labors in the Master's vineyard. She was reared with the 
best advantages of education and amid the choicest endearments of society and 
home. She went bravely with her husband into a new country, cheerfully leaving 
the luxuries to which she had been accustomed, and by a modest and humble 
demeanor sought with all her influence to win souls to Christ. She constantly 
kept in view the work to which her husband was devoted, and in all ways sought 
to commend herself and his ministry to the good opinion of all with whom she 
came in contact. The manner in which she accomplished this was fully attested 
by the great influence which she exerted, and the love and reverence in which 
she was held by all. Two of the most revered pastors who ever worked among 
Joliet people, or preached to Joliet congregations, repaired from their 
respective charges to the scene of their former labors to add their testimony 
to the beauty of character which had so impressed all who ever enjoyed the 
personal acquaintance of Mrs. Lewis. Probably there had never gathered in 
Central Church an audience impressed with a deeper or more tender sentiment 
than that which gathered to render its tribute of respect to the memory of a 
lovely Christian woman. After the usual opening exercises of song and prayer, 
the Rev. A. H. Dean, D.D., of Monmouth, Ill., former pastor of the Central 
Church and an early friend of Mrs. Lewis, delivered an eloquent and beautiful 
tribute to her memory. The Rev. J. W. Conley, a clergyman of the Baptist 
Church, and who had known Mrs. Lewis intimately during the years of her 
residence in Joliet, paid a fitting tribute to her virtues, high Christian 
character and efficient service in the Master's cause. Mrs. Lewis was 
possessed of rare conversational powers, and many love to remember the words 
of encouragement spoken to them by her during seasons of depression, and when 
they most needed the counsel of a disinterested friend. She was warmly 
attached to her husband, her children and her home, and in addition to the 
duties connected therewith, she still found time for a vast amount of work in 
all departments of the church. In October, 1884, she united with other ladies 
in organizing the Woman's Home Mission Society of Chicago Presbytery, of which 
she was chosen Recording Secretary. At its annual meeting in 1885, she was 
elected Corresponding Secretary, and held that office until her death, in 
addition to doing her full share of work as a member of the Executive 
Committee. Multitudes attended the obsequies of Mrs. Lewis, but not from 
curiosity. Her mortal remains were borne to rest in the city of her youth, and 
old and young mingled their tears over her grave. She desired there should be 
no floral or other display at her funeral, but the sincere sorrow manifested 
upon the occasion was a nobler tribute to her memory than anything of a 
perishable nature. Mr. Lewis was a delegate from the church of this country to 
the established Church of Scotland, in 1873, in the General Assembly held in 
Edinburgh. In 1878 he was one of the Board of Visitors at West Point, 
appointed by President Hayes, and he delivered the address in behalf of the 
Board to the graduating class. He is a member of the Grand Army of the 
Republic, and a Trustee of Knox College at Galesburg, Ill. As a speaker, Mr. 
Lewis is clear, forcible and logical, holding the attention of his audience, 
and presenting his subject in a concise and lucid manner, clothed in choice 
language. We present to the readers of this volume a lithographic portrait of 
the Rev. James Lewis. He has been permitted to accomplish a large amount of 
useful work, and it is hoped that he may yet see many years in his chosen 
field of labor.

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/lewis524gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/

File size: 9.3 Kb