Biographical Sketch of Marion M. Lewis, Jefferson County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

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Marion M. Lewis, farmer, was born in St. Louis, in 1828, and is the
eldest of eight children born to John and Nancy M. (Curry) Lewis. 
John Lewis was born in Virginia about 1790, and in 1796 came with
his father, John Lewis, to St. Louis, where the latter immediately
erected a grist and saw mill on Creve Coeur Creek, about sixteen 
miles west of St. Louis, which he operated for a number of years,
until after the death of his wife, when he went to Texas, and here
spent the remainder of his days.  He was of rather a roving disposi-
tion, and had in early life acquired a taste for frontier life.  He
was among the earliest white settlers of what is now St. Louis County
being there when it required the united efforts of the whites to sub-
due the Indians.  The father of Marion M. was reared in the pioneer
days of Missouri with but very little education.  At the age of 
seventeen he joined what was called the "Government Rangers," in
which service he continued in the Missouri River country against the
Indians until twenty one years of age.  He was twice married, and
lived in St. Louis County many years, where his wife died, and where
he married the mother of Marion.  In about 1839 he removed to Jackson
County, but about one year later returned to St. Louis County, and
from there moved to Greene County, Ill., soon after.  Not being 
satisfied, he again returned to St. Louis County, and two years later
settled fourteen miles from the city, on the "Bonhomme Road."  He 
remained there until 1846, when he removed to where St. Paul is, on
the Missouri Pacific Railroad, where he died one year later.  He was
a life long and well to do farmer.  The mother of the subject of 
this sketch was born in Kentucky and died about 1865.  Her father, 
James Curry, was a native Kentuckian, but, came to St. Louis soon 
after the arrival of Mr. Lewis, but afterward removed to Greene Co.,
Ill., where he died.  He was a captain in the War of 1812, under Gen.
Harrison, and was at the battle of the Thames.  He was of Scotch 
descent.  Marion M. Lewis remained at home until twenty two years of
age, and received his education in the common schools.  In 1852 he
married Miss Clara Byrd, a native of Jefferson County, and the daugh-
ter of Austin and Mary Byrd, natives, respectively, of Georgia and
Kentucky, but who in a very early day came to Jefferson County, being
one of the pioneers of that county.  Of the eight children born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis only three are now living: Nannie, Alexander and
Mary May.  Mr. Lewis lived in St. Paul and vicinity until 1877, when
he came to Jefferson County, and settled near Maxville, on the Byrd
farm.  He has been a life long farmer, is a Democrat in politics (as
his father was before him) and is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

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