Biographical Sketch of Walter H. LEWIS (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, page 598. "WALTER H. LEWIS, the present official stenographer of the fifteenth judi- cial district of Pennsylvania, comprising the courts of Chester county, and a member of the active and well known stenographic firm of Clift & Lewis, of Philadelphia, is a son of Christopher and Louisa K. (Hallowell) Lewis, and was born in Highland county, Ohio, November 17, 1862. His paternal grandfather, Daniel Lewis, was a native and life-long resident of Highland county, Ohio. He was a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Society of Friends, and died in 1847, aged about fifty years. He married Priscilla Hussey, by whom he had five children, three sons and two daugh- ters. One of his sons, Christopher Lewis (father), was born September 22, 1831, and upon arriving at manhood's years engaged in farming, which he still follows. He is a republican in politics, and a member of the Society of Friends. He married Louisa K. Hallowell, of Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, in 1859, and they have three children: Eugene C., Walter H. and Marion, all of whom now reside in Pennsylvania, the latter being married and living in Montgomery county. "Walter H. Lewis was reared in southwestern Ohio, near Cincinnati. He received his early education in the public schools of that State, and afterward at Miami Valley college, at Springboro, Ohio. After coming to Pennsylvania he took a special course at the West Chester State Normal school. He studied stenography with Elias Longley, at that time the official stenographer of the courts of common pleas of Cincinnati, and publisher of shorthand books and periodicals. After doing considerable work with Mr. Longley he became book-keeper in a mercantile establishment at Springboro, Ohio, which he resigned in about one year to come to Penn- sylvania. After spending about one year in Philadelphia, with Mr. Francis H. Hemperly, at that time one of the leading reporters in that city and private secretary to the postmaster, he located permanently in Chester county, first acting as reporter on the Morning Republican, and doing general shorthand work. In 1886 he was appointed official stenographer of the courts of Chester county by Judge Futhey, which position he has held ever since. In addition to his court work in Chester county he is actively engaged in the same line of work in all the counties in eastern Pennsyl- vania, Philadelphia and New Jersey, with headquarters in Philadelphia, where he is a member of the stenographic firm of Clift & Lewis, whose offices are at No. 441 Chestnut street, in that city. "On April 19, 1888, he was united in marriage with Maude Ker Smith, daugh- ter of I. Milton Smith, formerly of Unionville, Chester county, Pennsyl- vania, and now of Philadelphia. Their union has been blessed with two children, Walter Hallowell and Ralph Milton. "In politics Mr. Lewis is a republican, is an active member and secretary of the county committee, and always gives his party an earnest and hearty support. He is a member of the Society of Friends, and stands high as an honorable and upright citizen."