BIO: Marshall Humphrey LEWIS, Clearfield County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja & Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm _____________________________________________________________ From Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, and Representative Citizens, by Roland D. Swoope, Jr., Chicago: Richmond-Arnold Publishing Company, 1911, pages 894 - 896. _____________________________________________________________ MARSHALL HUMPHREY LEWIS, for many years a citizen of Clearfield county, Pa., and a veteran of the Civil war, was born at Port Matilda, Center county, Pa., in Bald Eagle Valley, February 13, 1842, and is a son of William and Susan (Neal) Lewis. William Lewis, a son of William Lewis, who came to Center county from near Philadelphia, was born December 31, 1813, at Bellefonte, Center county, Pa., and died January 25, 1909, at Tyrone, Pa., in his ninety-sixth year. In 1840 at Stormstown, in Half Moon Valley, he was married to Susan Neal, then a widow. She was born in Mercer county, in 1813, but was reared in Center county and died in 1854. She was a daughter of John Neal and a cousin of both Judge and Sheriff Neal, both prominent men. Three children were born to William and Susan Lewis, namely: Marshall H.; Hannah, who is the wife of James B. Williams, of Port Matilda; and Medora, who was married first to James T. Marks, and secondly to Henry Bennett, of Port Matilda. William Lewis was married secondly to Ann Elizabeth Kelley, who survives and resides at Tyrone. There were four children born to this marriage, as follows: William M., who lives at Tyrone; Mary, who died in 1908 (was married first to William Ardery and secondly to Rankin McMonigal); Minnie, who is the wife of Charles Trimble, of Tyrone; and Orlando, who lives with his family at Elmira, N. Y. William Lewis was an engineer by profession and operated stationery engines during the greater part of his active life. Marshall H. Lewis attended the district school at Port Matilda in his boyhood and for two winters the Buffalo Run School in Center county, Pa. When thirteen years of age he went to work for Samuel T. Gray and remained with him until July 19, 1861, when he enlisted for service in the Civil war, entering Co. I, 5th Pa. Reserves. After the termination of his first enlistment he re-enlisted, at Catlett Station, Va., entering Co. C, 191st Pa. Regt., December 27, 1863, and continued a Federal soldier until he received his final discharge on July 3, 1865, having served four years, less sixteen days. He took part in many of the most important battles of the war, including: The seven days' fight under Gen. McClelland, the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Wilderness. He received a slight wound at Charles City Cross Roads, Va., and was captured in front of what was known as the Yellow House, at Petersburg, Va., and was incarcerated in Libby prison, on Belle Island and at Salisbury, N. C. He was present at the surrender of General Lee, at Appomattox, and later took part in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. He is a member of the John W. Geary Post, No. 90, G. A. R., at Philipsburg, Pa., uniting with it in 1878. Mr. Lewis still preserves his interest in everything pertaining to that great period, attends reunions and meets frequently the comrades who, like himself had so much to do with preserving the Union. He is now in his seventieth year but is as well preserved as a man ten years younger. On November 16, 1911, he was present at Salisbury, N. C., to witness the unveiling of the monument there in memory of those who died in that prison, during the Civil war, Mr. Lewis having been mercifully preserved from the fate that met many of his companions. After the close of his military service, Mr. Lewis returned to Port Matilda and worked there in a saw mill until 1867, when he came to what was then Morris but is now Cooper township, Clearfield county, locating on a tract of ten acres, one mile south of Kylertown, where he has carried on general farming. Mr. Lewis was married August 3, 1868, in Morris township, Clearfield county, by Andrew Hunter, J. P., to Miss Philicy Dillen, a daughter of George R. and Catherine (Merritt) Dillen, the latter of whom was a cousin of the late General Merritt, of the U. S. A. Mrs. Lewis was born November 18, 1850, in Morris township, to which her father had moved March 26, 1829, from the Bald Eagle Valley, Center county. He died in Clearfield county in 1875, at the age of seventy-four years, being survived by his widow until 1885, she also being seventy-four years old. George R. Dillen was a Democrat in politics and filled numerous township offices. Mr. Lewis now has in his possession the old Morris township record book, which was started in 1836 and is complete as to the affairs of the school board from 1842 until 1870. It is very interesting as it marks the development of the township as to school privileges and incidentally of other matters of progress. Mrs. Lewis is one of a family of fourteen children, there being seven sons and seven daughters born to her parents. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have nine living children, namely: Ora Etta, who was born November 18, 1869, married A. E. Fifield, of New York, and after his death was married secondly to E. C. Shobert, of Brookville, and now lives in Caledonia, Pa.; Ida W., who was born August 12, 1871, married A. P. Mingle, of Philipsburg, Pa., and they reside at Altoona, Pa.; Hannah Gertrude, who was born May 27, 1874, married George Kelley, of Johnstown, Pa., and they live at Altoona; Melville Ralph, who was born June 22, 1876, is an employe of the Whitmer Steel Company, of Hawk Run; Luella Kate, who was born July 14, 1878, married Rufus E. Cole, of Philipsburg, and they reside at Clearfield; Rhoda Amber, who was born January 21, 1884, is the wife of Isaac E. Lucas, and they live at Winburne; Susan Alta, who was born April 28, 1886, married William McKinney; Edward Thorne, who was born November 5, 1889, lives at home; and Sarah Ruth, who was born March 6, 1894, and resides with her parents. Two children died in infancy: Jay Clyde and Ark Neal. For forty-four years Mr. Lewis has been a citizen of Cooper township and is known practically by every one. His comfortable residence he erected in 1888. He has occupied himself with agriculture but for the past twenty-five years he has been a public auctioneer and in this capacity is frequently in different parts of the county. He has been a Democratic voter ever since reaching his majority and has always been more or less active in politics and exerts considerable political influence. In the fall elections he was elected a jury commissioner on the Democratic ticket but has never been especially anxious for office. He enjoys attending political conventions and has to his credit, five Republican gatherings of this kind in the state and eleven Democratic. On many occasions he has shown political wisdom that has been of great assistance in furthering the ambition of his friends, while he has refused offices for himself. Mr. Lewis was reared in the Baptist faith and has always tried to live according to the precepts learned at his mother's knee. In peace as well as in war he has lived usefully and uprightly and is worthy of the high esteem in which he is held by his fellow citizens.