John Lewis-6th child of William Lewis 
             TO      

The following information is credited to Elmyra Royse (Mrs. Dayton Royse) nee Elmyra McGuire. The papers of Mrs. Royse were donated to the Oklahoma Genealogical Society by her son after her death. We of the Lewis and Hopkins families greatly appreciate all her efforts and many years of research, which included these families. I have spent many months reading and sorting and have come to realize the amount of work over many years that went into them.

I would also like to thank Laura Flebbe of Tulsa, OK for many hours spent copying and then forwarding these papers.

JOHN LEWIS

John Lewis, son of William Lewis of Washington Co., VA was taxed there 1782, 1783, and 1785; lists for the years immediately follwowing are missing. In Lincoln Co., KY 11 Feb. 1788, a bond was signed by John Lewis and Francis Hopkins for "a marriage shortly intended between the above bound John Lewis and Hannah Stephens." Abraham (A-his mark) Stephens certified 9 Feb. that Hannah was over 21; but did not state any relationship. Francis Hopkins, taxed Washington Co., VA 1783, was brother of Hannah Hopkins who married in 1784 Thomas Lewis, brother of John. John Lewis and Thomas Lewis were taxed 22 April 1789 in Madison Co., KY.

In January 1791 Madison Co. Court ordered John Lewis, William Cooley, Clemmons Hill, and Abraham Stephens to view a road from Fredergil Adams' mill to Lincoln Co. line to intersect the Hickman and Sugar Creek roads. John Lewis was taxed here through 1796 when he listed 35 acres on Sugar Creek.

In 1797 this area was set off to form a part of Garrard Co. 13 Aug. 1797, Thomas Lewis and wife Hannah, Montgomery Co., KY, conveyed to John Lewis of Garrard Co. for 50 pounds 32 1/2 acres in Garrard Co. on Sugar Creek; recorded Sept. 1798. John Lewis was taxed in Garrard Co. 1797 through 1802 and called John Lewis of Sugar Creek to distinguish him from John Lewis of Canoe Creek.

In 1803 John Lewis was taxed in Mercer Co., KY; and on 11 Oct. 1805 John Lewis and wife Hannah of Mercer Co. deeded to John Hutcherson of Garrard Co. for $300, 35 acres in Garrard on Sugar Creek. Both signed their names; deed was acknowledged in Garrard Co. Court and Hannah released her dower rights.*

Mercer Co. tax book in 1806 listed one male, 16 to 21, with John Lewis and in 1807 two males, 16 to 21, with him. In 1811 and 1813 John Lewis Sr., John Lewis Jr., and Thomas Lewis were listed consecutively, all then above 21. I did not find John Lewis Sr. after 1815. It is said that John and Hannah (Stephens) Lewis had at least seven children, but no list of them has been found.

*Dower-The land and tenements to which a widow has claim, in life estate, after the death of her husband, for the support of herself and her children. (From:The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy by Val D. Greenwood, 2nd edition, 1990)

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