Tag Archives: Mecklenburg County

Chapter 13 – Samuel Howell Lewis

April 18, 2009

Chapter 13 – Samuel Howell Lewis

SAMUEL HOWELL LEWIS  (b. March 12, 1796 in Mecklenberg County, VA, d. Nov 28, 1867 Johnson Co, IL ) married Henrietta Mabrey July 4, 1818 in Warren Co, NC , later married Jane Darnell, mother of Benjamin Darnell, Robert and William Baugh.

Samuel Howell Lewis was born March 12, 1796 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.  He was the second child and the oldest son of Robert Lewis (Robert of Mecklenburg) and Anna Bugg Lewis.

Samuel’s father died when Samuel was 10.  At the age of 16 Samuel Howell left his home and his large portion of the family inheritance as oldest son, and never returned.  He set out for a new life moving southward and then westward. (same year as War of 1812)

Samuel was married at least twice.  On July 4, 1818 he married Henrietta Mabrey in Warren County, NC.  Warren County is just across the state line from Mecklenberg County, Virginia.  Oral tradition is that Samuel and Henrietta had four sons: James, Samuel, Hardin and Ansell, and that all four sons moved to Illinois before their father moved there.  It is believed that at least one went to Arkansas and one to Missouri. 

Recently, contact was made with a descendant of a Samuel Charles W. Lewis, born August 18, 1824 in Virginia to a Samuel H. Lewis and his wife Henrietta. He moved to the St Louis area. The names. location and dates align with our Samuel H and Henrietta Lewis, so it is likely that this is the second son of Samuel Howell Lewis. Unfortunately, his direct male line died out in 1905, so DNA testing is not an option to test the relationship.

Marriage Bond of Samuel and Henrietta

After Henrietta died, Samuel married Jane Darnell, mother of Ben, Robert and Will.  Family tradition has a daughter Ann Lewis born in 1830 and would have died before 1845..  Jane Darnell Lewis died, probably in Kentucky.  Following her death, Samuel moved to Illinois.  Samuel is listed in the 1840 census in Calloway County, KY and Jane died in 1844 or 1845.

Samuel moved to Pope County Illinois about 1845, bringing with him his three youngest sons, Benjamin, Robert and William.

Samuel said he grew up on the Virginia plantation of his father Robert.  Since his father had slaves, his duties were mostly of an unimportant nature.  He remembered well how the slave cabins sprang up on the land.  He did not care for the idea of slavery, and decided to run away from home at about age 16 and migrate Westward.  He never returned home.  He first entered South Carolina, and from there into Tennessee where he lived for several years.  He later moved through Kentucky before coming to Illinois.

Samuel Howell Lewis – Family Notes

Sources of information on Samuel Howell Lewis include:

Marriage Records, Warren County, NC

Census 1840 Calloway County, KY

Pioneer Lewis Families, M.C. Cook, c. 1984, p.225-6

Listing of Joyner Cemetery

Tombstone Photos

Lewis Genealogy, Leland Lester Lewis, 1982 p. 20-21

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Chapter 12 – Robert of Mecklenberg

April 18, 2009

Chapter 12 – Robert of Mecklenberg

Robert of Mecklenberg (born 1764)

ROBERT LEWIS of Mecklenberg (b. 1764 Albermarle Co, VA, d. 19 Oct 1806 Mecklenberg Co., VA ) m. Ann Bugg Nov 10, 1788

Robert Lewis (Robert of Mecklenburg), born in 1764 in Albermarle County, Virginia and his wife Anna Bugg.  He was a son of Robert Lewis of Granville and (Mary) Franics Lewis.  Robert and Anna were married November 10, 1788 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.  Anna was the daughter of Capt. Anselm Bugg (Son of Sam and Sarah Bacon).  Anna had a daughter Anna by her first marriage ????? to xx .  Robert and Ann had children xyz. Elizabeth Bugg Lewis, Samuel Howell Lewis, James Merryweather Lewis, Ann Bugg Lewis and Robert Lewis .

Sources of information on Robert Lewis, (Robert of Mecklenburg), husband of Anna Bugg, include:

Mecklenburg County, Virginia, Marriage Bond

Mecklenburg County, Virginia, Will Book 6, p. 16, Oct 1806 Will of Robert naming his children

Pioneer Lewis Families, M.C. Cook, c. 1984, p.225-6 has probate record of Robert with widow Ann living, April 1816

Will Book 6, page 16  “In the name of God Amen.  I, Robert Lewis, of Mecklenburg County and late of Virginia do make, constitute and affirm this to be my last will and testament.  1st I desire that so much of my estate as will be sufficient to satisfy all my Just Debts be sold and the moneys arising from the same converted to the above purpose.  2ndly I give to my beloved wife Ann Lewis, the whole of my household and kitchen furniture also one sixth of the residue from my estate consisting of all my negroes and their increase ?? during her natural life but at her death all the said negroes and their increase to return to all my children equally, to be enjoyed by them and their heirs forever except one negro girl named Amy with her increase I give to my wife Ann Lewis forever.  The other five sixths of my estate including my negroes ?? with all their increase I give to all My Children equally as above alluded to (???) Elizabeth Bugg Lewis, Samuel Howell Lewis, James Henry Merryweather Lewis, Ann Bugg Lewis, Robert Lewis, to be enjoyed by them and their heirs forever.  As witness My hand and Seal this 19th October 1806

Robert Lewis (Seal)

Witness

Samuel Bugg

Allen Moss Bilbo

At about held (?) for Mecklenburg County the 13 day of July 1807 This will was proved by the oaths of Samuel Bugg and Allen Moss Bilbo witnesses thereto and Ordered to be recorded, and there being no executor therein named On the motion of Ann Lewis who made oath thereto and together with  Samuel Bugg and Grief  Green her (???) entered into and acknowledged their (???) in the penalty of Twenty Thousand Dollars (?) as the law directs.  Certificate was granted her for obtaining letters of administration on the estate of Robert Lewis decs’d with his said new will annexed in due form.  Signed”

Robert of Mecklenberg – Family Notes

Meriweather Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was a first cousin to Robert of Mecklenberg.  Their fathers William of Locust Hill and Robert of Granville were brothers.

Sources:

“Lewis Patriarchs of Early Virginia and Maryland,” by Robert Lewis. Third Edition published in 1998 by Heritage Books, Inc. 1540E Pointer Ridge Place, Bowie, MD 20716. (1-800-398-7709). Used with permission of the author.

The Welsh Lineage of John Lewis (1592 – 1657) Emigrant to Gloucester, VA, Grace McLean Moses, McLean Virginia, c 1984, 1992, 2005

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