John S. Lewis, farmer and inventor of several machines for which he has patents, was born in Gallatin County, Ky., Sept. 21, 1818, son of Craddock and Clarisa Lewis, who were also natives of Kentucky. His father died when he was three years of age, and his mother again married, and he was brought up under the care and instruction of his step-father until eighteen years of age, when he started out in life for himself, going to Montgomery, Ray County, Mo., and there engaged in mining for four years, and in 1842 came to Clayton County, entering 600 acres of land. He was married in 1844, to Clarisa Wultse, who was born in Canada. They have a family of five children, four living-- Graham, John, Mary and Martha. Mrs. Clarisa Lewis died and he was again married in 1853, to Cynthia M. Amsdon, a native of Illinois. By this union there were eleven children, seven now living-- Lyman, Craddock, Irla, Joel, India, Birdie and Archie Violet. Mr. Lewis has his farm under excellent cultivation, and is classed with the prominent farmers and stock-raisers of the county. source: History of Clayton County, Iowa, 1882, p. 1123-1124 |