Gabriel Lewis (1785 - 1841)

Born 22 May 1785 in Virginia, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Deborah (Spangler) Lewis — married 11 Apr 1811 in Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States

Descendants

Died 15 Sep 1841 at age 56 in Indian Creek, Jefferson, Tennessee, United States

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Private Gabriel Lewis served in the East Tennessee Militia in the War of 1812
Service started: 13 November 1813
Unit(s): 4th (Bayless’) Reg’t East Tennessee
Service ended: 13 May 1815

Biography

Birth

Gabriel was born on 22 May 1785 in Virginia.^[1]

Marriage

Gabriel Lewis and Deborah Spangler were married on 11 April 1811 in Jefferson County, Tennessee.^[2]

Military Service

He served in the War of 1812, from 13 November 1813 to 13 May 1815 as a Private in Capt. James Churchman's Company, 4th Regiment, Drafted Tennessee Militia, commanded by Col. Bayless.^[3]

This regiment, along with Colonel William Johnson's Third Regiment and Colonel Edwin Booth's Fifth Regiment, defended the lower section of the Mississippi Territory, particularly the vicinity of Mobile. They protected the region from possible Indian incursions and any British invasion. These regiments were under the command of Major General William Carroll. They manned the various forts that were located throughout the territory: Fort Claiborne, Fort Decatur, and Fort Montgomery, for example. Sickness was rampant in this regiment and the desertion rate was high. The regiment mustered in at Knoxville and was dismissed at Mobile.^[4]

Gabriel served for 6 months and 5 days, and at a pay rate of $8 per month, this amounted to $49.33 for the duration.^[5] After being mustered out in Mobile, they had to trek quite a ways to reach their homes in Tennessee. In 1816, it appears that he had to hire lawyers to secure this debt owed him by the government for his services in the war:^[6]

Know all men by these presents that I Gabriel =Lewis= of

the County of Jefferson and state of Tenneʃsee do constitute

make and appoint Hugh Martin of the County and State

aforesaid my true and lawful attorney for me and in my

name to ask Demand and Receive from the person who may

be appointed paymaster such sum or sums of money as is due

me for my services from the United States for the tour of duty per=

=formed on a campaign under the command of Captain

James Churchman Commencing on the thirteenth day of

November 1814 and endin[g] on the Eighteenth day of

May 1815; as will appear by the annexed Discharge I

also Empower my said attorney to sign all Rights therefrom

for the Receiving of my money and to act and to do as

things in and about the promising in as full a manner as I can

do and I personally present. In witneʃs whereof I have

hereunto set my hand and seal at Dandridge this Twenty

Sixth day of February 1816

    Test                                       his

    George Branner     Gabriel X Lewis

                    auth.                    mark

State of Tenneʃsee

Jefferson County      This day Gabriel Lewis appeared

before one Michael Branner one of the acting Justices for said

County who duly acknowledged the Execution of the within (?)

power of attorney for the purpose therein specified

    Given under my hand this twenty sixth day of February 18[16]

            Michael Branner Just.

Land

On 7 January 1826, Gabriel and his father George, along with some of their neighbors, secured a grant of land for the benefit of the school that was adjacent to their properties:

Pursuance of the two acts of the General Aʃsembly of the State of Tenneʃsee paʃsed one on the 8ᵀᴴ day of October 1823 the other on the 20ᵀᴴ day of November 1823 there is granted by the said State of Tenneʃsee unto Willliam Aushill George Tennly Joseph Cints George Lewis Gabriel Lewis and John C. Tennly trustees and subscribers and their succe-ʃsers in office four acres of land lying in the County of Jefferson provided it be applied to no other purpose than the promotion of education and if it should be otherwise app-ropriated these thus grant is to be null and void and of no affect and the land hereby granted to vest to the State of Tenniʃsee beginning at a post catecorner to Agullia and Thom-as Combs thence with their line south forty five west twenty eight poles to a black oak Combs corner thence with their line north forty five west twenty three poles to a stake in the line of Joseph Coms thence with Coms line north forty five west twenty eight poles to a stake on said line thence south forty five east twenty three poles to the beginning including the union school house^[7]

Residence

7 January 1826 — Jefferson County, Tennessee, near the Union School House.

1830 — Jefferson County, Tennessee, his mother Rachael living with him.

1840 — Jefferson County, Tennessee, living next to his son Chrisman.^[8]

Children

Gabriel and Deborah were the parents of:^[9]

Death

Gabriel Lewis passed away on 15 September 1841 at Indian Creek, Jefferson County, Tennessee, and is buried at Pine Chapel Cemetery, Jefferson County, Tennessee.^[10]

Sources

Footnotes

1. ↑ Find a Grave, Memorial no. 125695585.
2. ↑ Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002.
3. ↑ War of 1812 Pension Applications; Index to the Compiled Military Service Records for the Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812.
4. ↑ Jefferson County Units in the War of 1812.
5. ↑ Muster and Payroll Records for Gabriel Lewis. Considering only inflation, this would be $935 in contemporary currency.
6. ↑ See the Images for the original document from the Jefferson County records.
7. ↑ Early Tennessee/North Carolina Land Records, 1783–1927.
8. ↑ 1840 census.
9. ↑ FamilySearch, Gabriel Lewis KVS5-DJP.
10. ↑ War of 1812 Pension Applications; Find a Grave, Memorial no. 125695585.

Bibliography

• Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm. Page 93, #929.
• Index to the Compiled Military Service Records for the Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the War of 1812. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M602, 234 rolls.
• Appointment of Lawyers by Gabriel Lewis to Secure Military Pay, Jefferson County Court Records, 26 Jan 1816. See Images.
• Muster and Payroll Records for Gabriel Lewis, 4 (Bayles), Tenn. Militia. See Images.
• War of 1812 Pension Applications. Washington D.C.: National Archives. NARA Microfilm Publication M313, 102 rolls. Records of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group Number 15.
• Jefferson County Tennessee Genealogy and History > Jefferson County Units in the War of 1812: Regimental Histories of Primary Jefferson County Units.
• Tennessee. Division of Archives, Land Office, and Museum. Early Tennessee/North Carolina Land Records, 1783–1927, Record Group 50. Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, Tenn. Roll: 65; Book: 8; Page: 195. Jefferson County, 7 Jan 1826.
• United States Census, 1830, database with images, FamilySearch (10 August 2019), Tennessee > Jefferson > Not Stated > image 126 of 144; citing NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• 1840 Federal Census for Jefferson, Tennessee; Roll: 526; Page: 344; Family History Library Film: 0024546. Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. (NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 19 February 2021), memorial page for Gabriel Lewis (22 May 1785–15 Sep 1841), Find a Grave Memorial no. 125695585, citing Pine Chapel Cemetery, Jefferson County, Tennessee, USA; Maintained by Susan Phillips (contributor 47941065).
• FamilySearch, Gabriel Lewis (22 May 1785 – 15 September 1841) KVS5-DJP.

Acknowledgements

Special thanks and recognition to Carolyn Boze (23 November 2012) and Linda (Lisher) James (9 July 2014) for establishing the initial versions of the Gabriel Lewis profile. For Linda's contributions, see the Change list for her version of this profile.