Evan Lewis Sr. (1755 - 1823)

Born 24 Jun 1755 in Hopewell, Frederick, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Susannah (Moon) Lewis — married 10 Jul 1782 (to 4 Jul 1823) in New Garden Monthly Meting, North Carolina

Descendants

Died 4 Jul 1823 at age 68 in Lost Creek, Jefferson, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Heather Brown [send private message] and Diane Andrews [send private message]

Biography

Evan was a Friend (Quaker)

Birth

Evan was born on 24 June 1755 in Hopewell, Frederick County, Virginia, to John Lewis and Alice Maris.

Marriage

Evan Lewis married Susannah Moon at the New Garden Monthly Meeting, North Carolina.^[1]

Children

Evan and Susannah had the following children:^[2]

Migration

Evan and Susannah received a certificate of transfer: "Certificates for other Friends who are known to have been living at or near Lost Creek at early dates were received at Westfield as follows: ... Evan and Susannah Lewis and children, from Hopewell, Va., 1791,12,24 ..."^[3] So on Christmas Eve of 1791, Evan and Susannah were authorized to emigrate to the Quaker settlement at Lost Creek in what was then western North Carolina.

Last Will and Testament

Evan's will was probated on 23 June 1823:^[4]

[383] I Evan Lewis of Jefferson County and State of Tenneʃs-

-ee being of sound mind and disposing memory do

make and Ordain this as my last will and testam-

-ent. First It is my will that all my just debts (if

any there be) should be paid as soon as can convenien-

-tly be done after my decease. Secondly, I give and beque-

-ath unto my beloved wife Susanna Lewis the whole

& sole use of my Estate both real and personal during her

widowhood, and if she ever marries again my

will is that she should have a childs part of my moveable

property. Thirdly, I give and bequeathe unto my son

Richard Lewis, the following tract of land. Beginning

at a corner seventy-five rods North from Summerṣ corn-

-er thence a strait course to two persimons near the east

fence & near the line of the three thousand acre tract

formerly Bullards line. Thence along the same East to

thee corner of a tract of sixty-four acres which I obtain-

-ed a Deed for from the State of Tenneʃsee dated

Second of July 1810. Thence North 120 poles. Thence

West 86 poles to a pine & Black oak. from thence South

to the Beginning including all the said Tract of Sixty-

-four acres except that piece or gore^[5] of twenty-five rods

on the west side to be soo marked persimons on or near the
fence

[384] aforesaid. The aforesaid Tract of land I give to him

at the decease of his Mother to him his heirs and Aʃsigns
forever.—

Fourthly. I give and bequeathe unto my two Sons Henry &

Evan Lewis the place whereon I now live containing one

hundred & ninety-five acres. besides that gore aforesaid to

be equally divided between them as to value. Henry to have

his on the South end, and Evan on the North And for Henry to
be accomodated with part of the water if he choo-

-ses. I give to them their heirs and aʃsigns forever.

And whereas there appears to be a fraud put upon me

by Bullard or his sons, about One hundred acres of land

which I paid them for; now I will and bequeath to my three

aforesaid sons, all my right title. and Interest & demands

upon the Heir of said Joseph Bullard for said and, or the

value thereof if they see cause to sue for the same and if

any thing should be recovered therefor, that it be equally

divided between them.

Fifthly I give & bequeath unto my Six Daughters. namely

Mary Hinshaw. Ann Swain. Rachael Hammer. Eleanor

Adamson, Susanna Beals. & Elizabeth Beals all my moveable

property at the decease of their Mother. to be equally divided

among them. to them their heirs & aʃsigns forever —

And lastly I ord[a]in & appoint my son Henry Lewis and

on[l]y son-in-law Elisha Hammer Executors to this my

last will and testament. In witneʃs whereof I have hereunto

set my hand and seal this 23ḍ day of the 6ṭḥ mo. 1823.

Signed sealed and delivered

 his

Evan     &   Lewis

mark

by the said Evan Lewis to be

[385] his last will & testament

in presence of us

John Swain

Uriah Hinshaw

State of Tenneʃsee

Jefferson County    September Seʃsions 1823.

Then was the last will and testa=

=ment of Evan Lewis Decḍ. duly proven in Open Court by the

Oathes of John Swain & Uriah Hinshaw two of the

subscribing witneʃses to the same and recorded.

Joseph Hamilton CK

Death

He died on the Fourth of July, 1823.^[6]

Other Evan Lewises

There is an Evan Lewis who died 13 October 1823 — the same year as this Evan Lewis — who is often placed as the husband of Susannah Moon. However the Evan who died in October lived in Clear Creek, Ohio, and was married to Sarah Tennison.^[7] An Evan Lewis of another profile is a good candidate for being identical with this Evan, except that his birth date of 1749 does not agree with that given by McNamara for our Evan. However, McNamara is a secondary source, and since no primary source has been produced, the matter remains open.

Research Notes

That this Evan might be identical to the Evan son of John and Margaret Lewis is given added credence by the fact that Susannah Moon was from Hampshire County. Land deeds state explicitly that John and Margaret resided in the County of Hampshire. Land transactions made in Dunmore County, show that they had sold land to the prominent Quaker, Robert McKay.^[8]

Sources

Footnotes

1. ↑ North Carolina Yearly Meeting Minutes, p. 182; Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, 1:1107.
2. ↑ Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, 1:1107.
3. ↑ Williams > Lost Creek Meetings.
4. ↑ "Tennessee Probate Court Books," Jefferson > Wills, 1811-1826, Vol. 2: 383-385.
5. ↑ A gore is an irregular parcel of land.
6. ↑ McNamara, "Tennessee Ancestors,";p. 182; Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, 1:1107.
7. ↑ See Find a Grave, Memorial no. 13529809.
8. ↑ See Dumore Land Transactions, 476-477, et alia.

Bibliography

• Lost Creek (Tennessee), Quaker Meeting Minutes.
• "Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927," images, FamilySearch (22 May 2014), Jefferson > Wills, 1811-1826, Vol. 2 > image 432 of 563; county courthouses, Tennessee.
• Billie R. McNamara, "Tennessee Ancestors," the genealogical journal of the East Tennessee Historical Society (December, 2006), reproduced in part in Jefferson County, Tennessee Genealogy and History.
• Hinshaw, William Wade, et al., compilers. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. 6 vols. 1936–1950. Reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1991–1994. Hinshaw, William Wade. Marshall, Thomas Worth, comp. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. Supplement to Volume 1. Washington, D.C.: n.p. 1948.
• Duncan Rea Williams III, "Ciber Williams' Niche" (electronic text) > Quaker Roots > Quaker Meetings > Lost Creek Meetings.