I have not studied all the materials in depth or conducted any original research in this family. Consequently, this page contains random notes, problems, errors, updates, corrections and source citations for the Lewis family as I come across them. Be forewarned, however, that much or even most that has been propagated about the Lewis family, along with the Lynn's, is at best speculative while some of it is outright fake or easily disproven. Sorting out this fantasy is a challenge because it has persevered for so many decades.
John Lewis (1678-1762), fled to America from Ireland in 1729, on the lam after, as his gravestone reports, he "slew the Irish Lord." Margaret and the children probably came a year or two later. At least that is the legend that is generally reported to varying degrees among the various sources. Some details and circumstances conflict and there is even doubt and disagreement about the basic premise. At this point, I am not knowledgeable enough to reliably evaluate.
John Lewis' parents are reported as Andrew Lewis (1648-1700) rep. born/died County Donegal and Mary Calhoun (1652-1700) rep. also born/died County Donegal. The same year of death looks suspicious. She was daughter of Robert Colquhoun (1622-aft1666) and Katherine McAuselan (abt1622-?) who migrated from Dunbartonshire, Scotland to County Donegal.
All circumstances surrounding John Lewis' departure including the name of the "Irish Lord" are not proven by any evidence, though widely circulated in family legend. Some make no sense and appear upon even superficial investigation to be disproved. The discussion in The Family of John Lewis, Pioneer indicates that the actual name of the "Irish Lord" is not reliably known. It speculates that the "lord" may have come from "landlord" and who was not a nobleman. It then considers the question further.
One name proposed is a Sir Inango Campbell, "his Irish landlord." Genealogical history of the Lewis Family (p. 620) No further information. Another "Irish Lord" name is occasionally reported as one Mungo (Mingo) Campbell or Lord Clonmithgairn, son of Hugh Campbell, of the Clonmel Castle. It is also mentioned skeptically in The Family of John Lewis, Pioneer (pgs. 11, 61-62n). The sources of this appear to be solely family history narratives, false published articles, guesses by amateurs and other inventions which have propagated. I have not seen any external, credible data to support this or any other name. I have also not found where the Mungo claim originated though Frazier posits a theory (pg. 62n). A Mungo Campbell did exist in history but I do not see any connection with John Lewis or Ireland, only events in Scotland. Campbell was born 1712 one of 24 children of a Provost of Ayr, great-grandson of a Hugh Campbell of Netherplace, described as an excise officer (i.e. tax collector) and soldier based in Saltcoats and is reported in literature as being very much alive in 1769 in Scotland when he was tried and convicted for the murder of Alexander Montgomerie (1723-1769), the 10th Earl of Eglintoun after which he hanged himself 28 February 1770 to avoid the hangman's noose. The histories describe Mungo as a poacher and not a landlord. I do not see any connection with Ireland in the various narratives. See: Murder of Alexander Montgomerie at Wikipedia, The Earl of Eglinton's Encounter Near Ardrossan , MUNGO CAMPBELL and The trial of Mungo Campbell, before the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland, for the murder of Alexander, Earl of Eglintoun : from an authentick copy, extracted from the records of the court (1770) There could, of course, be a different Mungo. He reportedly had an Uncle Mungo Campbell.
The origin of identifying John Lewis' landlord as Mungo Campbell may come via the discredited "Valley Manuscript" (Diary of Margaret Lynn Lewis) aka "The Common Place Book of Margaret Lewis nee Lynn, of Loch Lynn, Scotland" and amateur "interpretations." The following is an example which parenthetically inserts names which were not in the original manuscript and also capitalizes some names. This passage has propagated so profusely over the internet that I cannot identify its origin or culprit, so will not note any citation.
From : “The Common Place Book of Margaret Lewis nee Lynn, of Loch Lynn, Scotland” (short extract). My poor John is sorely belabored in soul with the grievous malice of this same Lord of CLONMITHGAIRN (Charles / Mingo / Mungo / Minglo Campbell, son of Hugh Campbell). The contentious noble hath said to the good Dean of Ulster (Rev. William Patton ? ) a few nights ago, how that my husband's leasehold on the estate of Clonmithgairn and DUNDERY (Kilmacrenan ?) should be revoked at next assizes.Recall again that this manuscript does have wisps of historical fact but overall is made up. But other than the propagation of the "Valley Manuscript," I have not been able to find, at least through the internet, actual evidence of such things as a Lord of Clonmithgairn or a castle at Clonmel (possibly a more modest estate) or mention of Lewis at Clonmel. A town of Clonmel is in County Tipperary, not County Donegal; Co. Tipperary even in a different Province. Consider the discussion and linked pages at: John Lewis - Query - Ancestry.com Posted: 23 Nov 2011 1:12AM Then decide for yourself.
A few online links to brief histories which should be presumed full of family myth and errors, simply repeating and propagating the same legends:
Primarily the family of John Lewis (1678-1762) and Margaret Lynn
but some other Lewis families also.
However,
as of September 2011, this site is empty, apparently since
around 2007.
The following page was retrieved and saved from the
Internet Archive
Wayback Machine
:
John Lewis: Patriarch
I did not go through the
other pages preserved on the Internet Archive;
there may be others of interest.
Note the upper left corner "Go Back" and "Home Page" links which will
navigate through the Wayback Machine's archives of the
lewisgenealogy.com website.
This is a novel loosely based on the Lewis family story. I have not seen it. Even though it it a work of fiction, it may convey something of the flavor, culture and political environment of the times. The official bibliographic synopsis says:
In 1728 when his father kills the local Laird who attacks their home, Thomas and his family flee to America across an Ireland devastated by the British occupation.
I have not researched this myself, the following is based on heresay from the internet. Various postings report from five to eight children of John Lewis (1678-1762) and Margaret Lynn (1693-1773). The ones that seem fairly certain are: Thomas (1718-1790), Andrew (1720-1781) (Brigadier General), William Lynn (1724-1811), Margaret Lynn (1726-abt1797) (married Long then Crow), and Charles (1736-1774) (Colonel).
A brief summary of children John Lewis: Patriarch
Other reported children:
"D 1. Samuel was a captain in the war between the English and French colonists. His brothers, Andrew, William and Charles, were members of his company, and all four were at Braddock's defeat and three of them wounded."
"According to family records she [Margaret Lynn Lewis] lost a young daughter, Anne, soon after their arrival in America."No further information as to what or where these "family records" are. Whether there actually was a daughter Anne and/or if she was one who married a Michael Finley, Jr. is is not demonstrated by any evidence I am aware of. Further, John Lewis came to American in 1729, his wife and children about a year later. 1752 (Anne's reported marriage year) is not "soon after" 1730/1.
The grave of Augusta County's recognized pioneer settler, John Lewis, is located on a prominent hill on his once-2071-acre property, Belefont, overlooking his homesite, about 300 yards away.The gravesite, on land owned for the past 10 years by P. William Moore, offers a fine prospect, with the Blue Ridge Mountains and part of the Allegheny chain visible.
From Statler Boulevard, take Va. 254 (New Hope Road) east about 4/5 of a mile. Turn left at the sign "Staunton Wastewater Treatment Plant and drive about 100 yards to a locked farm gate on your right. A small sign there designates the "John Lewis Gravesite."
Climb over the board fence adjacent to the gate and walk up the hill in open pasture towards a large lone sycamore near the top of the hill. You'll reach this tree in about 322 paces & from there, forward to your left, you'll observe an iron picket fence about 50 paces away enclosing the grave of John Lewis. The fenced enclosure measures 14 feet, 11 inches by 19 feet, seven inches.
Within the enclosure, through an unlocked gate, you'll find the grave of John Lewis. The grave was originally covered by a large limestone marker. In 1850, a granite slab replaced this stone. In 1929, the Beverley Manor Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Staunton aided in the formation of the John Lewis Memorial Foundation, which replaced the granite slab with the present marble marker, measuring 7 feet, two inches by 3 feet, 12 inches, on which is engraved, in 17 lines:
"Here lie the remains of JOHN LEWIS, who slew the Irish Lord, settled Augusta County, located the Town of Staunton, and furnished five sons to fight the battles of the American Revolution. He was the son of Andrew Lewis and Mary Calhoun and was born in Donegal County, Ireland in 1678, and died Feb’y lst, 1762, aged 84 years. He was a true patriot and a friend of liberty throughout the world. Mortalitate Relicta Vivit Immortalitate Inductus."
Translated, the Latin reads: "Mortality relinquished, he lives clothed in immortality."
There are at least a couple of other small stones near the grave, unmarked, which could possibly be the headstones for the graves of John Lewis' wife, Margaret Lynn Lewis, their son Samuel Lewis, or others.
Shenandoah Sketches
John Lewis: Patriarch
By JOE NUTT
Special Writer
1787 - Botetourt County, VA: John Crow (est1765-abt1803) to Williana Phipps 1789 - Rockbridge County, VA: Thomas Crow (1762-1837) to Nancy Donnally 1790 - Pulaski Co., KY: Margaret "Peggy" Crow (abt1770-1817) to Josiah Wilson (1765-1830) 1799 - Mercer Co., KY: Andrew Lewis Crow (1768-1820) to Margaret Montgomery 1801 - Mercer Co., KY: Nancy (Mary) Crow (abt1774-bef1821) to William MongtomeryThese marriages seem to indicate that, if she did go to Kentucky after her husband's death in 1795 in Botetourt County, Virginia, she may have gone first to Mercer County, Kentucky. Mercer County seemed to be a typical first stop for immigrants to Kentucky and was an area fortified against the indian attacks that were common in Kentucky in the late 1700's. However, it is unexplained how Peggy Crow would marry in 1790 in Pulaski County, Kentucky. Based on births of her children, that year appears correct, but the first two children are reported born in Botetourt County, Virginia; next (3) Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky; then (4) Adair County, Kentucky. (It was Adair County where Nancy Wilson married Perry Parke.) But the marriages, dates and locations are reported; I have not seen any primary sources.
It has come to my attention that there may be an error in one of the lines that was published in what I consider one of the best sources for the John Lewis and Margaret Lynn line, "The Family of John Lewis, Pioneer". It looks as if ACABB Col. Samuel S. Lewis, may not be the son of ACAB Col. Samuel Lewis & Esther (Catherine) Whitley. It is thought by many that Col. Samuel S. Lewis was actually the son of a different John Lewis & his wife Sarah.
My father participated at my request in the Lewis DNA project (which I highly recommend). It was a surprise to find out that his DNA (descended from John & Margaret's sons Thomas & Charles due to cousins marrying down the line) did not match with another person on the Lewis DNA website that descended from ACABB Col. Samuel S. Lewis. At this time, I have taken Col. Samuel S. Lewis and his descendants out of the John Lewis & Margaret Lynn tree, and added a new tree for this line.
Was on: http://www.lewisgenealogy.com/the_next_generation/
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