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Samuel LEWIS Newspaper: New Hampton Gazette Date: January 18, 1912 MR SAMUEL LEWIS RESTS FROM LABOR Pioneer and Good Citizen of This City Dies at the Ripe Age of Eighty-seven A life of unusual length and vigor came to a close in New Hampton yesterday at 11:00 o'clock, when the soul of Mr. Samuel LEWIS passed away to the Great Beyond. He was aged 87 years and one month. Mr. LEWIS had been in gradually failing health since a year ago last fall, when he had a sick spell which it was feared would prove fatal. He rallied, however, from that attack sufficiently to be up and about the house and garden for a little at a time throughout the past year. One week ago last Saturday he discontinued eating and had nothing since. He suffered little, and at the end sank into peaceful sleep. Samuel LEWIS was born on a farm near the town of Indiana, in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. When he was a little boy his father died, and he made his own way in the world. He began to learn the tailor trade, and later worked as a coal miner. In this and the kindred trade of brick making he grew to strong young manhood and on January 6, 1848, was united in marriage with Miss Sarah JOHNSTON. For eighteen years he labored at various work, following the occupation for a time of pilot for the rafting industry. At the breaking out of the war (Civil), he was in Virginia, where he owned two oil wells which he was developing, having associated with him a nephew, John LEWIS. Their sympathies were with the north, and when the rebels tried to press them into the southern army, they escaped and evaded the rebel recruiting squads, making the last forty miles to the union line by means of a horse which a northern sympathizer loaned them and which they took turn about riding. The nephew joined the union army, fought three years and was killed in battle. Mr. LEWIS suffered serious financial loss through his experience in the South. In 1866, he came with his family to Iowa, arriving in New Hampton on the 22nd of February and settling in a log house on the plat of ground near the Milwaukee station, which now bears the comfortable brick home. He engaged in brick making here and also for a time ran a yard at Calmar. He made the brick for many of the present business houses of New Hampton, also for the original brick school house, and donated twenty thousand brick to the building of the court house. After twenty years of this kind of work he was attacked by rheumatism and in 1886 quit all active labor and business. He busied himself about the home though, and it was not until four years ago that he found that any kind of labor, no matter how light, was difficult. Mr. LEWIS was the father of 11 children of whom two daughters and a son died in infancy. Irvin died in New Hampton April 1, 1887, aged thirty years. Letitia J. WOOD died at Rockford, Illinois seven years ago and was buried here. Those surviving are William J. LEWIS of Magalia, Cal.; R.A. of New Hampton, James F. of Rockford, Ill.; Mrs. Mary A. JACKSON of St. Paul, John F. and Mrs. Ida M. SOHN of New Hampton. All were at the deathbed of their father, ministering to the comfort to their aged mother. Mr. LEWIS leaves twenty-three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. The funeral will be held at the home on Friday at 2 p.m. conducted by the Rev. Harry Secor of the Baptist Church and interment will be in Graceland. Mr. LEWIS was a man of rugged character and of extreme vigor of body. He was devoted to labor and worked hard to provide for those entrusted to his care. He was a good husband and father, a good citizen and a true friend and neighbor. |
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Samuel LEWIS Newspaper: New Hampton Newspaper Date: January 1912 Mr. Samuel LEWIS passed away at his home in this city, Wednesday, January 17, 1912, at 11:20 a.m. Deceased was born December 18, 1825, in Indiana, Indiana County, Penn. There he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah JOHNSTON on January 6, 1848. In 1866 they came to New Hampton and settled on their property just north of the Milwaukee depot, where they have since resided and where he died. Eleven children were born to them; Two sons and one daughter died in infancy; Mrs. Bert WOOD died a number of years ago and Irvin died at the age of thirty years. Besides his wife, he is survived by the following children; William J. of Magalia, Calif., James, of Rockford, Ill., Mrs. Mary JACKSON, of St. Paul, R.A. LEWIS, J.F. LEWIS, and Mrs. Fred SOHN of this city. The funeral will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the home, conducted by Rev. Harry Secor of the Baptist Church, and interment will be in Graceland cemetery. Mr. LEWIS was interested in the oil wells of the east and after moving here was engaged in the manufacture of brick, making a good share of the brick used in the buildings on Main Street. Samuel LEWIS was a man of few words, but expressed his sentiments always in a quiet manner that was very impressive; a man of the strictest integrity, he done his work well, his word was as good as a bond, kind and loving to his family, ready to sacrifice at any time for their comfort. As a husband he was always true to the wife of this choice and for her nothing obtainable was too good; as a friend he was true as steel; as a citizen, loyal to his country, he lived right before the world, met reverses with courage and kept faith not only with others but with himself, scorned little petty meanness, a peacemaker all the time and had the attributes of manhood that make a good neighbor, citizen, father and husband. Mr. LEWIS was a man who left the world better for his having lived in it and bequeaths to his children an unsullied name and the memory of a good father. His aged wife has the sympathy of this entire community and will retain their respect and esteem while she lingers here awaiting for the call to join him who passed over to the better land. |
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Sarah JOHNSTON LEWIS Newspaper: New Hampton Newspaper Date: Apr 1915 A FINE OLD MOTHER HAS FALLEN Mrs. Samuel Lewis Fell Asleep Thursday, April 8th, in the 88th Year of Her Age Miss Sarah JOHNSTON was born in Indiana, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, June 1st, 1827, and died at her home in New Hampton, Chickasaw Co., Iowa, Thursday morning, April 8th 1915. January 6th 1848, she gave her hand in marriage to Samuel LEWIS at her home in the place of her birth. They continued to reside there until 1866, when they came west and settled in New Hampton where they continued to reside until the Master called first the husband and now the wife to come up higher. Eleven children came to this home of whom six survive the mother. They are William J., of Medalia, California; Mary A. (now the wife of Mr. Harry JACKSON) of St. Paul; James F., of Rockford, Illinois; Robert A., John F. and Ida M. (now Mrs. Fred SOHN of this city.) Thus you see this good mother had her full share of sorrow which she bore with a fortitude born of a living faith in the Christ of the New Testament, whom she served with loving cheerfulness and steadfast faith all through life. In her girlhood days, she gave her heart to God and united with the United Presbyterian Church and always had a word of cheer, positive testimony to give for Him whom she adored and whose tender teachings she believed with all her heart. Devoted to her husband, she was always by his side either when the sighing winds of affliction beat upon them or when the soft breathings of Divine love cheered them in their home or business. Her children were her special care and she gave of her love and her strength in full measure; in sickness or health she was with them in heart and life and she had the mother love for her large family that held them steady to the path of rectitude and made each of them believe in their mother's God. A great woman has fallen, full of years and a plentitude of graces that adorn character and live long after the body has been laid away to slumber in waiting for the call of Him who said "I am the resurrection and the life." The funeral was held Saturday from the home, Rev. W.L. Anderson conducted the services and the interment was in the Graceland Cemetery beside the husband who made the journey through life with her. It can truthfully be said of this noble woman: "She hath done what she could" and life's close is the morning of a blessed life in the realms of a brighter world. Contributed By: B.J. SHAWD Email: bjs5555@hotmail.com |
