LEWIS, JOHN R.
, was born in 1806 in Farmington, Connecticut. He studied medicine at New Haven, came West in 1831 or '2, and established himself in practice at Carlinville, Ill. He returned to his native place, and was there married Nov. 16, 1835, to Mrs. Ruth Stanley, whose maiden name was Crampton. He brought his wife to Carlinville, ceased practicing medicine, and engaged in farming. Mrs. Ruth Lewis died Aug. 28, 1839, at Carlinville, leaving one child. Dr. Lewis soon after moved to Chatham, in Sangamon county, and engaged in practice there. His son--CHARLES H., born April 4, 1837, near Carlinville, brought up in Chatham, graduated in 1862 from the academical department of Yale college, and from the medical department of the same college in 1867. He spent the intermediate time in the army, and afterwards practiced a short time in Chatham. Dr. Charles H. Lewis was married April 11, 1869, in Oswego, Kansas, to Imogene Lewis. They have two children, EDWARD H. and FLORENCE M., and reside near Cedar Vale, Chautauqua county, Kansas. Dr. Lewis is engaged in farming and the drug business.
Dr. John R. Lewis, soon after removing to Chatham, became acquainted with Miss Sarah M. Thompson, a native of Monson, Massachusetts, whose home in the West was with her brother-in-law, Rev. James A. Clark, in Fort Madison, Iowa, where Dr. Lewis and Miss Thompson were married Aug. 25, 1844, and at once came to Chatham. They had five children. Of the three living--
MARIA L. was married Jan. 1, 1874, to Dr. Charles B. Johnston, a practicing physician at Tolono, Champaign county, Ill., where they reside.
JOHN T. and
EDWARD V., both born in Chatham, and live there with their mother.
Dr. J. R. Lewis assisted in organizing the First Presbyterian church in Carlinville, and was one of the ruling Elders as long as he lived there. He was elected to the same office in the church at Chatham, and contiuued to discharge its duties to the end of his life. He died Aug. 5, 1858, in Chatham, where his widow and two sons now reside--1876.