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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: LEWIS, James Alexander
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
SSpradling@aol.com
September 19, 1999
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History of Kanawha County
George W. Atkinson
1876
p. 296-298
JAMES ALEXANDER LEWIS.
James A. Lewis was born near Sweet Springs, Virginla, in the year 1794. He
was the only son of Alexander Lewis, who died during the infancy of James.
Alexander's father-James A's grand father-was William Lewis, a brother of
General Andrew and Colonel Charles Lewis, and an Qificer in the Revolutionary
war. James. A. Lewis was educated principally at the then famous school of
Mr. Crutchfield, in Virginia. About the year 1811 or 1812 he went into the
office of his uncle, Dr. Charles Lewis, and commenced the study of medicine.
After prosecuting his studies for a year or two, he was seized with the war
spirit which then pervaded the land. He entered the army as Ensign in the 2
nd Regiment, United States Infantry, and was aftenvards promoted to a
Lieutenancy in the same regiment, which rank and position he held at the
disbanding of the forces. His land warrant, issued under act of Congress,
1850, for services in the war of 1812, is still in the hands of his children,
ilever having been sold or located.
Returning home after the war, he resumed the study of medicine, and continued
in his uncle's office up to 1816. When he was about twenty-two years of age,
he married Prudentia Wilson, of Bath county, Virginia, a lady of estimable
character, and great moral worth. In 1817 the young couple started on horse
back for the then distant West-Kentucky. Henry Clay was a favorite pupil of
old Father Crutchfield, and wheu Mr. Lewis started to Kentucky, the old
gentleman gave him a very elaborate letter of introduction and recommendation
to Mr. Clay who had previously gone to Kentucky and had already begun to make
his mark there. As Mr. Lewis never got beyond Kanawha, he never delivered
the letter, but kept it during his lifetime, and left it at his death in the
possession of his family. Reaching Kanawba, they were much pleas-ed with the
country, the people, and the prospects of its future growth and development.
They concluded to rest here for a while. At that time there was an apparent
need of a good school in Charleston, and the peole induced Mr. Lewis to
abandon, for that year, his intention of going to Kentucky, and to open a
school here. His school was large and suc-cessful. His young wife, who was
also well educated, assisted him in teaching. There are yet living in Kanawba
a few persons who were his pupils, nearly sixty years ago; among whom are
Colonel Joel Ruffner, Mrs. Caroline W. Quarrier, Mrs. Roxalana Smith and
others. The old house, with the riven oak weather-boards, standing on the
river bank near Truslow street, which has been alluded to in another chapter,
was built by James A. Lewis under peculiar circumstances. He was teaching
school in Charleston and in those days a schoolday consisted of more hours
than in these times. Schools took up early and held in late, with an hour
for dinner. Some one had built the foundation, and had partly put up the
frame, at which stage Mr. Lewis purchased it, and with his own hands, working
during the hours he was not teaching, completed his dwelling plastering and
all-although he had never done a day's work at any mechanical trade before.
The old house stands there today a monument to his skill, industry and
perseverance.
After teaching for some two years, in Charleston, he purchased a stock of
goods of Colonel Joseph Lovell, and launched out into the business of
merchandising, which he continued uninterruptedly, and with moderate success,
for more than forty years. In fact, he continued in the same busine~s until
the time of his death, which occurred November 2, 1860.
He was appointed postmaster of Kanawha Court-house about 1820, and held that
position for about thirty-two years, when he was forced, by declining health,
to resign it, in October, 1852. He was so kind and ac-commodating that he
pleased everybody, and although it was considered a political office, no one
could get it from him.
In politics he was always a staunch Whig, but was never much of a politician.
lie was for many years a leading member of the Presbyte-rian church, and
died in the triumphs of a living faith. His wife survived him nearly seven
years, She died at the house of her daughter, Mrs, Wm. Frazier, at the Alum
Springs, in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in the summer of 1867.
Mr. Lewis and wife had twelve children, only four of whom are now
living, viz: William A., who resides on the Kanawha, near St. Albans;
Susan M., wife of William Frazier, who resides at the Alum Springs,
Rockbridge county, Virginia; Captain James F. Lewis, who resides in
Charleston, and Edward Lewis, who resides on the Long Ridge, in
Roane county.
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