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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: LEWIS, Hon. John D.
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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. 299-301
HON. JOHN D. LEWIS.
John D. Lewis was born on the Cow Pasture river, in Bath county, Virginia,
twelve miles southeast of the Warm Springs, June 6, 1800. His father, Charles
Cameron Lewis, a son of Colonel Charles Lewis, who was killed in 1774, in the
battle at Point Pleasant between the whites and Indians, removed from Bath
county, in 1802, to a point on the Ohio river four miles above the mouth of
the Kanawha. His farm at that place was beautiful level land, bordering on
the Ohio river, and was quite productive. Shortly after his removal to the
Ohio Valley, his health failed, and he died in the Spring of 1803. In 1807
Mrs. Lewis was united in marriage with Captain James Wilson, and in i8io they
removed to the Kanawha Valley, locating where General Lewis Ruffner now
resides, six miles above Charleston. After remaining there for a few yeaTs,
they made an exchange of property with Colonel David Ruffner, and removed to
Charleston, to the Brooks property, better known as the Clendennin
blockhouse, or fort.
The subject of this sketch resided with his step-father the greater portion
of time, until he grew to manhood, although he spent several months each year
with his brother, on the farm oil the Ohio river, which had been jointly left
to them at their father's death. While he was grow-ing up, he attended the
Mercer Academy, in Charleston, which was pre-sided over by Dr. Henry Ruffner,
the first year; the second year the school was taught by General Lewis
Ruffner. He also went to school to Francis Crutchfield, one year in Bath
county, and one year in Charles-ton. Mr. Crutchfield was a noted educator of
Bath county, and was preva,iled upon to spend one year in Kanawha to teach a
private class of advanced young men, Mr. Lewis being one of the number.
Mr. Lewis began a business life on the Kanawha by clerking for Messrs.
Dickinson & Shrewsbury, salt-makers, in Tinkersville, five miles above
Charleston. He remained with them three years, from 1826 to 1829, when he
engaged as salesman in the store of Hewitt, Ruffner & Co., who were also
salt-makers, in the same vicinity, remaining with them about one year. He
was engaged in business a short time for Dickinson, Ruffner & Co.; and in
1831, he bought property, where the landing of the Campbell's Creek Coal
Company now is, and, after putting it in order, commenced the manufacture of
salt on his own account. From the outset his business proved lucrative, and
in a few years thereafter he occupied a leading position among the business
men of the Kanawha Valley.
In 1838 he married a daughter of Joel Shrewsbury, Sr. She died in 1843,
since which time Mr. Lewis has been twice married, the last time in 1874.
During the spring of 1834, Mr. Lewis purchased the property where he now
resides, immediately above the mouth of Catnpbell's creek, constructed a
furnace, and began the manufacture of salt, which business he continued, in a
successful manner, until a few years ago.
Mr. Lewis was an ardent Whig until the dissolution of that party, oc-casioned
by the war in 1861, when he united with the Democratic party, with which he
still co-operates. He never sought political offices. His great object in
life was to make his business successful, and the immense estate which he now
represents is proof of his capacity as a business man. He, however, held the
position of a Justice of the Peace for a number of years, acquitting himself,
in all cases tried before him, honorably and satisfactorily. In 1871 he was
elected to the House of Delegates from Kanawha county, and served his
fellow-citizens with credit and distinction.
Mr. Lewis is now past seventy-six years of age, and is apparently in good
health. He has been a man of unusual physical strength, but his stalwart
frame, a few years since, was forced to yield under the pressure of a
rheumatic disease; and instead of carrying himself erect, as was his manner
in younger years, his body is now considerably stooped. He spends his time
principally superintending his large landed estate, lying in most every
portion of the county, which is principally under lease to tenants. He is,
however, frequently seen upon the streets of Charleston, and his step is as
quick and elastic as it was a decade or more ago.
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