THE LEWIS
FAMILY HISTORY
In Maryland and Kentucky
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INTERNAL LINKS
THOMAS LEWIS

Thomas Lewis was born in 1637 and married Catherine Blyssard; they lived at Battersea (Harmony Hill), Broad Creek, in that part of that province that province of Maryland that would become Prince Georges County after April 23, 1696.  The couple had 4 sons and 2 daughters.  Thomas Lewis died June 3, 1696.

In 1657, Richard Lewis, son of Thomas and Catherine Lewis, was born.  He married (perhaps) Jane Pye.

John Lewis of Piscataway Parish (also St. John's for its' church), Prince Georges County, may have may have been the son of Richard & Jane Lewis.  Probably sometime in the 1730's he married Winifred Thomas, who was born April 4, 1714 in St. John's/Piscataway Parish, the 3rd child and 2nd daughter of Daniel & Anne Thomas.  Daniel Thomas died in 1742 and in his will, dated June 2, 1741, was proved on September 21, 1742; in it he named his sons, including William, and daughters, including Winifred Lewis.  John Lewis died in 1748, intestate, and the inventory of his estate was recorded on June 13, 1748 (1).  The inventory was signed by Winifred Lewis, Administratrix for John Lewis, deceased, and William Lewis, "elder brother, next of kin."  The Administrator's Account of May 1749 lists heirs John, Ann, and Pricilla Lewis, children of the deceased, "the eldest near 16 years of age" (1).  Winifred Lewis later remarried to Edward Laham.  Winifred died in 1771 and her will dated January 2, 1770, was proved in Prince Georges County on May 27, 1771.

JOHN LEWIS

John Lewis, likely sole male heir named in the Administrator's Account above, was born October 28, 1736 at Broad Creek, Piscataway Parish.  About 1754 he married Sarah Scearce - Sarah about 2 years younger than John (2).  John and Sarah Lewis had 9 children and around 1776 Sarah died.  It is claimed that John Lewis served in the Revolutionary War under George Washington though no record of this service has come to light.  He must have enrolled after 1778 as sometime in that year he was in Washington County, Maryland, and there took the Oath of Fidelity to Maryland, apparently at the same time as son-in-law , Daniel Ketcham (3).  The list of persons taking the Oath showed John Lewis as #71 and Daniel Ketcham as #72.  About this time John Lewis was recorded in Hagerstown, in Washington County. (4).
 

John Lewis remarried to Mary Ketcham of Washington County. in the 1780's. Mary was born in 1759 and was the sister of Daniel Ketcham. Seven more children were born within this marriage.  After the Revolution and in 1784, the Lewises and Ketchams moved to Jefferson County/Shelby County, Kentucky.  John Lewis died there in 1817. Children were John, Daniel, Isaac, Deborah, Mary, Priscilla and Elizabeth.
 

KEZIAH PIGMON LEWIS

Keziah Pigmon Lewis was born on December 30, 1755, in St. John's/Piscataway Parish, Prince Georges County, Maryland (6), the first child of John & Sarah (Scearce) Lewis.  About 1776 she married Daniel Ketcham of Washington County, Maryland (6).  Daniel Ketcham, Jr. is credited with patriotic service during the Revolution (16).  In 1784 Daniel Ketcham and Keziah Lewis Ketcham left Washington County, Maryland, with their two children, Rebecca and John, together with Daniel's parents, Joseph and Gertrude Ketcham. They traveled down the Ohio River on a flatboat with their movable belongings and landed at Louisville, Kentucky, in May 1784. At that time, Louisville consisted of a block-house -- a fort of logs and heavy timbers, with loopholes for musketry.
 

After 3 children were born in Maryland, Daniel and family joined the 1794 emigration to Kentucky as stated prior.

By 1798, Daniel & Keziah had 9 children.

   1. Rebecca Ketcham, Aug 26, 1777         6. Lewis Ketcham, Apr. 17, 1791
   2. Mary Ketcham, Apr. 23, 1780           7. Sarah Scearce Ketcham, Nov. 2, 1793
   3. John Ketcham, Sep. 10, 1782           8. Benjamin Ketcham, Sep. 23, 1796
   4. Joseph Ketcham, Apr. 16, 1786         9. Absolom Ketcham, Sep. 19, 1798
   5. Daniel Ketcham, Jr. Sep. 27, 1788
 
 

Lewis and how this name relates to the author and his immediate family.

1. Thomas Lewis b. unknown
 2. John Lewis b. 10-28-1736
  3. Keziah Pigmon Lewis b. 12-30-1755
   4. Rebecca (Ketcham) Mitchell b. 8-26-1777
    5. Daniel Ketcham Mitchell cir. 1800
     6. Sarah Ellen (Mitchell) Taylor
      7. John Wesley Taylor b. 7-7-1857
       8. Joseph Harrison Taylor b. 7-20-1904
 

References:

1. Liber, D.D., 2 Folio 78, Prince Georges County.
2. Cook, Michael L., Pioneer Lewis Families, 1978, vol. 1, p. 851.
3. Brumbaugh, Gaius M., and Hodges, Maragret R., Revolutionary Records of Maryland, Part I,
     Washington, 1924.
4. Maryland Genealogical Bulletin, vol. 9, p. 30.
5. Parish Registry of St. John's Church, Broad Creek, Maryland, vol. 1, p. 231.
6. Cook, Michael L., Pioneer Lewis Families, 1978, vol. 1, p. 852.
 
 

AUTHOR
Charles M. Taylor
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