400 years of our Lewis line in North America

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Dave Lewis

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Jan 24, 2023, 2:22:44 PM1/24/23
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In 11 years it will be the 400th anniversary of Edmund's arrival in North America. Some of us may not be around or ambulatory enough to do anything celebrate this momentous undertaking. But, what should we and/or our descendants do, if anything, to commemorate his and his family's crossing of the Atlantic and landing on the shore of Massachusetts? It's never too early.

Hope everyone is well.

Dave

Michael Lewis

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Jan 24, 2023, 2:55:48 PM1/24/23
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    Good idea, Dave!  Drinks all around, then!

    It would be cool to have a gathering in Watertown, Massachusetts, but in 2034 I will be 84 and probably reluctant to make a train trip across the country from coastal California to eastern Massachusetts.

    My wife and I traveled to Lynn by train in 2008, when we were 15 years younger. It was a grand trip, six days on trains, six days in Massachusetts, and five days on trains coming back home (time is relative when traveling by train). We haven't flown since our genealogy research trip to the UK in 2007, and never will again. Perhaps those who are able could meet in Lynn and we elders could join up virtually?

    It would be fun to publicize such an event in advance. I'm sure history buffs in Watertown and Lynn would be interested. Might gain some interesting local perks for attendees.

    Let the planning begin, however it turns out!

    Michael
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Jackie Lewis

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Jan 24, 2023, 5:24:49 PM1/24/23
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Hi Michael and others,
I'm with you...in 11 yrs I'll be 86, and don't think I'll be doing much travelling by then.  Sounds like a great idea tho!
I was in Lynn a few short frisky years before Covid and was delighted to have Daniel Cushman Lewis (residing in NH) meet me for lunch.
The historical society is expansive, lovely, and staff helpful.
I certainly do encourage any who are interested in such an adventures!

Jacqueline Lewis, DDS
Chapter Registrar 8091CA
Patience Wright Chapter NSDAR


Joel Lewis

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Jan 24, 2023, 6:19:39 PM1/24/23
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FYI, I'll be 86 then, too. That's why I worded it the way I did. It may not be for many of us, but maybe by then there will be enough "youngsters" interested to make it worthwhile to take pictures. There are many of us scattered around the continent. We just haven't found all of them yet.

Joy Durrett

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Jan 24, 2023, 6:39:43 PM1/24/23
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We are all getting older but it does sound like fun. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 24, 2023, at 3:27 PM, 'Joel Lewis' via Descendants of Edmond Lewis <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Jackie Lewis

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Jan 24, 2023, 7:07:45 PM1/24/23
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Wow!  A bunch of War Babies.  Not to be confused with Boomers!


Jacqueline Lewis, DDS
Chapter Registrar 8091CA
Patience Wright Chapter NSDAR


Joy Durrett

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Jan 24, 2023, 7:30:22 PM1/24/23
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Ron will be 89. Definitely would have to be the virtual. However one never knows how spry the any of us will be at that age.

 My uncle at 89 stopped his car quickly and avoided an accident. The police officer said he hoped his reflexes were that good when he reached his age. So you never know. Time will tell. 

We definitely need to find more young people to make the journey. If we were to go it would be in our motor home but we would have to find someone to drive us there. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 24, 2023, at 4:07 PM, 'Jackie Lewis' via Descendants of Edmond Lewis <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Daniel C. Lewis

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Jan 25, 2023, 6:55:29 AM1/25/23
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I’ll be 84 hopefully.  If this happens at least I’ll be close by.  It was great to meet Jacqueline for lunch and would like to meet others if they make the pilgrimage in the meantime.  Dan  Lewis

Joy Durrett

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Jan 25, 2023, 1:18:23 PM1/25/23
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Dan

Do you have any Morgans or Allen’s connected to the your Lewis’s. 

Thanks
Joy

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On Jan 25, 2023, at 4:01 AM, Daniel C. Lewis <dcushm...@gmail.com> wrote:

I’ll be 84 hopefully.  If this happens at least I’ll be close by.  It was great to meet Jacqueline for lunch and would like to meet others if they make the pilgrimage in the meantime.  Dan  Lewis

Daniel C. Lewis

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Jan 28, 2023, 8:38:25 AM1/28/23
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Joy;  I have a Henry Lewis (1788-1832) married to Hannah S. Allen (1793-1835) with 8 children.  Dan

Jackie Lewis

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Jan 28, 2023, 1:28:38 PM1/28/23
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Dear Cousins,
I really had to laugh at myself when I thought I would be 86 in 11 yrs!  I'll be 89.  So certainly not jetting around anymore.  Yikes!
Is this what old age looks like?
Jackie




Joy Durrett

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Jan 29, 2023, 1:52:47 AM1/29/23
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Dan

I just sent you an email. I need more information on Henry Lewis and Hannah Allen. 
Do you know who their parents were? And the names of their children?

Where were they from? 

Thank you. 
Joy

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On Jan 28, 2023, at 10:28 AM, 'Jackie Lewis' via Descendants of Edmond Lewis <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Sandy Noe

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Feb 3, 2023, 6:06:49 PM2/3/23
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In 11years I’ll be 91. 
From: 'Jackie Lewis' via Descendants of Edmond Lewis <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2023 12:28:31 PM
To: descendants-o...@googlegroups.com <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Lewis Genealogy 567] 400 years of our Lewis line in North America
 

Jackie Lewis

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Feb 3, 2023, 6:10:22 PM2/3/23
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Sandy Noe,
Are you a "new" Lewis cousin?
I'm in Southern California, where are you?
I see we have a lot of war babies in our group.
Jackie

Sandy Noe

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Feb 3, 2023, 6:15:04 PM2/3/23
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I’ve been here awhile but in active. I live in East Texas in Quitman north of Tyler. 

Sandra Lewis Noe
From: 'Jackie Lewis' via Descendants of Edmond Lewis <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 3, 2023 5:10:19 PM
To: descendants-o...@googlegroups.com <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Lewis Genealogy 570] 400 years of our Lewis line in North America
 

Jackie Lewis

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Feb 3, 2023, 6:18:58 PM2/3/23
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Hi S,
Always happy to meet a new cousin.
Yes, I do DAR through my Lewis connect back to New Jersey during the Rev War.J
Jackie

Joel Lewis

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Feb 3, 2023, 7:04:02 PM2/3/23
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Hi Sandy. Good to hear from you. I hope you are doing well.

Jackie, Sandy has been among us longer than I have. She operates under the FTDNA y-DNA kit of her brother Phillip Randall Lewis, as a 4th cousin to me. Phillip is an exact match to me at 37 markers. Sandy has a autosomal kit on Ancestry.com, too, but not sure if it is hers or Phillip's.

Several years ago I helped organize a "Lewis family reunion" in Texas along with a 3rd cousin no longer with us, Charles William Lewis, who has a now-unclaimed y-DNA kit on FTDNA. This was held at his house in Sunnyvale TX, which is just east of Dallas. Sandy attended this reunion. It was the first attempt at a Lewis get-together among our Southern Branch, at least that I am aware of. Charles, another third cousin, James "Sonny" Lewis, and I traveled west to meet with a couple of other 3rd cousins in Eastland and Brown counties, and we went to the gravesites of our nearest common ancestors, Zerah Lewis and Sarah Leggett Lewis, our gg-grandparents, in Desdemona, Eastland County TX. In all, we meet with descendants of four of the sons of Zerah and Sarah. We also met with a descendant of one of Sarah Leggett's brothers, a fourth cousin. James Lewis, mentioned above, has a kit on Ancestry.com, as does his daughter.

I did meet Whit Athey, another fourth cousin descended from the same son of Samuel Lewis as Sandy (Asa), several years back. Whit manages the y-DNA and autosomal kits of his cousin James E. Lewis on FTDNA.

So, we're not all total strangers.

Dave

Joel Lewis

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Feb 4, 2023, 10:48:46 AM2/4/23
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And, I met with Ron and Joy Durrett for lunch in late November. They live down the road a bit.

Jackie Lewis

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Feb 4, 2023, 1:05:30 PM2/4/23
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Dave,
Wow!  I didn't realize that this project has been going on for years!  This is terrific; but I see as we age, we are not so lively to travel around.  But, of course, now is when we have time for such hobbies.  Cool that so many cousins have been interested.
Thank you for the summary!
How are you enjoying your relocation to OR?  Brrr, it certainly is cold up there in Idaho.
Cuz Jackie

Joy Durrett

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Feb 4, 2023, 7:53:34 PM2/4/23
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Jackie

It is old here in Southern Oregon, too. It is nice having Dave here to answer questions on the Lewis’s. 

I recently had a match on the Allen surname. The gentleman that answered my message is from New Brunswick Canada. His Allen line has been there for 10 generations. 23andMe shows we share a 3rd Great Grandparents. I know who Ron’s 2nd Great Grandparents are on both sides. So I am looking forward to see what he finds out. 

Joy



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On Feb 4, 2023, at 10:05 AM, 'Jackie Lewis' via Descendants of Edmond Lewis <descendants-o...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Joel Lewis

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Feb 4, 2023, 9:47:02 PM2/4/23
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No. It's cold. Not sure why I am listed as Joel. He's my evil twin.

Sent from BlueMail

Jackie Lewis

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Feb 4, 2023, 10:59:13 PM2/4/23
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LOL

Geoff Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 11:15:03 AM2/14/23
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I feel like the young buck here at the ripe old age of 35 lol - I live in the greater Boston area and would be happy to meet up with a distant relative. As far as I can tell I am the last Lewis male in my branch going back at least 4 or 5 generations. You can count me in on any get togethers in the area or anything virtual. Cheers everyone!

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/descendants-of-edmond-lewis/586596515.401136.1675569546671%40mail.yahoo.com.

Michael Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 12:23:29 PM2/14/23
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    Hello Youngster Geoff!

    It;s great to know that you live in the Boston area. At least one of Edmond's descendants still walks the Olde Stomping Grounds.

    I'm really curious about one thing concerning our Edmond. Edmond's will comes to us from the Essex Institute in Salem, in George Harlan Lewis's book, "Edmund Lewis of Lynn and some of his descendants., publishes in 1908.There are two version of this will that differ in the final paragraph and Edmond's signature.

    The final paragraph reads: "Also my request is to Thomas Hastings to be my supervisor to assist my lovinge wife." The signature looks like this:

                                            his
                            Edmund  X  Lewis 
                                          mark

    The other version reads: "Also my request is to Thomas Austines to be my supervisor to assist my lovinge wife."
    The signature is just "Edmund Lewis

    I know the "Thomas Hastings" version is correct as Thomas Hastings shipped aboard the Elizabeth in 1634 with Edmond and family and was known in Watertown as Deacon Thomas Hastings.

    I've searched for a long time for an image of Edmond's original will, to no effect. But I've only been in the area for a short time in 2005, so I haven't had a chance to visit the Massachusetts Archives in Boston, and the Lynn Historical Society, which was closed for a time while I was there. They may have other records relative to Edmond and family since they were in Lynn for several generations.

    Go HERE for my website about our trip from California to Lynn in 2005

    I suspect that George Harlan Lewis had access to the original will, and subsequent researchers misinterpreted the Thomas Hastings in the original handwriting.

    Geoff, are you familiar with the Massachusetts Archives in Boston? Would you be interested in tracking down Edmond's original will and getting an image of it for us? I queried the Essex Institute in Salem, but they did not find it there, so my hopes are that it lies well preserved in the Archives.

     Looking forward to a face to face next year!!

    Michael

Jackie Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 4:17:47 PM2/14/23
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Hi Geoff,
Nice to hear you are out there in our ancestral home land!
Don't feel too young...my 30 yr old nephew will be our branch's ongoing historian.  his cousin donated to the Ygroup  (also young).  so I think there will be generational interest in all this.
Welcome to the historical hunt!
I'm out here in Southern Cal; my great grand dad jumped from Des Moines area to LA in about 1889; his granddad having jumped from Basking Ridge NJ (1775s) to farm in Canton, IL.  Do I need to say that family artifacts were left behind?
Ten years ago I had NO IDEA that Lewis was a long time American family!
So, "new" cousin, do you know from whom you are descended?  Do you know about the book "Twelve Generations of Lewises in America"??
Cali Cuz Jackie

Geoff Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 5:07:55 PM2/14/23
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Hi All -

It's a shame, my grandfather did a ton of research on this in MA back in the early 90's on this and he would have loved this discussion. As luck would have it, he had traced this lineage going in a different direction based purely on documents he had found. I can say with great certainty that I have this tracked back this far:

Timothy Lewis B. 1740-45 D. 1816 - I don't have a good birthdate here, so it could in fact be from Wilmington a few years earlier.
William Lewis B. 1780 D. 10/9/1836
Hanson Beetfield Lewis B. 11/27/1809 D. 7/15/1891
William Henry Lewis B. 3/20/1852 D. 12/9/1918
Paul Davies Lewis B. 3/10/1916 D. 3 Jan 1997
Morgan Hanson Lewis B 3/29/1952 D 4/21/2008
Geoffrey Morgan Lewis B 12/04/1987

I have had a hard time tracking anything farther back than William to Timothy, but everything up till then is rock solid as they are all buried in my Lewis family plot here in Woburn, MA. I have attached a few pictures of pages from a middlesex county historical book that references the family in pretty good detail. I also have some extremely old pictures kicking around that go back I think as far as William, if not Hanson. I also have a family bible that goes back to Hanson as well, with births and deaths. Once it get's up to William to Timothy I don't have anything firm. If I can sneak in the time I can try and source other things locally here if you folks can tell me where to look. 

Prior to the DNA testing, my grandfather believed us to be related to John Lewis of Wales who came over in 1634, and in some documents is purported to be related to Edmund, but I cant track this down either. Regardless, one of John's descendants encouraged me to take the bigY, and the bigY test happened to disproved the link to John.
1. John Lewis
Birth 10 AUG 1603 in Eastbourne, Sussex, England.
Death 16 SEP 1657 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts.
Married Margaret Hale abt 1838 in Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts
2. Samuel Lewis 1st
Birth 24 JUN 1641 Charlestown, Suffolk, Massachusetts
Death 01 FEB 1699 Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Married Sarah Dutton 3 Apr 1683 in Billerica, Middlesex, Massachusetts
3. Samuel Lewis 2nd
Birth 19 MAY 1682 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts [I am not where this came from. It is premature based on the marriage of his parents.]
Death 1750 in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts  [I am not sure where this came from.]
Married Sarah Boutwell 6 Dec 1706 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts
4. Samuel Lewis (3rd)
Birth 16 AUG 1714 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Death Unknown
Married Sarah Tailor 10 Jul 1736 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts
5. Timothy Lewis
No birth record; cannot confirm parents
Death 1 JUN 1816 in Lancaster, Worcester, Massachusetts [based on probate file]
Married Martha Sweetser 25 Jun 1767 in South Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts
6. William Lewis
No birth record [William is mentioned as a son of Timothy in his father’s will.]
No death record
Married Lettice [No marriage record. William and Lettice are given as parents in Hanson’s birth record and in Hanson’s marriage record to his 3rd wife Frances A Baker]
7. Hanson Beetfield Lewis
Birth 27 NOV 1809 in Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Death 15 JUL 1891 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Married Olive W Walker 4 Apr 1850 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts [marriage record to Hanson gives last name Weeks, which is likely prior husband’s surname; William Henry Lewis’ marriage record to Winifred Davies gives mother’s name as Olive W Walker]
8. William Henry Lewis
Birth 20 MAR 1852 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Death 9 DEC 1918 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Married Winifred Davies 14 Apr 1909 in Stark County, Ohio
9. Paul Davies Lewis
Birth 10 MAR 1916 in Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts
Death 3 JAN 1997
Married Elsa E Hanson
20170904_174347.jpg
20170904_174358.jpg

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/descendants-of-edmond-lewis/1542966275.1717328.1676409461898%40mail.yahoo.com.

Geoff Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 5:08:51 PM2/14/23
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20170904_174426.jpg20170904_174505.jpg

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/descendants-of-edmond-lewis/1542966275.1717328.1676409461898%40mail.yahoo.com.

Jackie Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 6:47:38 PM2/14/23
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Hi again Geoff,
I forgot to ask "MA all these years?"  But I see yes, that is so.
My job as chapter registrar for Daughters of the American Revolution has caused me to learn a great deal about what is and is not accepted as "fact" in genealogies.  Local county histories are a good clue; but the actual documents prevail.
Good for your granddad in finding so much.  My grand never spoke of family history.  I think it was not known.  What little I did have from oral history was filtered through my grandma.
Amazing what we can learn.
Bravo!

Geoff Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 8:50:10 PM2/14/23
to 'Joy Durrett' via Descendants of Edmond Lewis
Hi Jackie, 

Yes as far as I can tell it's been MA all these years. Like I said I trust back to Timothy on the country records, mostly because of the circular reference back to his grandson Hanson tending the in law farm. It's just such an odd detail, and the town farm warden note gives me the impression they were fairly well known in those years, but of course could be wrong. I'll see if I can dig up the other carbon copies of documents he had collected and see how far they go back and in what other direction they could point. I'll see if I can get my hands on the old family bible as well.

Sherman - I have seen somewhere along the way William being referred to as Willie, but I am fairly certain that's just a coincidence. I am unaware of any tie in's to Maine or NH.



20170904_174505.jpg
20170904_174426.jpg

Michael Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 9:31:13 PM2/14/23
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    Hello Geoff:

    According to George Harlan Lewis, your descent from Edmond Lewes of Lynn to Timothy Lewis is as follows:
  1. Edmond Lewes - 1602 (1597?) - 1650; Ipswich, Suffolk, England - Watertown and Lynn, Massachusetts; married Mary, surname unknown
  2. Joseph Lewes - b. after 1642, no record of his birth - Lynn, MA to Swansea, MA.; married Mary Jones; said to be the first killed in King Phillips War. 1675.
  3. Joseph Lewis - 1672 - 1755 - Swansea to Woburn; Married Hannah Jones
  4. Joseph Lewis - 1707 - ? Born in Woburn, death unknown; married Lydia Pearson
  5. Timothy Lewis - b. 1736, in Wilmington, death unknown

        NOTE: Woburn and Wilmington are coterminous, set off in 1730.

    So there's your descent from Edmond Lewes of Lynn!
   
    Michael

Michael Lewis

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Feb 14, 2023, 9:34:34 PM2/14/23
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    Hi Jackie and all:

    It pays to be real careful with "Twelve Generations of Lewises in
America." I've gone through it thoroughly and found several things that
were incorrect according to my documentation. Look for primary documents
whenever possible.

    Michael

Daniel Cushman Lewis

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Feb 15, 2023, 5:47:22 AM2/15/23
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Geoff this makes us 7th cousins.

On Feb 14, 2023, at 5:07 PM, Geoff Lewis <glew...@gmail.com> wrote:



Jackie Lewis

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Feb 15, 2023, 6:24:37 PM2/15/23
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Thanks Geoff,
Good reading!
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