McDonough ILGenWeb

LEWIS, William T.— Among the energetic and successful farmers in Emmet Township, McDonough County, Ill., is the gentleman whose name appears at the beginning of this sketch. He is a native of Washington County, Ky., where he was born February 3, 1853. His father, Samuel Lewis, was a Virginian, and his mother, Catherine (Webster) Lewis, was born in Washington County, Ky. His grandfather, James Lewis, was a native of Virginia.

William T. Lewis is the eldest of the six children which composed his parents' family. His father died when William T. was ten years of age, and he came to McDonough County with his mother, who bought a small farm in Emmet Township. There she lived until 1901, when she bought a house in Macomb, where she now resides. The subject of this sketch remained with his mother until 1881, attending the district school in his boyhood. On his marriage he settled on the home farm of fifty acres, to which he has added until he now owns 165 acres, thirty of which are timber land. He raises Poland-China hogs, draft-horses and cattle. His main crops are corn, oats, etc., of which he uses nearly all for feeding his stock.

On September 15, 1881, Mr. Lewis was married to Martha Guy, who was born in Emmet Township, where she attended the district school. The children resulting from their union were: Edgar G.; Katie A., who died May 15, 1890, at the age of five years and nine months; William Grover; and Mary B. In political contests, Mr. Lewis supports the principles of the Democratic party. He served as Road Commissioner two years, and three years as School Trustee, making a good record.

---

Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, page 939, extracted 15 Jun 2019 by Norma Hass.