The LEWIS Family of Lancaster, Worcestor, MA

MARY LEWIS

Parents: William Lewis and Anne Unknown

Mary Lewis married Josiah White.

Mary was a the First Church of Lancaster on 22 Mar 1712/3. [Ref, p. 271]

WILLIAM LEWIS (d. 1671) of Lancaster

Parents:

William died on 3 (10) 1671 in Lancaster. [Ref]

William was an early inhabitant of Lancaster, signing the town covenant, along with his son John, on 13 (1) 1653. [Ref, pp. 30-31] A Thomas Lewis signed the covenant on the same date. [Ref] On 30 (9) 1653 lots were laid out in Lancaster. Some of the original inhabitants of received 20-acre lots upon the neck lying between the North River and the Penacuck River. William received the seventh of these lots, his property lying next to John White's; his son John received a lot next to his. [Ref, p. 36] After the original division of land in Lancaster, further divisions were contingent on estate size. In 1654 estates were valued and William's - at about £285 - was the fifth largest of the 30 eligible inhabitants; his son John's - at about £18 - was the second smallest. [Ref] He was given about 11 acres of meadow in 1654; his son John was given an acre. [Ref] At a town meeting on 1 (9) 1654 it was agreed to limit the town to 35 families and 25 men were listed as townsman, two of whom were William and his son John. [Ref] On (1) 1659 Goodman Lewis was chosen to serve on the Grand Jury. [Ref] He received the 4th lot in the second division of meadow on 5 Feb 1659; his son John received the 14th lot. [Ref] On 2 Apr 1661 the Middlesex Court released William from all ordinary military training; he was to pay 5 shillings a year. [Ref] William and his son John are on a 28 May 1684 Lancaster tax list, as is a Christopher Lewis. [Ref]

The Lewis's were cousins of Thomas James of Lancaster; he left his property in Lancaster to them. [Ref]

Children of William Lewis and Anne Unknown:

  1. Mary Lewis married Josiah White.
  2. John Lewis married Hannah Unknown. [Ref] He was one of the 13 inhabitants of Lancaster who signed an agreement with John Prescott for the building of the first corn mill in Lancaster. [Ref, p. 32] John was one of 11 Lancaster men who petitioned the General Court in (probably) 1654 for Lancaster to have a similar governance to other towns and requested that the Court appoint a man or men to lay out town boundaries. [Ref] After the Indian massacre in 1675 he moved to Dorchester and did not return. [Ref] He and Hannah had the following children recorded in Lancaster: Bethia (b. 15 (5) 1666), Rebecca (d. 20 (7) 1665), Barachia (b. 31 Jul 1663), Patience (b. 2 Jan 1668), John (b. 20 (4) 1671), William (b. 2 (11) 1673). [Ref, pp. 12 - 14]
  3. Lydia Lewis married Mordecai McLoud. [Ref] They had two children. [Ref] The whole family was slaughtered by Indians on 22 Aug 1675 in Lancaster. [Ref]