Descendants of John "the Immigrant" Lewis
of Monmouthshire, Wales

Generation #1

John "the Immigrant" Lewis

Research Note: Re-reading Lewis Patriarchs of Early Virginia and Maryland, 3rd ed. by Robert JCK Lewis provided significant edits to this historiography.

John "the Immigrant" Lewis and his progeny are the Warner Hall family of Lewises. Cited on his tombstone as "John Lewis bourne in Munmouthshire," John was believed to be descended from the Lewis Family of Cardiganshire, Wales. However, yDNA evidence proves that John is not related to Edmund "the Immigrant" Lewis of Middlesex Co VA. This John is a descendant of the Lewis Family of Monmouthshire, the easternmost county of Wales on the Severn Estuary.

John Lewis was baptized 2/22/1592 at St Telios Church, Llantilio Pertholey, Monmouthshire, Wales. This was the family church wherein reside the Lewis family records. John grew up on one of this Lewis family's holdings in Monmouthshire, Wales. On 2/3/1611 at St Telios, John married Johane furch Richard Lewis b. c. 1593 in Wales with whom he had three children. Evidently, she died young. On 11/21/1630 at St Telios, John married Catherine Philip b. c. 1610 in Wales. John and family lived in Wales until about 1653 when they immigrated to Gloucester Co VA. The first record for John in America is found in the 7/1/1653 York Co VA land patent where he received 250 acres as headright for transportation of five persons: himself, Lydia (Lettitia), William, Edward, and John, Jr. Note, wife Catherine is not listed.

John lived a good life and sired an enormously successful line who married into the most powerful families of Virginia--Washington, Marshall, Fielding, Meriwether, Daingerfield, Taliaferro. Descendants of John would sire presidents. But, perhaps, the most remarkable thing about John of Monmouthshire is his almost three-hundred-year anonymity. Most historians know of Councilor John Lewis, and some know of his father, Maj. John Lewis of Chemokins. But until the 1948 discovery of John "the Immigrant's" tombstone on the original family plantation, no one knew of this John Lewis.

Virginia Magazine of History & Biography, Apr 48 & Aug 54:
John Lewis, b. 1594 Monmouthshire, d. 1657. . .his grave found in 1948

John died 8/21/1657 on the family plantation. The cemetery is now located in New Kent Co VA.

Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, v. 1, p. 229:
1 July, 1653, land granted to John Lewis, 250 acres, head of a branch of Poropotanke Creek called Lewis Creek (formerly Totopotomoye Creek) in Gloucester Co. Adjoining lands of Capt. Francis Morgan and Samuel Sally. Transported 5 persons: John Lewis, Lidia Lewis, Wm. Lewis, Edward Lewis, John Lewis Jr.
Epitaphs of Gloucester and Mathews Counties in Tidewater Virginia through 1865, pp. 95-99:
The dividing line between Gloucester County and King and Queen County is Poropotank Creek. On the King and Queen side of this creek JOHN LEWIS in 1653 received a patent for a tract of land; this land was not far from paradise in Gloucester. . . .

Old New Kent County History, Vol. 1, pp. 268-271:
On the left of the road which passes up a slight hill on the King and Queen side of the creek lies the Lewis Plantation. This was the seat of the first JOHN LEWIS who had his first patent to 250 acres of land in 1653, and added more land. JOHN LEWIS lived here several years before his death in 1657.
Here lieth interred the body
of JOHN LEWIS (borne in Munmouth-
shire) died the 21th of August
1657 aged 63 years. The anagram
of his name, "I shew no ill."

    Children w/ Johane furch Richard Lewis

    1. Gwenillian Lewis ch. 2/1612 Monmouthshire, Wales

    2. Lettitia Lewis

Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, v. 1, p. 229:
Mr. JOHN LEWIS, 250 acres at the head of a branch belonging to Poropotanke Creek, called Lewis Cr. But formerly Totopotomoys Creek in Glouchester County, 1 July 1653. Transported 5 persons: John Lewis, Lidia Lewis, Wm. Lewis, Edward Lewis, John Lewis Jr.

    3. Watkin Lewis ch. 1/1/1621 Monmouthshire, Wales

    Children w/ Catherine Philip

    4. Maj. William Lewis

Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, v. 1, p. 229:
Mr. JOHN LEWIS, 250 acres at the head of a branch belonging to Poropotanke Creek, called Lewis Cr. But formerly Totopotomoys Creek in Glouchester County, 1 July 1653. Transported 5 persons: John Lewis, Lidia Lewis, Wm. Lewis, Edward Lewis, John Lewis Jr.
William and Mary College Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3. (Jan., 1901), pp. 191-192:
William Lewis, 50 acres in York county, southwest side of the freshes of York River, October 14, 1653.
William Lewis, 640 acres in Gloucester county, north side of Mattaponi, May 25, 1654.
William and Mary College Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3. (Jan., 1901), pp. 191-192:
William Lewis, 1,200 acres in Gloucester county, north side of Mattaponi River, May 25, 1654
William and Mary College Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3. (Jan., 1901), pp. 191-192:
William Lewis, 2,000 acres in New Kent, north- east side of same river, bounded with Mamasheement on the northwest side of Mattaponi River, on Arsantan's Creek, adjoining 640 acres of said Lewis, in New Kent county, June 8, 1655
William and Mary College Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3. (Jan., 1901), pp. 191-192:
William Lewis, 2,600 acres on the southwest side of the freshes of York River, including half the divident commonly called Port Holy alias Chimahocans, purchased by said Major Lewis of Col. John West, January 20, 1656
William and Mary College Historical Magazine, Vol. 9, No. 3. (Jan., 1901), pp. 191-192:
William Lewis, 2,000 acres in Westmoreland County, June 28, 1658 (patented with Robert Hubbard). 

    5. Maj. John Lewis ch. 12/15/1633 Liantilio Pertholey, Monmouthshire, Wales

    6. Edward Lewis

Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, v. 1, p. 229:
Mr. John Lewis, 250 acres at the head of a branch belonging to Poropotanke Creek, called Lewis Cr. But formerly Totopotomoys Creek in Glouchester County, 1 July 1653. Transported 5 persons: John Lewis, Lidia Lewis, Wm. Lewis, Edward Lewis, John Lewis Jr.
Edward Lewis patented lands on the Rappahannock and King and Queen.
Northern Neck Grants No. 1, 1690-1692, p. 96-98:
8/21/1691 Lewis, Thomas; Lewis, Edward; and Morgan, William: 321 acres begg. &c on a pocoson swamp that issueth out of the westward branch of Totoskey.
Northern Neck Grants No. 1, 1690-1692, p. 98-100:
8/21/1691 Lewis, Thomas; Lewis, Edward; and Morgan, William: 360 acres part in the County of Rappahannock and part supposed to be in Northumberland County. Beg.g in Rappa. County &c. being a corner of Thomas Freshwater's land, run.g &c. in the line of Zacheriah Nicholls.

Generation #2

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This site is provided for reference only. Except where specifically cited, information contained is conjecture and should not be considered as fact.
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