Lavinia M. Hurlburt Lewis    

LAVINIA M. LEWIS, daughter of James and Abigail Hurlburt, was born at Lisle, Broome Co., N. Y., in 1806, and in 1828 married O. A. Lewis, son of Jesse Lewis, of Lisle, N. Y. In 1831 they removed to Ulysses, Potter Co., Penn., whither but five families had preceded them. Mr. Lewis purchased a farm in what is now the center of Lewisville, which he cleared, set out an orchard, built a saw-mill and engaged in sawing lumber, principally pine and cherry. He was the first justice of the peace there, and after the organization of the county became its first treasurer; was afterward auditor, and in 1841 was elected sheriff; was also appointed associate judge, serving two terms. Refusing a commission at the beginning of the Civil war, Mr. Lewis enlisted as a private in Company G, Fifty-third Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and at the retreat from the Chickahominy he was taken sick, dying at Harrison’s Landing in August, 1862. He was a highly respected gentleman, who won the esteem of all Lewisville, his former home, was named in his honor. He was active as a temperance organizer, liberal in his charities, social, and a good counselor. His house was always open, and was the retreat of all in distress. He was the general agent through whom people transacted much business in that locality, and his usefulness will probably never be replaced. To Mr. and Mrs. Lewis were born three children: Elvina, now Mrs. Dennis Hall, of Keating; Erastus D., who took his father’s place on the farm, was deputy sheriff for twelve years, and register and recorder six years, dying May 13, 1888; the youngest is William Henry H. Mrs. Lewis removed to Coudersport in 1871, when she erected her late residence. She was liberal in her views of the tenets of all churches, but preferred and was a member of the Universalist. Ulysses had never given a license to this denomination, and at one time she found cause to circulate a remonstrance, obtaining to it the signature of every person in that township over twelve years of age, with but one exception, getting in all 120 signatures. Mrs. Lewis departed this life February 17, 1889, sincerely mourned by her family and numerous friends. Her remains were interred beside those of her son, Erastus D., in the family burying ground at Lewisville, and beyond all doubt her last resting place will be kept green and sacredly guarded by her surviving children.

History of the counties of McKean, Elk, Cameron and Potter, Pennsylvania : with biographical selections, including their early settlement and development, a description of the historic and interesting localities, sketches of their cities, towns and villages, portraits of prominent men, biographies of representative citizens, outline history of Pennsylvania, statistics. Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co., 1890, pages 1161-1162.  Search Hundreds of 1880s-1890s Pennsylvania County History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Free Access to the old history books - plus birth & death records, census images and ALL other records at ancestry.com

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