Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas Page: 457 of 894
762 p., [172] leaves of plates : ill., ports. ; 30 cm.View a full description of this book.
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380
INDIAN TWAVRS AND PIONEERS OF TEXAS.
CHARLES LEWIS,
HEARNE, ROBERTSON COUNTY.Although a number of settlers had taken up
their abode within the present limits of Robertson
County previous to the Revolution of 1835-6 and
others continued to do so during the succeeding
years of the Republic, it was not until a much
later date that the Brazos portion of the county
began to fill with that thrifty class of planters
whose intelligent and well directed labors did so
much towards developing the wonderfully rich soil
of that section and in giving to the county the
excellent reputation for agriculture which it has
since enjoyed.
The year 1852 is marked in the history of the
State as the one during which occurred the greatest
immigration, previous to the late war. Robertson
County received its proportion of that
immigration, and from that year dates the advent
in the county of many who were afterwards distinguished
for their thrift, wealth and good
citizenship. Of this number was the late Charles
Lewis, of Hearne.
Mr. Lewis was born in Farmington, Conn.,
April 14, 1822. His father was Calvin Lewis, and
his mother bore the maiden name of Martha Root,
both of whom were natives of Connecticut and descendants
of early-settled New England families,
the mother being a sister of the mother of the
distinguished Federal soldier and Congressman,
Gen. Joseph E. Hawley. Mr. Lewis was reared
in his native place in the schools of which he
received an excellent education. At the age of
twenty-four he left Connecticut on account of illhealth
and went to Louisiana, taking up his residence
in Bozier Parish. There he met, and in
March, 1846, married Miss Adeline Hearne, a
daughter of William and Nancy Hearne and sister
of Ebenezer and Horatio R. Hearne, in company
with the latter two of whom he came to Texas in
1852 and settled at Wheelock in Robertson County.
Mr. Lewis had been engaged in planting in Louisiana
and immediately on settling in Robertson County,
opened a plantation on the Brazos. He gave his
attention exclusively to this interest until after the
war, up to which time he resided at Wheelock.
After the war he lived a year on his plantation,
then at Houston for six years, and in 1872, on the
laying out of Hearne, moved to that place which he
subsequently made his home till his death. Hewas one of the first to locate at Hearne and erected
there the first business building and the first dwelling.
He was one of the earliest and always one of
the most steadfast supporters of the town and all its
interests. His own interests and pursuits were of
a somewhat diversified nature, though chiefly agricultural.
In the course of years he developed a
large plantation in the Brazos bottoms and acquired
a considerable amount of property. He stood
among the first in a community noted for men of
sound intelligence and mqre than average wealth.
Born and reared in a Northern climate, the vigor
of his intellect lost nothing by transplanting while
he added to it habits of unweary exertion and sound
practical business methods. His reputation was
that of a safe, steady-going, straight forward man
of business and his judgment always commanded
respect. He represented Robertson County two
terms in the State Legislature and proved an able,
efficient and acceptable representative. He had but
little inclination, however, for public affairs and
gave way in such matters to those more eager for
popular applause and political preferment. A
Democrat in politics, he always gave a cordial support
to the men and measures of his party. He
was a strong sympathizer with the South during the
war and though not in the military service, he lent
the cause very substantial aid of a kind it stood
most in need of.
Mr. Lewis was made a mason in early manhood
and took great interest in the order. He was a
charter member of the lodge at Hearne, which he
subsequently served as master. He united with
the Presbyterian Church at the age of sixteen and
was a member of the same ever after, and to the
support of this Church as well as to all worthy
purposes he was a valued contributor.
Mr. Lewis died October 22, 1882. He left surviving
him a widow, one son and two daughters.
His son, the late Henry L. Lewis of Hearne, was a
large planter of Robertson County, represented
that county in the State Legislature and was a
man of acknowledged ability and influence in the
State.
Mr. Lewis's eldest daughter, Mrs. Fannie M.
Glass, wife of F. A. Glass, died in 1889, leaving
four children three of whom are now living. The
youngest daughter, Mrs. Willie E. Moreland, wife
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Brown, John Henry. Indian Wars and Pioneers of Texas, book, 1880~; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth6725/m1/457/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.