Post by bbffrrpp on Jul 9, 2005 6:34:07 GMT -5
Hello. I'd like to post information about my great-grandfather, John "Stanley" LEWIS, who was born in Liverpool in Dec. 1860. His parents were John LEWIS and Isabella BURROUGHS, who were married in Liverpool in ~1856 (can't remember exact year at this second).
I have found out that John was the son of William and Elizabeth (?) LEWIS, who had come to Liverpool from Shropshire and Cheshire. I have found Isabella's parents, but can't recall their names at this moment.
As far as I can tell, John and Isabella LEWIS did not have any other children. Or, if they did, I have not yet found them. Around 1870, John LEWIS died, and Mrs. Isabella LEWIS placed her son in the Bluecoat School in Liverpool. Around 1873/74, "Stanley" went to the Liverpool Sheltering Homes. In 1874, he was "shipped to Canada" as a "home child." I found out recently that, when he went to the "Sheltering Homes," he was an orphan.
"Stanley" became a "printer's apprentice" in Truro, NS, and in 1879 there, he married another "home child," Mary Elizabeth CORKILL, b1860 Liverpool. She was the oldest of 5 children who were "shipped to Canada" in 1874 - all going to different homes in Nova Scotia. I just found out recently that they had 2 older brothers who remained in Liverpool and might have been mariners or fishermen. (See my CORKILL posting.)
In 1881, "Stanley" and Mary LEWIS moved to MA/USA, and settled in Stoneham, MA. They raised 13 children there. Within a few years, "Stanley" had started up two, independent Newspapers in Stoneham. (I always knew he was somehow educated in Liverpool.) He was owner/editor of those newspapers until his illness came on around 1922. He died in 1923, and his wife died in 1924, probably both from cancer.
My grandfather was one of their youngest, Silas Dean LEWIS, named after the Stoneham Town Clerk !
Cy LEWIS went to college and became an Engineer.
Unfortunately, the 13 LEWIS children from Stoneham, MA, did not always get along, and not too many of them remained in touch with each other as adults. So, I don't even have a complete list of the spouses and children of these siblings.
I have found out that John LEWIS, "Stanley's" father, had 4? brothers in Liverpool, and they each had many children. So, my great-grandfather had many LEWIS cousins in Liverpool when he left. I have no idea whether he ever saw them again !
When "Stanley" went to Canada, there were 3 LEWIS girls on the ship with him: Josephine, also Age 14, Elizabeth, 9, and Mary, 7. I might have found marriage information for Josephine LEWIS, possibly marrying a George LANE in NS. I can find NO information at all - on Elizabeth and Mary LEWIS.
My family believes that "Stanley" had a sister, but I can find no evidence of that.
In summary, my LEWIS grandfather (married 3 times), had "many" nephews and nieces, most of whom I never met, and don't even know their names. And, my LEWIS great-grandfather had many cousins in Liverpool who he might not have ever seen again - after Age 14.
One "story" I can add is that, a few years ago, I placed a query on the Nova Scotia Mailing List about the LEWIS and CORKILL names. Within 15 minutes, a lady in British Columbia/Canada responded. She was so excited she didn't know what to say. She was born and raised in Nova Scotia, and had been saving a shoebox full of family-photos of "Stanley" and Mary LEWIS "forever." Within a few months, I had that box of photos !
Another quick "story" is that my father is buried in the same gravesite with his grandmother, Mrs. Mary (CORKILL) LEWIS. Most times my sister would visit the gravesite, she would find fresh flowers already there. She left a note on the "stone," and received a phone call the next day. My father's cousin was the one leaving the flowers, and, as it turned out, she lived a 10-minute drive from my home. (Unfortunately, I haven't had time to visit her and see if she has some of the missing family-information.)
Another "story" is that my grandfather, "Cy" LEWIS had 3 children from his first marriage, 4 step-chidren from his second marriage (whom he helped to raise), and 3 step-children from his third marriage. His 2nd wife died in 1948 when I was 4, and I have no memory of meeting the family. But, through the Internet, I have found 3 daughters of those step-children. And, I do remember meeting some of the 3rd wife's grandchildren, but don't know their married names. But, I just found out recently that one of them still lives in my grandfather's home in MA/USA. (He died suddenly in 1961, but his widow lived in the same home until her death in 1983.)
I have just written to the family to see if they have my grandfather's "boxes of family photos and personal papers."
I have found out that John was the son of William and Elizabeth (?) LEWIS, who had come to Liverpool from Shropshire and Cheshire. I have found Isabella's parents, but can't recall their names at this moment.
As far as I can tell, John and Isabella LEWIS did not have any other children. Or, if they did, I have not yet found them. Around 1870, John LEWIS died, and Mrs. Isabella LEWIS placed her son in the Bluecoat School in Liverpool. Around 1873/74, "Stanley" went to the Liverpool Sheltering Homes. In 1874, he was "shipped to Canada" as a "home child." I found out recently that, when he went to the "Sheltering Homes," he was an orphan.
"Stanley" became a "printer's apprentice" in Truro, NS, and in 1879 there, he married another "home child," Mary Elizabeth CORKILL, b1860 Liverpool. She was the oldest of 5 children who were "shipped to Canada" in 1874 - all going to different homes in Nova Scotia. I just found out recently that they had 2 older brothers who remained in Liverpool and might have been mariners or fishermen. (See my CORKILL posting.)
In 1881, "Stanley" and Mary LEWIS moved to MA/USA, and settled in Stoneham, MA. They raised 13 children there. Within a few years, "Stanley" had started up two, independent Newspapers in Stoneham. (I always knew he was somehow educated in Liverpool.) He was owner/editor of those newspapers until his illness came on around 1922. He died in 1923, and his wife died in 1924, probably both from cancer.
My grandfather was one of their youngest, Silas Dean LEWIS, named after the Stoneham Town Clerk !
Cy LEWIS went to college and became an Engineer.
Unfortunately, the 13 LEWIS children from Stoneham, MA, did not always get along, and not too many of them remained in touch with each other as adults. So, I don't even have a complete list of the spouses and children of these siblings.
I have found out that John LEWIS, "Stanley's" father, had 4? brothers in Liverpool, and they each had many children. So, my great-grandfather had many LEWIS cousins in Liverpool when he left. I have no idea whether he ever saw them again !
When "Stanley" went to Canada, there were 3 LEWIS girls on the ship with him: Josephine, also Age 14, Elizabeth, 9, and Mary, 7. I might have found marriage information for Josephine LEWIS, possibly marrying a George LANE in NS. I can find NO information at all - on Elizabeth and Mary LEWIS.
My family believes that "Stanley" had a sister, but I can find no evidence of that.
In summary, my LEWIS grandfather (married 3 times), had "many" nephews and nieces, most of whom I never met, and don't even know their names. And, my LEWIS great-grandfather had many cousins in Liverpool who he might not have ever seen again - after Age 14.
One "story" I can add is that, a few years ago, I placed a query on the Nova Scotia Mailing List about the LEWIS and CORKILL names. Within 15 minutes, a lady in British Columbia/Canada responded. She was so excited she didn't know what to say. She was born and raised in Nova Scotia, and had been saving a shoebox full of family-photos of "Stanley" and Mary LEWIS "forever." Within a few months, I had that box of photos !
Another quick "story" is that my father is buried in the same gravesite with his grandmother, Mrs. Mary (CORKILL) LEWIS. Most times my sister would visit the gravesite, she would find fresh flowers already there. She left a note on the "stone," and received a phone call the next day. My father's cousin was the one leaving the flowers, and, as it turned out, she lived a 10-minute drive from my home. (Unfortunately, I haven't had time to visit her and see if she has some of the missing family-information.)
Another "story" is that my grandfather, "Cy" LEWIS had 3 children from his first marriage, 4 step-chidren from his second marriage (whom he helped to raise), and 3 step-children from his third marriage. His 2nd wife died in 1948 when I was 4, and I have no memory of meeting the family. But, through the Internet, I have found 3 daughters of those step-children. And, I do remember meeting some of the 3rd wife's grandchildren, but don't know their married names. But, I just found out recently that one of them still lives in my grandfather's home in MA/USA. (He died suddenly in 1961, but his widow lived in the same home until her death in 1983.)
I have just written to the family to see if they have my grandfather's "boxes of family photos and personal papers."