James Lewis

1728 -

• Name	James Lewis
  Birth	08 Dec 1728	Reading, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America
  Gender	Male
  Person ID	I312684223052	Oswald Genealogy
  Last Modified	15 Jun 2025

  
  

  Father	John Lewis, Sr.,   b. Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America d. 07 Apr 1777, Washington, Berkshire, Massachusetts, United States
  Relationship	unknown
  Mother	Martha Knight,   b. Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America d. 12 Apr 1740, Ashford, Windham, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America
  Relationship	unknown
  Marriage	1721	Woburn, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony, British Colonial America
  Family ID	F2565	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth Earll,   b. 22 Sep 1733, Pomfret, Windham, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America d. 1778 (Age 44 years)
  Marriage	22 Sep 1753	Pomfret, Windham, Connecticut, United States
  Family ID	F2551	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	15 Jun 2025

  
  

• Notes

  Two men named James Lewis in Smith Clove There were two men named James Lewis who lived in Smith Clove, NY: James Lewis (GS73-L4L), died 1 Jul 1778 in Smith Clove, Orange, NY. He was married to Sarah Miller. His will dated 10 may 1778 mentions his brother-in-law, William Miller and nine children: Samuel, Isaac, Joseph, William, John, Mary (Pilgrim), James, Jacob, and Elizabeth. His wife's name is not given. The father of William Miller, the brother-in-law of mentioned in the will of James Lewis mentioned above, was also named William Miller. William Miller Sr died in 1768. His will mentions that he was of Morristown, New Jersey; his wife Margaret; he wills property in "The Clove" (aka Smith Clove) to his children William, Henry, John, Garret, and Sarah; he will 100 pounds to his daughter Lisha; and wills to his daughters Elizabeth and Katrun the plantation he lives on. The wife of James Lewis mentioned is most likely Sarah since she is the only daughter mentioned as receiving property in the Clove. An Edward Lewis did the inventory for the estate of William Miller Sr. Additional notes: 1. The Will of Sarah's brother Garret Miller is recorded immediately following the will for her husband James Lewis. 2. A descendant of James and Sarah's son William Lewis 1754-1829 did Y-DNA testing; he is in haplogroup I-M223. He is a close match to descendants of John L Lewis b 1746 in New Jersey. Also, he is not a match with descendants of John Lewis 1698/9 to 1777, who was the father of the James Lewis that married Elizabeth Earl. James Lewis (LC5H-MKZ), born 8 Dec 1728 in Reading, Middlesex, MA. He married Elizabeth Earl. James was the son of John Lewis and Martha Knight; Elizabeth was the daughter of John Earl and Rachel Adams. John Lewis and John Earl had been neighbors in the Beekman Precinct in Dutchess County, NY. James Lewis is mentioned in the will of his father-in-law John Earll written on 25 May 1781. The will bequeaths land to his daughter Elizabeth, the wife of James Lewis. Later, a description of land to one of his sons states, "to run parallel to southern line of tract above bequeathed to ye said James Lewis and Richard Earll." John would not bequeath land to a dead person. Also, a 1788 deed records the sale of land from Peter Earll and James Lewis to Richard Earll. The signatories of the deed are Peter and Elizabeth (Bull) Earll and James and Elizabeth (Earll) Lewis. Again, a dead man cannot sell property. So, this James Lewis was still alive in 1788 (ten years after the death of the other James Lewis). From public papers of George Clinton (Governor of New York) , #1909 - "John Earl joined a number of other inhabitants of Smith’s Clove in petitioning George Clinton 14 Nov. 1778 to enable them to become a permanent Military Post. His sons Ezra, Jonathan, Peter and Samuel signed the petition, as did his son-in-law James Lewis and James Lewis Jr." This shows that the James Lewis, son-in-law of John Earl, was alive in November 1778, and was not the same man twho died earlier that year. Wife of James Elizabeth Earle daughter of John Earle is NOT the wife of James Lewis, sr. She may be the wife of James Lewis Jr. See discussion why.