A. (Asa) Lewellyn

LEWELLYN, RYAN, SIMMONS, SHUFF, COLE, WELLS, HARTSOUGH, WILSON

Posted By: Dorothy Gosse (email)
Date: 2/16/2005 at 23:06:21

A. Lewellyn, who is engaged in farming and stock-raising on section 27, Center Township, is one of the representative and leading farmers of the county, respected by all who know him for his sterling worth. Since 1852 he has been a resident of Iowa and since 1866 has made his home in this community. He was born in what is now West Virginia in 1830, and is of Welsh descent. The family was founded in Eastern Virginia in Colonial days and thence the grandfather of our subject, Dr. Lewellyn, emigrated to West Virgina, being one of the early pioneers of that state. He died at the advanced aged of ninety-three years, and his mother was ninety-four years of age at the time of her death. The father of our subject, Jesse Lewellyn, was born in Virginia and throughout his life followed he occupation of farming in pursuit of fortune. He married Miss Anna Ryan, who was born in Pennsylvania and was of Irish lineage. His death occurred in 1875, and hers ten years later. Of the family of this worthy couple the eldest is James, a resident of Pennsylvania, who enlisted at the first call for troops in 1861, as a member of the First Pennsylvania Reserve, and served three years. The second child, a daughter, died in infancy. Our subject is the next younger. Catherine is now Mrs. Moore, of West Virginia. John came to Iowa in 1854, locating in Clayton County, whence after two years he came to Fayette County. He was here married and later enlisted in Company F, Third Iowa Infantry, for three years service. He participated in the celebrated march to the sea under Sherman, and the Grand Review in Washington, after which he was discharged in 1865 and returned to this county. In 1870 he removed to Kansas, where his death occurred in 1882. Jemima is now Mrs. Simmons, of West Virginia. Stephen enlisted in the Third West Virginia Infantry, veteranized in December 1864, was taken prisoner and confined in Libby Prison until the following March. Going West, he located in Kansas, but is now a resident of California. Ruth died in West Virginia in 1861. A. G., who is married and resides in West Virginia, enlisted, in 1862, in the Seventh Virginia Infantry, was taken sick and discharged, but later again entered service as a substitute in the Sixty-second Pennsylvania Infantry. He served until the close of the war.

Now we take the history of our subject, in whom the people of Fayette County are specially interested. He was reared to farm life in West Virginia and educated in the district schools of the neighborhood. On attaining mature years, he was joined in wedlock on the 4th of September, 1851, with Miss Elizabeth Shuff, a native of West Virginia, and daughter of William and Elizabeth (Cole) Shuff, who were natives of Pennsylvania. Her father was a collier and came to Iowa in 1852, settling in Rossville, Allamakee County, where he entered land and improved a farm. He and his wife are still living on the old homestead. The year 1852 also witnessed the arrival of our subject in Allamakee County where he opened up a farm. Afterwards, however, he resided in Clayton County, and it was not until 1865 that he came to Fayette County. Here he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of raw land. He has served in a number of official positions, and was Assessor for several years, and has been many years Township Trustee. He is now secretary of school board, with which he has been connected since its organization. Both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Fairview, of which he is now Trustee. He also held that position at the time of erection of the fine church edifice which was built in 1878.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Lewellyn have been born a family of twelve children, eight of whom are yet living, namely, Adda, now Mrs. Wells, of Center Township; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Hartsough, of Westgate, Iowa; Bartemus, who is married and resides in Clay County, Iowa; Mary, who died the year 1887; Jane Ellen, who passed away in the same year; J. C. makes his home in North Pacific Junction, Minnesota; William and Orvis who are still under the parental roof; Alice, now Mrs. Wilson of Clayton County, Iowa; May, who died September 25, 1879; Maude Alline, who died October 11, 1879; and Andrew, at home.

From 1891 Portrait and Biographical Album of Fayette County, Iowa (pages 558-560)