For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 766
ISAAC W. LEWIS....The owner of a farm of four hundred and sixty acres of good land in Iowa, it is safe to phophesy that Isaac W. Lewis will be able to keep the wolf from the door for some years to come. This valuable property he has acquired through his own energy and sound business judgment and at the same time he has attained a position as one of the highly respected citizens of Muscatine and Cedar counties.He was born in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, May 5, 1834, a son of William and Elizabeth ( Rossiter ) Lewis. The father, who was also a native of that county, removed to Columbiana county, Ohio, and cultivated a farm nine miles from Salem until 1846, when he joined the great movement in the course of which many states west of the Mississippi river received a fresh influx of settlers. He traveled with his family by wagon, and the Mississippi river being so high at Muscatine, he crossed at Burlington on a steam ferry. He located at Pedee, Cedar county, where he continued until his death, which occured in 1880. The mother of our subject was also a native of the Keystone state, where she married Mr. Lewis. She passed away in 1887. There were six children in their family, of whom John S., Joseph P., Lydia, and Cynthia are deceased. The only member of the family now living besides the subject of this review is William Clarke, who is engaged in farming near Higginsville, Missouri.
Isaac W. Lewis came with his parents to Iowa at the age of twelve years, the long trip over the rough roads of that day and the strange scenes through which he passed making an impression upon his mind that has never been obliterated. He received his education in the common schools of Ohio and Iowa, showing by his application to his studies an ability to concentrate his attention which has greatly assisted him in his business affairs. He remained with his parents until twenty-two years of age and for some years followed threshing and breaking prairie, and later engaged quite extensively in stock buying. In 1886 he removed to Tipton and for four years was identified with the real-estate business. In 1890 he took up his abode in West Liberty, where he has since lived. Being a man of industry and good judgment, he has steadily prospered and now owns four hundred and sixty acres of valuable land in Iowa township, Cedar county, and a fine residence in West Liberty. He is engaged on a large scale in cattle raising and feeding, and as he thoroughly understands marketing, he usually obtains a satisfactory price for his stock.
On the 12th of June, 1856, Mr. Lewis was united in marriage to Miss Jane Elizabeth Peirce, a native of Maryland and a daughter of Isaiah and Charlotte ( Smith ) Pierce, farming people of Maryland, who came to Cedar county, Iowa, in 1855. Her father followed farming there until his death. Mrs. Pierce passed away in Muscatine county and both are buried in Pedee cemetery, Cedar county, Iowa. Five children have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis : Henry F., who is the owner of a valuable farm in Cedar county ; Joseph Earl, a prominent real-estate man of Kentfield, Marin county, California ; Ernest, deceased ; Inez, the wife of Dr. L. F. Woodruff of Cedar Rapids, Iowa ; and Lottie, now Mrs. Isaac Filson, also of Cedar Rapids. Ruby I., a daughter of Henry F. Lewis, is a young lady of unusual educational qualifications, and on November 8, 1910, was elected superintendent of schools in Cedar county. She is a democrat but is so popular in that county that she easily overcame a republican majority of three hundred and is now serving in an office for which she is eminently qualified.
Politically Mr. Lewis is a stanch advocate of the democratic party. He takes great interest in religious affairs and for many years has been a member of the board of trustees of the Presbyterian church, being also a liberal contributor to the support of that denomination. His business integrity has never been called into question and as a citizen, no man in Muscatine county ranks higher than Isaac W. Lewis.
Back to Biographical Index Page