Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
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Source: 1943 Volume 5 Number 3, Page 68

George Washington Lewis

Page 68

George Washington Lewis, the efficient secretary of the Wilberforce Anti- Slavery Society, was born in 1800 and died in 1892(?). He is named by Henry Pleasants as one of the old-time schoolmasters at the old Eagle School (of, "The History of the Old Eagle School", p. 68). G. W. Lewis and family lived in a log house near the Old Eagle School (now Strafford), on the Grover farm north of the railroad station, his wife being a member of the Grover family.

In 1831 he purchased from Joseph and Priscilla Walker for $131 ten acres of woodland in what is now known as Lewis' Hollow, Contention Lane. This land was part of a larger tract which Oliver Williams, Sheriff, conveyed to Walker on December 14, 1830. The Lewis deed exhibits the fine penmanship of John Beaver, and was witnessed by Wm. Davis. On this lot George W. Lewis, who was a carpenter as well as a schoolmaster, erected the log house over a fine spring of water. The logs were cut and rolled down the hill, the neighbors helping at the raising, and, as the wife often remarked, the expense for their entertainment included 85¢ for bread and 87¢ for whiskey (information from the late Mrs. B. B. Longaker, daughter of George W. Lewis).

The second or middle tract of ten acres, twenty perches, contained the original log house which stood farther up the creek on the hillside, the site now marked by lilac bushes and an old apple tree. This land came into the possession of Wm. Fullerton, Sr., April 3, 1798, from Nathan Hoover. Fullerton died November 30, 1817, and his two sons, John and William, the only heirs, sold it for $275 to John Reese, Esq., January 1, 1827. This deed was written by Benjamin Wetherby and witnessed by John and Sarah Tomkins, tenants of the log house. The same tract came into the possession of Lewis Watson, storekeeper, and was occupied by him before engaging in storekeeping at Howellville. He lost the place at Sheriff's Sale December 6, 1842, for a debt of $722.35 "and 72 shillings damages" sustained by Townsend Sharpies and Sons, and was bought by John Beaver, Esq., for $442. The latter deeded it back to Watson, the papers drawn by John Acker. On April 2, 1853, it was sold to George W. Lewis for $650.

The last tract, a three-acre woodlot, acquired by Lewis adjoined the above and was originally part of the seventy acres acquired by Enoch Jones from Abel Thomas, November 21, 1795. Enoch Jones will, dated June 17, 1820, his executors being Edward Siter and Daniel Beaver, disposed of it at public vendue to Jacob Clinger, Easttown innkeeper,

"together with all and sigular, the woods and wood ways, watters and watter-courses".

This from the classical school-master, Joshua Jones!