Family:John Lewis and Elenor Vreeland (1)

(This information can eventually be listed as events/notes? But for now, here it is in it's original paragraph format.)

John Lewis Sr. was quite a resourceful man. Most of the land that he acquired was purchased by paying back taxes. It was probably land left by the timber companies after they stripped it and left it to waste. Their purpose completed, they wouldn't pay taxes on it. It gave people like John Lewis a great opportunity to buy land, simply paying back taxes on it. An example of this is the 180 acres he purchased in 1893 for only $17.49. The first record we have of John Lewis, Sr. is the census of 1880, living in Whitehall as a farmer. According to the Muskegon County Directories, John Lewis lived in Whitehall Township, section 36 in 1883, still there during the census of 1884. At that time he was a farmer. It is interesting to note that the census of 1884, a Hartman Vreeland lived near them. This is possibly Nellie's brother. Robert Hubbard checked several records and this is the only Vreeland he has seen listed. Hartman's family moved from Whitehall about the same time the John and Nellie Lewis family moved to Blue Lake Township. In 1883 and 1884, John purchased 120 acres of land in Dalton Township, selling 40 acres in 1885 at no profit. The remaining 80 acres in sections 25 and 14 had been purchased for $850, and we didn't find any record of him selling them.

It is unclear if the John Lewis family moved to Dalton Township after the census, for in 1885-1886 there is no record in the directory. In 1887, John Lewis Sr. appears in the directory in Blue Lake Township, section 32. In referencing the plat map from 1900, there is some difficulty matching this with the deeds because of the calligraphy style handwriting on the deeds. There was a John Lewis with a middle initial of either "M" or "W" (looking more like an "M") who purchased 80 acres in the E1/2 of SW1/4 of section 32 in Blue Lake Township . This was done in three transactions, from May 1891 - October 1892, paying back taxes totalling $11.25. It would seem like this is our John W. Lewis, for on the 1900 plat map he is listed as owner of 1/2, or 40 acres, of that land. In December of 1892, the deeds show that he sold the other 40 acres to Esther Cady for $1.00 (sic), verified on the map. Esther is either a relative or very good friend (possibly his daughter?). She was one of the witnesses at John Jr.'s wedding, and selling land for $1.00 seems like something one would do for a relative. A confusing twist is added to the full 80 acres, for in March of 1904, John buys it for back taxes and then sells it to Chas. Tornbloom, no dates or costs copied. I'm wondering if the purchase was to correct the "M" legally to the "W" so he could sell it. Also confusing is that according to the map, there is no house on the 40 acres in section 32 previously discussed, but there are two houses in the 80 acres of the SE1/4 section 32, with John Lewis listed as owner. The only record of John buying that land is in 1899, purchased from Nellie for $100. We did not search transactions for Nellie, but Paul remembers seeing a Helen Lewis in the index. Nellie could have previously inherited it or purchased it herself. According to the directory, John Lewis Jr. and Sr. are living in section 32 of Blue Lake Township from 1895 - 1901, both farming. They probably lived in those two houses, for in census 1894 they are listed next to each other.

Looking again at the map we see the 40 acres in section 31 that John Sr. purchased on June 23, 1897. He paid $2.52 in back taxes for it, selling it in 1901 for $125. Also on June 23, 1897, John Sr. purchased 180 acres in section 31, paying back taxes of $17.49. I calculated that there are 160 acres in a 1/4 section, so he bought a little more than that. The specific areas weren't copied on our notes, but the map shows 80 acres in section 31 owned by O.W. Davidson. This was sold to him by John and Nella (sic) Lewis seven days later, June 30, 1897, price not copied. So this 80 acres was probably part of John's purchase of 180 acres. There is no entry in the directory from 1902 - 1903. In 1904 -1908 only John Lewis Sr. is living in section 32 of Blue Lake Township. This corresponds with the 1900 census, for in it John Jr. is listed as a day laborer living in Fruitland Township. This was probably in Michillinda. The deeds show John Jr. purchasing 80 acres of land in section 13 of Blue Lake Township, dates and cost uncopied. A fuller picture will be drawn when we get the dates and a map of that area. We know that the John Lewis Jr. family moved to Whitehall in 1906 after the fire. In the directory listing for John Sr., his occupation is shown as a farmer from 1904 - 1906. Still living in section 32 of Blue Lake Township from 1906 - 1908, there is no occupation given. John's obituary tells of a total disability for a long time, and I wonder if this was the time period. The deeds show John and Ellen (sic) Lewis selling the 80 acres in section 32 with the houses on them in June 1903 to Chas. Bingham for $1200. Possibly John and Nellie were able to stay in one of the houses until his death in 1908.--Obstinatesnooper 13:24, 26 June 2010 (EDT)

1. ↑ Muskegon County Civil War Veterans.

   m. Nellie Vreeland

2. ↑ MR-007, Record Type: Marriage Record, Name Of Person: Lewis, Hartman and Norah Haley. (19 July 1902)
   Lewis, Hartman and Norah Haley, marriage record, 19 Jul 1902, Muskegon County, Michigan. Record identifies Nellie Vreeland as mother of Hartman.
3. ↑ DR-033, Record Type: Death Record, Name Of Person: Lewis, John W.. (25 Sep 1908)
   Lewis, John W. (jr), death record, 25 Sep 1908, Whitehall, Muskegon County, Michigan. Records mother as Nellie Veeland. Hereinafter cited as DR-033.
4. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration. 1880 US Federal Census: MICR1880, Government: United States, State: Michigan, Online Pub Info: Salt Lake City,. (Washington, D.C., 18 Mar 2008, Original Date, 1880)
   Lewis, Jno W., 19 June 1880, Whitehall, Muskegon County, Michigan, ED 185, page x37, dwelling 387, family 401, downloaded 18 June 2006. Hereinafter cited as MICR1880.

   W. Ellen

5. ↑ MR-006, Record Type: Marriage Record, Name Of Person: Lewis, John W. and Rosa A. Bassett. (5 Apr 1891)
   Lewis, John W. and Rosa A. Bassett, marriage record, 5 April 1891, Blue Lake Township, Muskegon County, Michigan. Records Nellie Breeland as mother of John Lewis. Hereinafter cited as MR-006.
6. ↑ DR-034, Record Type: Death Record, Name Of Person: Lewis, George E.. (16 May 1964)
   Lewis, George E., death record, 16 May 1964, Muskegon County, Michigan. Records mother as Helen Vriesland. Hereinafter cited as DR-034.
7. ↑ National Archives and Records Administration. 1900 US Federal Census: MICR1900, Government: United States, State: Michigan, Online Pub Info: Provo, Utah: My. (Washington, D.C.)
   Lewis, W John household, 25 June 1900, Blue Lake Township, Muskegon County, Michigan, ED 58?, sheet 10, dwelling 194, family 195, downloaded 28 July 2006. Hereinafter cited as MICR1900.

   m. 33 years (in 1900)

8. ↑ Midkiff, Miriam. Ancestors and Relatives of Miriam Joy Robbins, Record Type: web database, Url: http:/awtc.ancestry.com/cgi-bin. (13 Sep 2004, Printed Date, 29 July 2006)
   1900 Fed. Census mrd 33 years.

   H. John W. Lewis, Sr.
   W. Elenor L. "Nellie" Vreeland
   m. 20 Apr 1867
   mp. Washtenaw Co., Michigan