John Lewis junior followed his father and became an important leader in King and Queen County, then New Kent. He was a justice of the peace, surveyor, and officer in the county militia, and probably, a vestryman in Stratton Major Parish. He married Isabella Miller, daughter of James Miller of York County.
John Lewis had increased his land holdings by a patent dated November 23, 1663, to 1,700 acres of land, and the head of Porootanke Creek lying in both Gloucester and New Kent. Four years later he was granted more land as set forth in a patent dated August 16, 1667, which included his previous patents and added nearly a thousand acres more.
Col. John Lewis had in all almost four square miles of land in his plantation, and a grist mill to supply its needs. In 1676 Col. Lewis suffered at the hands of the Rebels, who had a camp at Col. Pate's plantation, close to Wood's X roads, where Bacon's followers under Major Bentley were stationed. This is about two miles away. The plantation of Major Thomas Pate has been called Bacon's Quarters.
Col. John Lewis and his wife Isabella had two sons: Edward Lewis born September 1667 and John Lewis born November 30, 1669. After the death of John Lewis in 1689, his widow, Isabella Lewis, married for her second husband, Robert Yard, of Petssorth Parish. Robert Yard was a faithful churchman, and he served the church well until afflicted with the gout.
Mrs. Isabella Yard died in 1703/4, and her body was buried in the Lewis graveyard (we believe) by her first husband, which was not an unusual practice in early Virginia. There was no marker for the grave of Col. John Lewis found.
Here Lyeth Interred the Body of
Mrs. Isabella Yard Born the 24th of
August 1640 and Departed this life
ye 9th day of February 1703/4 aged 6_
years 5 months and 16 days
