Person:Charles Lewis (72)

Information on Col. Charles Lewis

From The Virginia magazine of history and biography, Volume 16, By Virginia Historical Society, William Glover Stanard:

Col. Charles Lewis, who commanded the other batallion of minute men in this campaign, was son of Robert Lewis, of Belvoir, Albemarle county. He was captain of the first volunteer company raised in the county at the beginning of the Revolution, and after commanding in the minute men during the "Cherokee Expedition," he was on November 12, 1776, commissioned colonel of the I4th Virginia regiment. He served for a time in Washington's army; but resigned March 28, 1778. He was then given command of the regiment guarding British prisonars at Charlottesville, and died while performing this duty, in 1779.

From Chalkley's Augusta County, VA records:

Chalkley's Chronicles, Vol. 2 (undated, appears to be abt. 1832) - Charles Lewis, of Albemarle, was appointed Colonel to command one of the Regiments of Virginia on Continental Establishment. He was in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. He continued in the Northern Army until his constitution was broken, when he was ordered south. He continued in command until his death, February 9th, 1779. He left a widow, Mary, and seven children, viz: Howell, Susannah, Warner, Mary, Jane, Sarah E. W. Widow Mary married Charles Wingfield. Susannah married, and is now the widow of Joel Franklin, deceased. Sarah E. W. is the wife of Benjamin Brown. Jane married John Carr (both deceased), leaving children viz: Lewis, John, Jane, Warner, Willis, Garland, Lucy Carr. Lewis is dead, leaving widow and one child living in Kentucky. John is dead, leaving widow and two children living in Albemarle. Mary married Edward Carter, and is dead, leaving children, viz: Charles, Robert, Edward.

From William and Mary College quarterly historical papers, Volume 2 By College of William and Mary, pg. 194:

Petition of Howell Lewis, son of Col. Charles Lewis:

Nov. 25, 1795

To the Honourable Speaker and Members of the Virginia House of Delegates— The Petition of Thomas Lewis shewetb. that your petitioners father, Charles Lewis, late of Albemarle County Dec'd. was one among the first Citizens of this Commonwealth who took arms against Great Britain, that early in the year 1775 he was on his march to Williamsburg at the head of a company of Volunteers to restrain the outrages then committed by Lord Dunmore, he was met by Col. Henry who informed him he had effected that object, he was soon after appointed to the command of a Regiment of Minute men, that serving as long as there was occasion for his services on the Eastern part of the State, he was sent on an expedition against the Cherokies which was not terminated untill about December, 1776, on his return he was appointed to the Command of the 14th. Virginia Regiment, that he continued in that service untill sometime in the year 1778, that then the care of a large family obliged him to resign, that in December, 1778, he was appointed to Command a Regiment destined to guard the Convention Troops at the Barracks in Albemarle and that he died in that Command, the 26th day of Feb., 1779.

Your petitioners father not having served the term of three years either in the Continental Army or in the service of this State, he is not entitled as his representative to the bounty of land given to officers who did serve for that time, but as your petitioners father was in the Service of the United States, and of this State at least three years, and died in the service of this State, your petitioner trusts that he will be allowed the same bounty in land that has been allowed to others who your petitioner humbly conceives were not better entitled to it and your petitioner will pray as in duty bound—

Howell Lewis

Endorsement—Howell Lewis, Petitioner, 25th., Nov., /95

1. ↑ Chalkley, Lyman. Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish settlement in Virginia: Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County, 1745-1800. (Rosslyn, Virginia: The Commonwealth Printing Company, 1912-1913 in Three Volumes)
   Book 2.

   Charles Lewis, of Albemarle, was appointed Colonel to command one of the Regiments of Virginia on Continental Establishment. He was in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown. He continued in the Northern Army until his constitution was broken, when he was ordered south. He continued in command until his death, February 9th, 1779.
   
   He left a widow, Mary, and seven children, viz:
   Howell,
   Susannah,
   Warner,
   Mary,
   Jane,
   Sarah E. W.
   
   Widow Mary married Charles Wingfield.
   Susannah married, and is now the widow of Joel Franklin, deceased.
   Sarah E. W. is the wife of Benjamin Brown.
   Jane married John Carr (both deceased), leaving children viz: Lewis, John, Jane, Warner, Willis, Garland, Lucy Carr.
   - Lewis is dead, leaving widow and one child living in Kentucky.
   - John is dead, leaving widow and two children living in Albemarle. Mary married Edward Carter, and is dead, leaving children, viz: Charles, Robert, Edward.