Neriah and Mary (Moss) Lewis

Neriah Lewis Sr, son of David and Ann Beason Lewis, was born June 25, 1778 in Guilford County, North Carolina. He married Mary Moss/Morse, daughter of Samuel Moss and Rachel Julian. She was born October 29, 1775,

Samuel Moss was born on 31 Mar 1739 in Wallingford, New Haven, CT. He died after 1800 while living at his farm at Big Generostee Creek, Anderson County, South Carolina. Rachel Julian Moss his wife was born estimated 1735 in ,Cecil, MD. She died after 1830 in while living at Edgefield Co., South Carolina. This county abuts up against Georgia border and specifically North Augusta is in South Carolina. David tells that “her father was named Samuel Moss, her mother was Rachel, and lived in South Carolina, Pickins County or District.”

They were married March 4, 1800 in Pendleton, Anderson County, SC. After their marriage they returned to lived near his father’s family. Their first six children were born in South Carolina but at the “time of the re-adjustment,” after the Revolutionary war, the government was “under the table” encouraging westward expansion into Indian territories so as to lay claim to the land as part of the growing country.

Neriah’s family moved to Simpson County Kentucky in 1809-10. The children’s ages would range from 10 yrs. to newborn infant at the time of the move. In the western borders of the new country, new land was offered simply by entering a claim for it and large tracts were granted to settlers in payment for their military services. It is unclear if Neriah served in the Kentucky Militia’s during this time, as the War of 1812 was just getting underway and Kentucky men were the predominate soldiers during this war. They also had the most causalities of any other state put together.

This Lewis family was farmers, stockmen, carpenters, and coopers. Neriah’s growing family were good workers and well trained in pioneering. They cleared the trees from their land, built homes, plowed and planted. The brothers helped their father clear land for cultivation and building materials. It is said at 6-8 loads of wood per day. In later years, during the Illinois exodus to Utah, Tarlton and Beason were jokingly called “Saw Mills,” because they were so proficient with their axes.

And along with the early settlers of that time and section, they raised corn and grain from which they made whisky and brandy. They made their liquor barrels from wood they cut from their land. Beeson made wooden tubs, buckets and churns. These were made from cedar wood and bound with brass hoops. They raised tobacco and cured it. The liquor and tobacco were sold or exchanged to supply them with their other needs. These men were also breeders of fine stock and horses, and being men of strength they were able to protect themselves and others from other dangers of that time.

Old Lewis Farm near Simpson, Kentucky

The current owner still plows around the small graveyard of about 25 headstones--including Labon and Elizabeth Jennings. The Old Lewis Farm is located 4 miles east of Franklin on Brown Road near the intersection with State Highway 100. (As of 2011 Can’t find it on Google maps as area is now industrialized)

An excerpt from the diary of David Lewis, son of Neriah and Mary states, "My father had four hundred acres of beautiful land, about one hundred acres in farm and the remainder of this land was timber land. A large double house (two story) on a public road three miles east of the town of Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky. A beautiful yard surrounded the house, about one acre square, neatly covered with blue grass. Two beautiful mulberry trees and one beautiful cedar tree growing in the south yard. Beautiful cherry trees grew on the cut edge of the yard one rod distance from each other. These mulberry and cherry trees bore splendid fruit. A beautiful orchard on the west joined the yard and in it were most all the varieties of fruit that were common for the country. My father (Neriah) was a large man weighing about 330 pounds and my mother (Mary) was a large woman weighing 240 pounds."

Neriah and Mary provided a very comfortable living for their large family. Though not affiliated with any religion, they were good, honest, and hard working people, which virtues, they passed on to their children and descendants. David says “My mother and father was not professors of religion, nor none of my connections with whom I was acquainted. My father’s mother was turned out of the Quaker Church for marrying my grandfather, who was not a member of the church and she refusing to acknowledge that she was sorry for the deed. My father and mother believed in a universal salvation but belonged to no church. I believe they were both honest, and I know they taught their children to be honest. My father was a farmer and possessed a sufficient substance to make his family comfortable.” Five of their sons and their families did joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints during the 1830’s and later moved west.

The later years of Neriah and Mary were spent in Macoupin County, Illinois as most of their son’s and their families had resettled near Carlinville. Neriah died on Nov 27, 1843 and his wife, Mary, followed in 1844.

Neriah and Mary Moss Lewis had twelve children. The first six were born in Pendleton District, South Carolina and the last six were born in Simpson County, Kentucky - children listed below:

Ann Lewis b. 21 Dec 1800, d. 1876 - md Ellis Wilcox
Martha Lewis b. 6 Mar 1802, d. 3 May 1842 - md Travis Moore
Benjamin Lewis b. 22 Apr 1803, d. 30 Oct 1838 - md Joannah Ryon
Tarlton Lewis b. 18 May 1805, d. 22 Nov 1890 - md Malinda Gimlin
John Moss Lewis b. 19 May 1807, d. Mar 1891 - md Elizabeth Woods
Beason Lewis b. 23 Feb 1809, d. 22 Jan 1888 - md Elizabeth Ryon
Samuel Lewis b. 1 Nov 1810, d. 1882 - md Rebecca Wright
Elizabeth Lewis b. 25 Jun 1812, d. 5 Nov 1843
David Lewis b. 10 Apr 1814, d. 2 Sep 1855 - md Duritha Trail
Neriah Lewis b. 29 Apr 1816, d. 22 Jul 1890 - md Rebecca Hendricks
Hiram Lewis b. 11 Feb 1818, d. 11 Feb 1858 - md Cecellia Harris
Mary M. Lewis b. 25 Nov 1820, d. 1888 - md Jay Blackburn