Notes on Griffith R. Lewis m. Rachel Lewis
May 15, 1775 Griffith had land surveyed in Fincastle, VA
"Washington Co. Virginia Marriages, Minister's Returns 1776-1855" abstracted by Marty Hiatt and Craig Roberts Scott p. 70 Grifey Lewis and Mary Brown 179_(1791-93): Nicholas Reagan
"Families of Washington County and Bristol, VA 1776-199_" by the Holston Territory Genealogy Society
Griffith Lewis bought 192 acres lying on both sides of Two Mile Creek on the south fork of the Holston River Fincastle Co., VA--part of Loyal Company's Grant. . .lying on both sides of the creek and adjoining Jones' land) May 15, 1775. (Fincastle Co., Record of Plotts, Book A, p. 196)
May 16, 1775, land was surveyed for William Lewis on Two-Mile Creek.
Griffith assigned his land before a patent had been issued; an abstract of the patent recorded in Virginia Land Grants, vol. 38, pages 116-117, follows: James Wood, Esq., Gov. of the Commonwealth of VA., . . .in consideration of 20 shillings sterling paid into the treasury. . .to Peter Mink, Assignee of Griffith Lewis. . .192 acres surveyed 15 May 1775. . .lying in Washington Co. on both sides of the Two-Mile Creek, a branch of South Fork of the Holston River, and bounded. . .corner to Jones' land. . .and being part of an Order of Council granted to the Loyal Company to take up and survey 800,000 acres, established and confirmed by a decree of Court of Appeals made in Richmond May 2, 1783. . .Signed at Richmond, March 19, 1798 by James Woods.
Griffith Lewis was taxed in Washington Co., VA 1782, 1783 and 1785; lists for years immediately following are missing. Although it is quite possible that there was an earlier marriage, he was probably the Griffey Lewis married by Nicholas Reagan in Washington Co. to Mary Brown-undated. (VA Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 34, Washington Co. Marriages, 1782-1820, Beverly Fleet, 1949, reprinted 1966, Page 48.)
Abstracted from the original records of Lee Co., VA: March 14, 1797, Doswell Rogers of Lee Co., VA to Griffin Lewis of same, for30 pounds, 100 acres in Lee Co. on north side of Clinch River above the Big Falls. . .acknowledged and ordered recorded April 10, 1798. (Deed Book 1, p. 102)
August 15, 1800, Stephen Walling of Sullivan Co., TN to Griffeth Lewis of Lee Co., VA for $125, 248 acres in Lee Co., on the waters of Clinch River (name also given as Griffey Lewis); deed witnessed by Wills Jones, Joshua Thompson, Doswell (X) Rogers. Proved and ordered recorded July 14, 1801. (Deed Book 1, p. 240)
Although Lee Co. tax lists started in 1795, Griffith Lewis first appeared: March 27, 1801 Lewis, Griffy 1 male 16-up 3 horses; 1803 Lewis, Grifford 1 male 16-up 3 horses.
June 9, 1803, William McCutchin of Carter Co., TN to Griffith Lewis of Lee Co., VA for $75, 75 acres on north bank of Clinch River; witnesses, Wells Jones, Thomas Waddell, and Rebeckah (X) Lewis. (Deed Book 1, p. 308)
March 26, 1804 Lewis, Griffith 1 male 16-up 3 horses
March 26 Lewis, Thomas 1 male 16-up 2 horses
March 25, 1805 Lewis, Griffith 2 males 16-up 4 horses
March 25 Lewis, Thomas 1 male 16-up 4 horses
April 1, 1806 Lewis, Griffith 1 male 16-up 2 horses
Griffith Lewis named in 1784 will of William Lewis of Washington Co., VA as his eldest son.
The following is a copy of the "original" will of Griffith Lewis. It was written on both sides of a sheet of paper and where it had been folded, there was a portion which I could not deciper:
Virginia State, Lee Co., June the 25 day 1806 - In the name of God Amen, I Grifeth Lewis, being in a low state of health, but in my real state of mind, wish for to commit my sole to God who gave it and my body for to be buried at the discretion of my executors in a Christian way, and as for my portion of worldly goods that God hath bestowed on me, I wish for to bequeath in the following manner: To my sons Thomas and William I bequeath one hundred acres of land, the lace where I now live, to be equally divided between them. . .for to have an equal divide of the balance with the other legatees.
I wish for to have y other land sold with my other goods at 12 months and one days credit, and after the money is collected just my debts payed by my executors, Thommas Lewis, Thommas Wadle, and Thommas Galyon, and for to give to each legatee an equal divide of the money: my beloved wife Mary, one shair; Rebeccah, one shair; Thommas, one shair; Anne, one shair; Polly, one shair; Rachel, one shair; Leah, one shair; William, one shair; Hana, one shair; Abraham, one shair.
I wish my just debts for to be collected and for to be equally divided between my legatees by my executors. . .my land of 248 acres under Powel's Mountain and my 75 acres which includes the mill. I will not warrant a patent title to ???
Signed this 25 day of June 1806 . . .Grifith (X) Lewis
Test: George Waddle; Thomas (X) Fulton (?)
In the copied will above, spellings are exactly as they appeared.
* There are 20 shillings in a pound and 12 pennies in a shilling
On May 2, 1808 Anne Lewis of Bledsoe Co., TN appointed John Skillern her attorney-in-fact to collect legacy left to her in the will of her father Griffin Lewis (Bledsoe Co., Book A., p. 13).