AUGUSTA: CEMETERY RECORDS – JOHN LEWIS GRAVE
LVA Titled Files: Survey Report, Grave of John Lewis:
1936 July 8
Research made by Margaret A. Jeffries/Crowder
Cemetery Location: In a field on the New Hope Road, about 2 miles
southwest of
Staunton, Va.
Augusta County
For many years the grave was in an unkept and delapidated condition; however,
several years ago citizens of Staunton and Augusta County raised necessary funds
and restored the monument with its original inscription. The Augusta
Garden
Club made plans to plant flowers and beautify the grave of this courageous man,
who gave five sons to fight the battles of the American Revolution, and win
freedom and independence for his adopted country.
John Lewis was the first settler of August County, Virginia. His home and
Fort
Lewis are not far from his grave.
John Lewis, the son of Andrew Lewis and Mary Calhoun, was born in Donegal
County, Ireland, in 1678. His wife was Margaret Lynn, of Scotland, the
daughter
of a Scotch Laird.
Although John Lewis came to Virginia from Ireland, the Lewis family originally
came from France. They were French Huguenots, who fled from France to
avoid
religious persecution. During an uprising in Ireland, John Lewis killed an
Irish Lord and this was why he left Ireland and came to American, where he
became the first settler of Augusta and died in 1762, at the ripe old age of
eight-four years. To-day there are many of his descendants, not only in
Virginia, but in other states.
In 1900 a Staunton citizen, Joseph L. Crowder realised that the grave of John
Lewis was in a diplaidated state and the inscription on the monument was even
then very hard to read. So, on Nov. 18, 1900, Mr. Crowder, with
difficulty,
copied the inscription.
Some years afterwards, those who had charge of restoring the grave and monument,
hearing that Mr. Crowder had copied the inscription, requested him to allow them
to have it, as by that time the original inscription was almost entirely
obliterated. Consequently, but for the thoughfulness of one Staunton
Citizen,
the inscription on the monument of John Lewis would have been lost forever.
The Inscription:
Here Lie the Remains of
John Lewis
Who Slew the Irish Lord
Settled Augusta County,
Located the City of Staunton
And furnished five sons to
Fight the Battles of the
American Revolution.
He was the son of
Andrew Lewis and Mary Calhoun
Was born in Donegal County
Ireland 1678 and
Died February 1, 1782 aged
84 years.
He was a brave man
A true patriot and a Friend of
Liberty
Throughout the World.
“Morta litate Relicta Vivit”