Biographies from Historical and Biographical Annals by Morton Montgomery

LEWIS, CHARLES ALBERT

p.
979

Surnames: LEWIS, FRANCIS, HENNINGER, HUNTER, RAPP, MUHLENBERG,
YOUNG.

Charles Albert Lewis who for ten years prior to his death had been
a resident of Reading, Pa., was born Aug. 13, 1860, in Blue Ball,
Lancaster county, son of Henry and Mary (Francis) Lewis, the former
of Lancaster county and the latter of Philadelphia.

Henry Lewis was a farmer in Lancaster county and
early in life was also engaged in the harness business, being quite
prominent in his locality. He died in 1901, aged sixty-nine years,
his wife passing away while in the prime of life, the mother of
five children: William, Charles A., Henry, Elizabeth (unmarried)
and Mary. The family was active workers in the Reformed Church. Mr.
Lewis being an elder therein for a number of years. In politics he
was a Democrat.

Charles Albert Lewis was educated in the public
schools of Lancaster county, and when a young man leaned the
cigar-maker’s trade. This he followed all his life, and while in
the employ of Gumpert Bros., Reading, he died Nov. 7, 1902. He was
quiet and unassuming in manner, honest and upright in all his
dealings with his fellowmen, and had a kindly, Christian character,
which made for him many warm friends. Mr. Lewis was married May 3,
1893 to Anna E. Henninger, daughter of John R. and Mary Ann
(Hunter) Henninger. Mr. Lewis was a member of the K.G.E. and the
Royal Arcanum. In politics he was a Democrat. He was a member of
the Second Reformed Church of Reading, and is buried in the Charles
Evans cemetery.

The Henninger family of which Mrs. Lewis is a
member is one well known in Berks county. John Henninger, the
grandfather of Mrs. Lewis, was born July 17, 1788, in Windsor
township, Berks county. He was united in marriage with Sarah Rapp,
in Reading, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. Mr.
Muhlenberg. He died Dec. 19, 1828, aged forty years and five
months. Their children were as follows: William, born April 25,
1815; Mary Ann, Sept. 18, 1816 (died in March 1817); Catharine,
April 25, 1818 (m. Jacob Young); Frederick Rapp, June 25, 1820;
Sarah Christiana, July 8, 1822; John Rapp, Aug. 18, 1824 (father of
Mrs. Lewis); Hiram Lewis, Dec. 11, 1826; and Charles Bastion, Dec.
10, 1828 (died Oct. 24, 1900).

A full account of this Henninger family will be
found elsewhere.

LEWIS, JOHN
H.

p. 1447

Surnames: LEWIS, JAMES, ALBERT, PRICE, GNAU, MILLER, YEAGER, GIBBS,

John H. Lewis, of Reading, who is proprietor of the “Clinton
House,” at the corner of Front and Washington streets, was born
Feb. 18, 1875, in Chester county, son of John P. and Mary E.
(James) Lewis.

John P. Lewis was educated in the schools of
Chester county, where he followed agricultural pursuits until 1877,
at this time removing to Reading and becoming employed as a
teamster for Orr, Painter & Co. He later became shipping clerk
and was holding this position at the time of his death, June 6,
1891. He and his wife were the parents of these children: Frank J.,
deceased, m. Pauline Albert; Lizzie m. Samuel Price, and had one
child, Mary; Samuel P., deceased, m. Emma Gnau, and had three
children, Florence, John and Russell; Charles M. m. Clara Miller,
and had four children, Robert, Edmund, Grace and an infant,
deceased; John H. m. Martha M. Yeager, and had two children, J.
Frank and Marie; George O. m. Laura Gibbs. In religious belief Mr.
Lewis was a Methodist. Politically his views were those of the
Democratic party.

John H. Lewis was educated in the schools of
Reading and learned the blacksmith’s trade at the Keystone wagon
works, where he worked for five years. He then clerked for five
years in the hotel at Wood and Franklin streets, and in 1903 came
to the “Clinton House,” of which he has been proprietor to the
present time. His house contains twenty rooms, being furnished with
all modern conveniences, and he himself is well thought of in his
community. He is a member of the Eagles, the P. O. S. of A. No.
678, Neversink Fire Co., a contributing member of the Schuylkill
Fire Co., and member of the Independent Gunning Club, West End
Social Club, Harmony Social Club, Northwestern Beneficial
Association, Wayside Club, Elm Leaf Gun Club, and the Eagle’s
Mountain Home. In political matters he is a Republican, and belongs
to the Sixth Ward Republican Club. Mr. Lewis owns a comfortable
residence at No. 118 West Greenwich street.

LEWIS, JOHN
P.

p. 1522

Surnames: LEWIS, PAINTER, JAMES, ALBERT, GNAU, PRICE, MILLER,
YEEGER, GIBBS

John P. Lewis (deceased), for may years in the employ of Orr,
Painter & Co., was born in Chester county, Pa., in the year
1828, and was a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Painter) Lewis,
prominent people in that section.

Probably no man of his day was held in greater
esteem in Chester county than Samuel Lewis, whose noble character
and upright principles won him not only universal respect but warm
personal admiration. Born in Chester county, Nov. 17, 1802, he
spent his entire life in that part of the State, and there died.
Reared to farm pursuits, he made agriculture his life calling and
was one of the representative farmers of his section. He was united
in marriage, Jan. 4, 1828, to Miss Elizabeth Painter, whose birth
occurred April 17, 1808.

Children were born to them as follows: John P.;
Margaret A., Jan. 27, 1830; Caroline, May 7, 1832; Adeline, Sept.
1, 1834; Samuel, Feb. 1, 1837; William, Nov. 22, 1839; and Oliver,
Dec. 1, 1843. The family were devout members of the Methodist
church, and their many acts of kindness and charity bore testimony
to the sincerity of their professions. Politically Mr. Lewis was a
Democrat.

John P. Lewis attended the schools of Chester
county and was early made acquainted with the routine of a farmer’s
life. He continued to follow that occupation on his own account
till 1877, when he moved into Reading and took a position with the
well known stove firm, Orr, Painter & Company. In one capacity
or another he worked for them until he was transferred to the
shipping department and given the responsible position there that
he filled so efficiently up to the time of his death. That event
occurred June 6,

1901, in the seventy-third year of his age, and
he was survived by his wife and a large family of children and
grandchildren. Mrs. Lewis bore the maiden name of Mary E. James.
She became the mother of the following children: Frank J.,
deceased, m. Miss Pauline Albert; Samuel P., deceased, m. Miss Emma
Gnau, and has three children, Florence, John and Russell; Lizzie m.
Samuel Price, and has one daughter, Mary; Charles M. m. Miss Clara
Miller and has had four children, Robert, Edmund, Grace and one
that died in infancy; John H. m. Miss Martha M. Yeeger and has two
children, J. Frank and Maria; and George O. m. Miss Laura Gibbs.
Mr. Lewis was a man who believed strictly in attending to his own
affairs, and both in his private and business life was a good
example of the model citizen. Devoted to his own home and family,
his leisure was spent with them and their home life was unusually
happy. Politically Mr. Lewis was a strong Democrat, and he and his
family were members of the Methodist Church.

LEWIS,
SAMUEL P.

p. 1384

Surnames: LEWIS, JAMES, PRICE, FRILL, GNAU, BRITTON

Samuel P. Lewis, who died in Reading Oct 18, 1904, had been a
resident of that city since 1881. He was born in Chester county,
Pa., July 27, 1868, son of John and Mary (James) Lewis.

The parents were both natives of Chester county,
and were among the representative farming people of that section.
John Lewis owned valuable properties there, which he operated until
1881, in which year he removed to Reading. He entered the employ of
Orr, Painter & Co., with whom he remained until he died in
1891. He had a family of six children, namely: Frank, Lizzie (m.
Samuel Price), Samuel P., John H., George O. and Charles. Both Mr.
Lewis and his wife were Presbyterians.

Samuel P. Lewis received most of his education
in the public schools of Reading, but he left school early, and
when not much more than a boy commenced to learn the trade of stove
molder in the foundry of Orr, Painter & Co. He remained with
them several years, until he accepted the position of special
officer for the city, a place which he was filling most acceptably
when his career was cut short by death in 1904. Not only faithful
in the discharge of his duties, he was greatly esteemed by his
superior officers, and he was very popular socially. He was a
member of Reading Lodge, No. 549, F. & A. M.

Mr. Lewis married, Feb. 6, 1892, Miss Emma E.
Gnau, daughter of Jacob and Amelia (Frill) Gnau. Three children
were born to this union, namely: John H. (born Sept. 10, 1893, is
at school), Florence A. and Russell R.

Jacob Gnau, father of Mrs. Lewis, was born in
October 1846, and died Aug. 31, 1899. He was a native of Reading,
and was educated in the schools there. Learning the trade of stove
molder, he followed that occupation until 1872, when he went into
the hotel business at Columbia Hall, on Penn street. This proved so
successful, that in 1887 he was able to retire. Mr. Gnau served in
the Civil war and was a member of McLean Post, G. A. R. He also
belonged to Friendship Fire Company and to the Masonic fraternity.
Twice married, by his union with Miss Rebecca Britton there was no
issue. By his marriage with Miss Amelia Frill there were two
children: one who died in infancy and Emma E. (Mrs. Lewis).

LEYMASTER, WILLIAM and
CHARLES

p. 1490

Surnames: LEYMASTER, SERLING, BRICKER, STOLTZ, NAGLE, OTTO

William and Charles Leymaster, who, under the firm name of
Leymaster & Bro., have been carrying on a business in painting
and papering in Reading, since 1900, belong to the second
generation of their name associated with that occupation.

The Leymaster family came from Muhlenberg
township, where the grandfather, a well known farmer of his day,
lived and died, and where his son, Samuel, was born. The latter
became a skilled painter, and early established himself in Reading.
His first partner was M. J. Serling, but later a Mr. Bricker was
admitted to the firm, and the name became Leymaster, Serling &
Company. Their first location was at No. 15 North Sixth street, the
next at No. 45 North Sixth street, and then for twelve years the
firm was at No. 105 North Sixth street. The final location, where
the sons still continue the business, was No. 16 North Sixth
street, and there Mr. Leymaster remained in active control until
his death in December, 1893, over twenty-eight years from the time
he established his business in Reading.

Samuel Leymaster was twice married; by his first
wife, who was Miss Catherine Stoltz, he had five children, William,
Ellen, Elizabeth, Charles and Catherine (who died young). By the
second wife, Rebecca Nagle, there were three daughters, Annie, Mary
and Sallie. Mr. Leymaster was perhaps as well known as a musician
as a business man, for he had played with a number of the local
bands, belonging at different times to the old City, the old Rifle,
the Keystone and Ringgold bands.

William Leymaster, eldest son of Samuel and
senior member of the present firm, was born in Reading. He took up
his father’s trade and followed it until 1880, in that year
entering the employ of the Philadelphia and Reading railroad. He
left that to go into the cigar business, and for thirteen years was
successfully engaged in that line at No. 28 North Sixth street. In
1900 he and his brother together bought the other interests in the
business founded by their father, and have since then been
conducting it on their own account.

Charles Leymaster, also born in Reading, is
younger than his brother. He also learned papering and painting
under his father, and has always been engaged in that line. At the
time of his father’s death he acquired an interest in the business,
and later, in 1900, he and his brother, as stated above, acquired
the entire control of the business. They have an established trade
in both departments, carry complete lines, and as they employ
skilled workers have a reputation for satisfactory work.

Charles Leymaster was married to Miss Emma L.
Otto, a daughter of the late Jacob Otto, and they have three
children, Clara, Florence and Ella, and have lost one, Carrie.