LEWES, George

  General Notes:

Birth: Brenchley, Kent, England
Death: Barnstable, Barnstable Massachusetts


George Lewes is the first lineal Lewes ancestor to have come from Engla nd to the "New World". He was a clothier in East Greenwich, Kent County, England. He came to Massachusetts in the ship Griffin in 1630 along wit h his wife Sarah and three of his children. Sarah (Jenkins) Lewis was th e daughter of John and Mary (Ewer) Jenkins.

In 1633 George owned land in Scituate and was living in Plymouth in tha t year. He was a member of the Plymouth Church being dismissed in 1634 t o join the church in Scituate. The Rev. John Lothrop arrived in Boston w ith about thirty members of his congregation in Sept. of 1634. They went immediately to Scituate where George Lewes became a member of their gro up. They were probably known to one another in England.

George and his brother, John, who arrived in America in 1635 aboard a s hip called The Hercules obtained lots on Kent Street named after the men who came from that county in England and were known as "The Men of Kent ." George's lot contained five acres and his house is No. 18 on Rev. Lot hrop's list of the houses built. Twenty-seven householders had gathered themselves and their families into a church and community.

George Lewes was named a freeman in Scituate in 1636, and his brother, John, in 1637. His actual date of admittance was 14 Jan. 1636, in good s tanding, showing that he had been known to the colonists in England.

In the History of Scituate, Massachusetts, by Samuel Deane, Boston, 183 1, is the following dated January, 1637: "Whereas certain freemen of Sci tuate, visit Mr. Anthony Hatherly, Mr. John Lothrop, William Gilson, Ant hony Annable, James Cudworth, Edward Goster, Henry Cobb, Isaach Robinson , George Kennerick, Henry Rowley, Samuell Fuller, John Cooper, Bernard L umbard, George Lewis and Humphrey Turner, have complained that they have such small proportions of lands there allotted them that they cannot su bsist upon them etc".

In "The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of the Thirteen towns of Barnst able County" by Frederick Freeman, 1862, Boston, under the "Annals of Ba rnstable County", George Lewes is mentioned as one of the first settlers . A grant was obtained for a settlement at Mattakeese, between Yarmouth and Sandwich; and in October the settlement was commenced chiefly by peo ple from Scituate. Two persons are named in the grant, "Mr. Joseph Hull and Thomas Domoc," who, with their "associated", were "to erect a planta tion or town at or about a place called by the Indians Mattacheese;" but many persons of character and note were embraced under the term "associ ates," among who were the distinguished pastor, Rev. John Lothrop; also, Anthony Annable, Henry Cobb, Thomas Cudworth, Samuel Fuller, George Lew is, Barnard Lumbard, Samuel Hinckley, William Crocker, William Parker, H enry Bourne, and others. In 1639, George moved to what was named Barnsta ble and bought a lot second west of the Hyannis Road. He had several par cels of land, some of which were later sold to his sons, Edward and John .

In 1648 and 1650 George was surveyor of highways, in 1649 juryman, and in 1651 constable.

Some time after the death of his wife Sarah in 1654, George remarried t o a woman named Mary Doggett, the daughter of Thomas and Isabel (Martine ) Doggett. Mary is named in the Last Will and Testament of George Lewis.

George Lewis is probably buried with the other first settlers near the seashore. His will was exhibited at court 3 March 1663.

The Last Will and Testament of George Lewis

The last Will and Testament of George Lewis, Sen'r deceased exhibited t o the Court held att Plymouth; the third of March 1663 on the oath of Mr . Thomas Allin of Barnstable.
In the Name of God Amen; I being in continual expectation of death; but t yett in my perfect memory and senses: I doe comitt and bequeath my sol e to God whoe gave it mee and my body to the earth from whence it came; and my worldly goods I doe bequeath as followeth:
Imprimis I doe give unto my wife and my son Ephraim Lewis my whole esta te that shall bee left Remaining after my debts are payed; as well my la nds and other Interests as alsoe all my Cattle and Chattle of goods what soever; and my will is further that my wife and my said son Ephraim they or either of them shall quietly enjoy the same during either her or his life time; and if either of them die the other shall enjoy it wholly du ring her or his life time, and after the decease of them both what shall bee then left Remaining shall be divided amongst my other five sonnes v iz, my son George my son Thomas my son James my son Edward and my son Jo hn; onely my son George shall in the first place have five pounds of it and the Remainder shall be equally divided between him and them; onely I doe will That my daughter Sarah Lewis shall have alsoe an equal share i n it;
Item I make my wife Mary Lewis my full and onely exequitrix, to pay and Receive all my debts to order Improve and dispose of all after my decea se.

__________________________________George Lewis Witnessed by:_____Thomas Allin __________________William Casley


Source: History of Scituate, Massachusetts, by Samuel Deane, Boston
Source: The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of the Thirteen towns of Ba rnstable County" by Frederick Freeman
Source: Pioneers of MA Vol VI pg 788:
Source: Pioneers of MA Vol VI pg 285
Source: Genealogy Reg of First Settlers of NE 178
Source: Gen Dictionary of NE CD#169:
Source: The First Settlers of Barnstable, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts , transcribed from the original records by David Hamblen of Boston,
Source: Genealogy Notes Barnstable Families, Amos Otis
Source: Lewis Family, Williams, Barbara

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Clothier.

George married Sarah Mary JENKINS, daughter of John JENKINS and Mary EWER. (Sarah Mary JENKINS was born in 1604 and died in 1654.)