Andrew Lewis
Andrew Lewis, son of Andrew Lewis and Martha Montgomery, was born in Campbell Co., KY, April 4, 1797. His parents came to this county March 4, 1804. His father was a Revolutionary soldier, and afterwards was employed in Indian warfare under Generals Harmar and St. Clair. He was not in St. Clair's defeat, but helped to bury the dead. He was in the whole campaign of General Wayne, and such confidence was reposed in him that when night came, or they were in camp, the pass-word was given him so that he could go out to shoot game. On one occasion he went out a short distance from camp and brought in a deer, although the Indians filled the woods in every direction. Another time he went out hunting, but accidentally got further than he designed, and finally lost his way; night came on, and he gave up the attempt for that time. But in the morning he began again, uselessly, as he knew not the direction, and it was nine days before he extricated himself. He subsisted on game the whole time. At last he struck the Miami and followed its course downstream until it reached the Ohio. The camp had been at Fort Hamilton, but while Lewis was lost in the woods they had proceeded on their way. By this lucky mishap he failed of being present in the defeat of St. Clair. He remained in Fort Washington until after the battle, and saw the remnant of the army as it marched back.
After this he and nine others returned to Pennsylvania, where General Wayne was then recruiting an army, and enlisted under him. With him they came to Cincinnati, and after a period of service were discharged. He went back to Pennsylvania for a brief season, but soon was on his way west again, locating in Campbell Co., KY, about seven miles from Newport, on the Licking River. In March, 1804, he came to this county, cutting his own road to Ross Twp. There were only three cabins the whole distance, one at Cumminsville, another near Bevis's tavern, and one and a block-house near Millville. There were no houses between his place and Hamilton. He entered half of a section, or 320 acres. After three years he bought a quarter of a section more. He followed farming until his death, which happened in 1847. His wife died February 12, 1852. He had 8 children: Jane, Andrew, Robert M., Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Martha, and Clarissa.
Andrew Lewis, the second child, remembers the time when the county was a vast wilderness. Indians used frequently to go by, occasionally stopping. At one time Captain Pipe, a renowned warrior, came along from Hamilton, where he had been drinking whisky pretty freely. Stopping at Mr. Lewis's house, he asked for some more, but was told they had none. This infuriated the Indian, who replied that they had. Mr. Lewis again asserted that they had none, when Captain Pipe drew his long, glittering knife, and began flourishing it around his head. He was very angry, and told Mr. Lewis that he had seen him before, and knew he was bad man. On being asked where, he replied that it was in Wayne's army. He continued flourishing his knife until forbearance ceased to be a virtue. Mr. Lewis determined to put a stop to it, and took down his rifle. No sooner did the Indian see this than he began to run, and Mr. Lewis after him. How far they went the boy did not know, but they were never troubled with the presence of Captain Pipe again.
Mr. Andrew Lewis remembers when the first church was built in the township. This was in the year 1815. It was completely surrounded by the wilderness. Indians were very numerous for several years after they came here, and he has often played with them. They were regarded as very treacherous.
He was married on February 23, 1823, to Mary McCleary, daughter of Samuel McCleary and Mary Houng. They came to the county in 1804. Mrs. Lewis was born January 9, 1796, in Pennsylvania. They had seven children, all now living. Robert was born December 10, 1823; Mary, October 13, 1825; Martha, December 13, 1827; Nancy, February 14, 1830; Dorcas, July 25, 1832; Sarah Jane, January 27, 1835; and Hannah E., June 16, 1837. Robert was in the hundred days' service in the last war. A grandson, James Jackson, was killed in the struggle. Joseph A. Beatty, a grandson, served three years, and a son-in-law, A. H. Miller, was in the hundred days' service. All Mr. Lewis's children are now living; all have been married, and all are living in Western homes but one, who is now a widow, Mrs. Dorcas L. Burke. She lives with her father. Her husband, Addison M. Burke, died March 17, 1860, leaving her with two children, John L. and A. M. Burke, the latter being only nine weeks old. The oldest one is now Auditor on the Dayton, Delphos, and Toledo Railroad, and the younger one is a teacher in the public schools. Mr. Lewis has had 49 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren, and only six of the number have been lost. Mr. Lewis has through life been a farmer, although for many years teaching school in the Winter season. He was a supervisor for a number of years, never receiving any money for it. His uncle, Richard Montgomery, was in the War of 1812, and Robert Lewis, another uncle, was a captain of light horse in the Revolutionary War. Mr. Andrew Lewis was always fond of his dog and his gun, and spent much of his time in hunting, being very successful. Future dwellers in Ross will never know the hardships and privations that the first settlers endured.
From A History and Biographical Cyclopædia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers, Western Biographical Publishing Company, Cincinnati Ohio, 1882.