USA > Kentucky > Henderson County > History of Henderson County, Kentucky > Part 64
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Edward Hutchinson Lewis and Eliza Lewis, his wife, were de- cendants of the same family, both natives of Boston. The Lewis fam- ily of Boston were an old and honorable line of Massachusetts, in col- onial times and days of the American Revolution. Their relations number some of the good and worthy names of Boston from those early times to the present. Mr. E. H. Lewis came to Kentucky early in life-about the year 1812, and settled in Louisville. In the course of years, he was married to Miss Lewis, a cousin, and returning, came to make their home in the " Falls City "-then the " far West, " and border land, too, of the South. The home they made was, first of all, pre-eminently a christian one, and there a social centre for many genial forces which benefitted the town as well as society, they were respected and beloved by all classes, and her social graces, and chari- table works satisfied the love her beauty won. On the " eighth of
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January," 1822, to such worthy parents were born a son-the subject of this sketch, Henry Edmund Lewis. He was an only child, and grew up, good and well trained, amid the happiest circumstances. After his education was completed, he early engaged in mercantile pursuits. His father was both a wholesale commission merchant and a banker, and he took charge of his father's business in New Orleans, where he lived between one and two years. Then H. E. Lewis decided to go into other business and formed the firm of "Lewis, Bacon & Co.," wholesale grocers and commission merchants, of Louisville. When quite young, Henry E. Lewis was married to Miss Margaret Eleanor Clark, daughter of George Wallingford Clark and his wife Emily J. Clark, residents of Louisville, but formerly from Baltimore. After the period of Mr. Lewis' marriage he disolved the firm of " Lewis, Ba- con & Co.," and entered into a new business, in which his father was always his principal partner. This business was importing and wholesaling queensware, china, and glass. For a period of over twenty years the firm of H. E. Lewis & Co., Louisville, Kentucky, was one of established reputation for honor, and transacted a leading and ac- tive business on Main Street, in Louisville. Mr. Lewis's father was a banker for many years, engaged long ago in some active manner with the " Northern Bank of Kentucky," then President or Cashier of the " Franklin Bank of Kentucky," then retiring from the latter, a new bank was formed called the " Jefferson's Savings Institute of Louis- ville, Kentucky." Edmund H. Lewis was President of this bank for many years In 1860 came the war; E. H. Lewis and H. E. Lewis were both Union men, but both were identified with Louisville and Kentucky. In politics the father was a Whig in old times; in the war a Democrat, if of any political party then. H. E. Lewis was a life- long Democrat. Discharging all duties of citizenship faithfully, they came through the war Union men on principal, but Southern in tem- perament and affection. H. E. Lewis was a prime mover in getting up the " First National Bank of Louisville, Ky.," in lieu of the Jefferson's Savings Institute. Edmund H. Lewis was made its President. This was, perhaps, the first National Bank organized and established in the State of Kentucky. H. E. Lewis & Co. sold their importing queens- ware business in 1864 ; some years prior to this time, H. E. Lewis had purchased tracts of land in Henderson County, on, and contiguous to Green River ; other tracts, inland lying thirteen miles from Hender- son, in the oldest settled part of the county. These lands were in the unbroken forests, except one hundred and thirty-five acres bought afterwards. About 1857 or '58, Henry E. Lewis became a member
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of the Masonic order ; he was an ardent Mason, and achieved a bril- liant reputation in the conferring of those ancient and sublime orders. He was Master, High Priest of the Royal Arch Chapter in Louisville, and a shining and educated Knights Templar. He filled many offices and possessed many titles, " not understanded of the people outside of the order." He had taken up to and including the twenty-second de- gree in the ancient and accepted Scottish Rite, an order of which Albert Pike and General John C. Breckenridge were distinguished members. Near the end of the war, the Masonic Savings Bank was incorporated in Louisville. In this project, Mr. Lewis was an active and influential mover ; previous to this time Mr. Lewis became an in- valid, resigned the Presidency of the First National Bank, and remved in October, 1865, with his family to his beautiful place in Henderson County. He thus gratified a fancy, by beginning with land in the woods, upon an estate which he had opened for a farm in 1860, and now con- sists of four hundred and eighty acres, lying in one body. These lands originally belonged to Mrs. H. E. Lewis' maternal ancestors, the Hughes family of Maryland. William Hughes, father of Mrs. Lewis, was of the early settlers of Henderson County. This beautiful home, now one of the handsomest natural sites in the State, was named by Mr. and Mrs. Lewis " Haven-Wood."
Mr. Lewis had prospecting made for oil lands in different local- ities in Kentucky. In the season of 1865 and '66, in Henderson County, there was lubricating oil " struck " by the " Alvasia Oil Com- pany "-one of Mr. Lewis' companies, working in Henderson County. The name of this company was original with him, given in compli- ment of Mr. William L. Alves, the manager of that work, and an asso- ciate of Mr. Lewis in leasing oil lands. The " Alvasia " works were located on the farm of Mr. Elisha Williams, near his homestead, on the Owensboro Road, about ten miles from Henderson. Previously Mr. Lewis had gotten several charters from the Legislature of Ken- tucky, and controlled two oil companies, of which he was the princi- pal incorporator. When the enterprise promised success in Hender- son County, stock was in demand; but the petroleum, when found, after months of toil and a steady outlay of capital, proved not to have been struck in paying quantities. The oil developed proved to be the best lubricating petroleum, experts, and influential persons in Pitts- burgh, Pa., giving a favorable opinion of the richness and body of the crude oil. An unwillingness on the part of the stockholders to go on and bore other wells to find a " flowing well," decided Mr. Lewis and Mr. Alves to desist from the work-as theirs had been the largest part,
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and no benefit was reaped by them or the stockholders. But the re cord has been made-petroleum has been found in Henderson County. By his experience Mr. Lewis was content to hold his oil property, and leases in " statu quo," as they remain, though "oil men" from time to time have offered inducements for " prospecting." H. E. Lewis then gave his whole attention to his place, having orchards set out contain- ing several thousand trees of the choicest varieties of the standard fruits of our climate. One experiment, which was only successful for a few years, was a vineyard of Catawba grapes, bought from Mr. N. Longworth, of Cincinnati, and cultivated by his system; but that method is not suited to this section, the land, climate, nor labor. In 1869 Mr. Lewis erected a steam grist mill, with capacity for four run of burrs, for both wheat and corn. and a good custom was at once es- tablished with four counties. At th t time there were but three or four mills in Henderson County. A need for a store came about, and one with a good stock was established by Mr. Lewis. Mr. William L. Al- ves, son-in-law of Mr. Lewis, was associated with him in business. They also farmed, and raised and bought live stock and tobacco, and the name of Lewis' Mills was given to the business point. The topography of the estate could hardly be improved by an accomplished civil en- gineer for beauty and convenience " Lewis' Mills" is in a level val- ley, the homestead on a hill near by, with the open farm and wood- land surrounding all. A coal mine was opened and worked for more than a year in 1870 and '71. The coal was solely mined for fuel for the mill. The coal was good bituminous coal. About 1871 H. E. Lewis wrote and had printed a " circular," addressed " to manufac- turers, corporators and capitalists," which, if there was space, would be interesting to quote here-it ante-dated Henderson and Henderson County's present spirit of progress, and in a quiet business view ; but other business intervened, and his family thought he ought not to en- ter into new and added cares, so Mr. Lewis held that matter in obey- ance. In this retrospect many subjects come to mind of interest, but space must be considered. In 1873 or '74 Mr. Lewis stopped his mill, and only opened the store occasionally, concluding that such an ac- tive business of so many kinds was really depriving him of the leisure he had retired from city life and come to his new home, " far from the maddening crowd," to enjoy. He could not review his labors as a citi- zen of Henderson County but with satisfaction. He had done much more for the public good than make " two blades of grass grow where grew but one ;" he had circulated thousands of dollars of his capital here, and had done all in his power to benefit his fellowmen in many ways.
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Looking back, it seems it was a prophetic feeling which made him take a space of quiet repose and existence simply at home. In the spring of 1875 Mr. Lewis was quite sick, but recovered, as was supposed-he had always in his life been perfectly well. But his re- covery was not a real one, and he was taken sick in July, and died on the eighth of October, 1875. He died a member of Christ, and in the communion of the church.
It is not fitting to say more here, than to mention that two obitu- aries of Henry E. Lewis were voluntarily written by friends-one sent from Henderson, and published in the "Southern Churchman," and one written and published in Louisville. But it must be recorded feel- ingly, that his "Companion " Knights Templar of Henderson paid Masonic honors at his grave, after the holy services of the church were performed. It may be permitted a filial hand to trace the fact that his faults were few, and the world better for his having lived among men. His record shines with the lustre of many virtues. Ac- cording to the wishes of Mr. Lewis, his family continued his home and plans; and for eight years, all activities here have been kept up and revived and enlarged at " Lewis' Mills, Henderson County, Ken- tucky," where William L. Alves farms, handles live stock, and in ad- dition to the flouring mill and store, has built up a saw mill and lum- ber business, all in active operation at the present time. In the flush of the prosperity and progress of Henderson and Henderson County, in this year of grace, 1883, it is pleasant for Henry E. Lewis' family to remember that he foresaw such an era here, for he was convinced that success and wealth would reward the pioneers in the development of our city and county ; and this favored section of the " land-of-our- love " will prove rich in treasure under the works of man, in mines and manufactures, and agriculture and horticulture, as it is blessed with the riches of nature in climate, minerals, and soil, by the power of the Creator. Since the foregoing was written, Mr. and Mrs. Alves and Mrs. Lewis, widow of our subject, have removed from their lovely county home to another, just beyond the city limits, on Lower Main Street.
PAUL ALEXANDER BLACKWELL .- The genealogy of the gentleman whose name heads this article, and of whose life and kin- dred the following is but a brief and imperfect sketch, taken ab initio, presents a lineage distinguished for high character, honorable bearing and aristocratic surroundings. Our subject's paternal grandfather was one of three brothers who sailed from England many years ago for America. Arriving in this country, they separated, one of them
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settling on Blackwell's Island, from whom the Island derived its name, another settled in North Carolina and became the acknowledged head of the world-renowned Durham tobacco manufacturers, the third, Robert Blackwell settled in.Virginia. From the latter, the subject of this sketch descended. Robert Blackwell, the paternal grandfather, served as a Magistrate under King George III, and died in the year 1788. The maternal grandfather was James Jeffries, who lived in Virginia and departed this life in that State in the year 1831; subsequent to the Declaration of Independence, he served as a magistrate. The maternal grandmother, Nancy Hogan, was born in Virginia and lived there dur- ing her natural life. She died during the year 1848 at the good and rather remarkable old age of eighty years.
Chapman Blackwell, the father of our subject, was born in Lunen- burg County, Virginia, in the year 1785 ; he was married to Miss Pru- dence Russell Jeffries, who was born in Lunenburg County in 1796. Seven children resulted from this union, Mary, James, Nancy, Jane, Paul A., Branch and Francis. Chapman Blackwell was from boyhood a farmer devotedly attached to that life. Hearing of the fertile soils of the far West child of old Virginia, its almost limit- less productiveness, he determined to immigrate, and, to effect that pur- pose, disposed of such of his property as he deemed best and set out with his family, overland for Kentucky, in the year 1832. The com- parative wilds of the route to be traveled, the ruggedness of the roads, the privations that immigrants fell heir to, were obstacles to be sure ; but, with a firm and fixed purpose, a sound and unflinching spirit mov- ing him, he plodded along over mountains and through valleys, recog- nizing the tediousness of the journey and its lonely surroundings, never once hesitating or brooding over a determination to better his condition in life. Thus he continued on slowly, but surely, through Virginia, then Kentucky, until he reached Henderson County, where he settled on a track of land near Zion.
Here, in the woods, he built him a rude log cabin in which to shelter his family, and here he toiled, clearing the forest and tilling the soil up to the day of his death, that sad event occurring in the year 1851. His devoted wife survived him, and in this there appears a coincidence preternatural in its occurrence. In the year 1873, twenty-two years afterwards, in the same month and on the same day of the month, the good wife and mother followed her husband in death.
Paul A. Blackwell, the subject of this sketch, was born in Lunen- burg County, Virginia, April 22d, 1826, therefore he was only six years of age when he accompanied his father from his place of nativ-
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ity over the mountains into Kentucky. Arriving at school age, he was sent to the neighboring country school, and it was there that he gained his first knowledge of the limitless worth of the alphabet and the multiplication table. When he had become more advanced in spelling, reading and arithmetic, he was placed under the tutorage of Hon. Philip B. Matthews, now of this city, and who at that time was regarded not only the most capable, but the most reliable instructor of the youth of his neighborhood.
Mr. Blackwell matriculated at this school in 1841, and his subse- quent life furnishes a pleasing testimony of how well he learned and how closely he applied himself. This was the last school he ever at. tended. At the age of twenty-two years he returned to Virginia and while there, on the fourteenth day of June, 1848, in Lunenburg County, married Miss Martha S. Crymes, a native of the same county. He, with his wife, returned to Kentucky a short time afterwards, and set- tled down to farming in the neighborhood of his father. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Backwell have been born six children: William, Mary, Emma, Ada, Alva and another that died in infancy. Of this number only three are living, William, Emma and Alva. Mr. Blackwell fol- lowed farming up to 1855, when he moved into the town and formed a co-partnership with James E. Ricketts, under the firm name of Ricketts & Blackwell, and embarked in the private banking business in a small frame building that stood then near where George Lyne & Son's drug store now stands. At that time the Farmers' Bank was doing business in the building now occupied by the First National, and were building for a banking house the house now owned by the Presbyterian Church on the corner of Elm and Second Cross streets. Upon the completion of this house, the books, furniture and funds of the bank were removed to the new building, and Ricketts & Blackwell, by purchase of Dr. Owen Glass, became the purchasers of the house vacated by the Farmers' Bank. In this house the firm conducted a lucrative business up to 1862, when the subject of chis sketch read in the war clouds wreck and ruin to all business located on the south side of the Ohio, and immediately sold his interest in the bank to Ricketts, who continued the business a few years, and died. Mr. Black- well then purchased a farm, and operated it for six or seven years, though he never surrendered his citizenship in the town. In 1869, when his eldest son, William, had arrived at an age to justify him, he opened in Henderson a produce house, and was three years engaged in this business, and at the end of that time he sold his interest to Thomas S. Knight. Since that time he and his son have been largely engaged
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in the hardware and agricultural business, carrying at all seasons a verv extensive and varied stock, and enjoying, as they deserve to en- joy, a very large and prosperous patronage. Mr. Blackwell has traveled in all of the principal States of the Union, not alone for pleasure, but with an eye to business, and in this his experience has amply rewarded him. In politics, he is a Democrat of the purest ray serene-a Jacksonian ; in religious faith, a Christadelphian, or better known as a Thomasite. He is perhaps better known as an influential, enthusiastic member abroad, than any other one of the county whose name appears upon the church roll. Mr. Blackwell was never an office- seeker, yet he has been called upon to serve his constituents in more official positions than one. He served his district as Magistrate dur- ing the year 1860, and his town as Police Judge during the years 1861 and '62. He has held a commission as Notary Public for a number of years, and in every position has given unqualified satisfaction. He has often been called upon to take charge of estates and trust funds, and wherever he chose to be obliging, he has discharged his duties with marked ability-notably the estate of James E. Ricketts, which occupied a great range and required executive and business ability of undoubted skill. Judge Blackwell has never enjoyed perfect health, far from it, his life has been shadowed by a harrassing disease that has kept him continuously in remembrance of it. Yet, notwithstand- ing this fact, he has applied himself with such intelligence and such energy as his diseased frame would admit of, that he has acquired a handsome competency, enough to enable him to take front rank among the commercial men of his city. He enjoys a handsome, quiet home and takes the world as a philosopher should.
WALTER W. CUMNOCK .- The subject of this sketch is one of a large progeny, there having been born unto his parents twelve children. Of that number, eleven are living at this time, eight boys and three girls. To say that he sprang from a parentage gifted in the successful handling of intricate machinery in all of its multiplied work- ings and movements, is only to tell that he, too, has inherited, in a full measure, of that blessing so liberally showered upon those who have gone before him.
Walter W. Cumnock first saw the dawn of light in Scotland, in the year 1846, nd before he had attained to the age of two years, was, with a doting father and mother, upon the bosom of the " dark blue sea," en route to this free land-America. His father's name was Robert L. Cumnock ; his mother's maiden name, Margaret Goodlet, both Scotch born. The grandfather, on the paternal side, was an
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officer in the British army, as was also a brother of Robert L. Cum- nóck. The grandfather on the maternal side was a mill mechanic and worked in a mill. The grandmother on the maternal side was an English woman and died when she was quite young. The parents of our subject worked in a mill in Scotland, the father being both a mill boss and mule spinner.
· Upon the arrival of the Cumnock family in this country, they located in Lowell, Massachusetts, and engaged in the mill business. Walter W. Cumnock was educated in Mason, New Hampshire, and Lowell, Massachusetts. His education was not confined to books alone, but he was instructed in the art of cotton spinning, and from close application and intelligent determination, has risen from an apprentice to a master of .mill machinery and cotton spinning. He has traveled in this country, Canada, and Europe, and wherever a point could be gained, he made it a study, to his advantage, so that to- day he is justly ranked among the foremost cotton mill Superintendents of America. Our subject is one of a family of experts in the manu- facture of textile fabrics. There are five brothers, all cotton mill managers, and hold under charge, nine thousand operators, and eleven thousand looms; more operatives and looms, than are con- trolled by any other family of kinsmen in this or perhaps any other country. Robert L. Cumnock, Jr., who is a graduate of Middleton University, Connecticut, and Professor of Elocution and English Literature at Evanston, Illinois, Northwestern University, is also a brother. During the year 1880, and at the age of thirty-four years, Mr. Cumnock was given charge as Superintendent of the Evansville Indiana Cotton Mills, and while there, married Miss Lizzie Priest, October 26th, 1882. The result of that union has been two children ; the eldest, a boy, died at three months of age. Mrs. Cumnock is a daughter of Hon. and Mrs. George M. Priest, and granddaughter of Rev. and Mrs. Joel Lambert
Mr. Cumnock was too young-even though he had desired-at the outbreak of the late war, to take part as a soldier. He has avoided politics, from the fact that he has no liking for that kind of excitement ; he was never an office holder, and was never an applicant for office. In church faith he is a strict Presbyterian. During the year 1883 he visited Henderson with a view of engaging her capatalists in a cotton mill enterprise, of which they knew but little, but of which he was thoroughly posted in every detail. He secured an audience and made known his plans; how well he succeeded, stands to-day a mon- ument to his intelligence, his far reaching judgement, and daring
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spirit. . Cast your eye to the east, and there see that grand three-story brick structure, with its accompanying outbuildings, setting on a hill, a town of itself. From the ground floor to the roof, this great build- ing contains its hundreds of machines, doing their work with more precision and niceness than man can do, however so well he be edu- cated in the art of working textile fabrics. We refer to the cotton mill, built at an outlay of a few thousand dollars less than a half mil- lion. Walter W. Cumnock has been the head and front, the wheel within a wheel of this great and eminently successful enterprise, and to-day, he treads the aisles, and superintends the movements of one of the most magnificent and promising cotton mills to be found on the American Continent.
EZRA CALHOON WARD was born in Hardin County, Ken- tucky, March 13th, 1854. His father was a Cumberland Presbyterian preacher, but resided upon his farm, about eight miles southwest of Elizabethtown, and upon this farm the subject of this sketch spent the most of his time until 1871. He was left without parents at an un- usually tender age, his mother having died October 17th, 1855, and his father following July 10th, 1864. He was then left in the custody and care of a sister, whose husband was a farmer, and with whom he remained until her death, which occurred in September, 1871. Until this time our subject's life had been spent in doing the ordinary farm work during the farming season, and attending the district schools during the winter months. He continued to do farm labor until August, 1873, when he came to Henderson, Kentucky, and took up his abode with his brother, Thomas E. Ward, an attorney at law, with whom he remained for several years. The parent ; of our subject be- ing in but moderate circumstances, and leaving a family of eight chil- dren, he of course was dependent upon his own exertions for a liveli- hood, and it was with the greatest difficulty that he succeeded in maintaining himself in the Henderson Public and High Schools until his course was completed, which was done in June, 1875. But, by shutting himself up from society, and living economically, and devo- ting his vacations and the whole of his leisure time in the employment of some one who was able and willing to pay him for his services, he suc- ceeded in securing for himself the advantages of a good English edu- cation. In September, 1875, he assumed the duties and responsibil- ities of a teacher, beginning the practice of this profession in one of the district schools of the county, and continuing the same success- fully and efficiently until June, 1880. During the time he was teach- ing school, he was also engaged in the study of law, and his summer
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