Early Pioneer of Lewiston

By Emerett Wiser

William Hendricks Lewis was born October 14, 1887 to Rebecca Hendricks and Nerian Lewis in Carlinville, illinois.

His parents were married quite young and moved to Illinois where they made a new home and were prosperous for about nine years. In the winter of 1846-47, his uncle David visited their home and taught them the gospel, and they joined the Mormon church. The family sold out and moved to Nauvoo and stayed with William's grandparents for two weeks, then they started for the great unknown West through Iowa to the Missouri River.

William was present while Colonel Allen and other United States officers called for the Mormon Battalion, and he saw the wives and mothers of these soldiers, left on the bleak prairie without a protector and with scarcely enough food to eat.

The Lewis family crossed the Missouri River on a rudely constructed flat boat and joined Bishop George Miller's, Company on the journey westward. They wintered with some Ponca lndians, and it was a cold bleak winter with little food and much sickness and death. When winter broke they made their way back to Winter Quarters moving to Platte, Co., where they remained for two years. They had earned sufficient means to purchase a good outfit to make the journey to Utah, starting in April, 1851. They joined the Orson Pratt Company at Winter Quarters with James Cumming, as Carltain of one hundred and Ormas Bates as Captain of fifty.

They arrived in Salt Lake City on the 7th of October 1851. They purchased a home in the 15th Ward in Salt Lake City and farmed the following year. They had a hard struggle to make a living. and William worked at anything he could get to do and finally obtained employment with Captain William worked and did fairly well. He attended meetings regularly in the old Tabernacle for 10 years listening to Pres. Brigham Young. Heber C. Kimball, and other Apostles and veterans of the Prophet Joseph Smith's time. He loved these men and cherished their teachings.

He left the city to assist his father on his farm in Fort Herriman, where he met a young lady by the name of Martha Narcissa Petty, and they were married in November, 1856. They built a little home in Fort Herriman, and lived there for 10 years. They started their married life without any money, but they never wanted for anything, they could not pay for, and for ten years were not indebted to anyone. He participated in the Echo Canyon War. He farmed and was getting along very well when he decided to go to Cache Valley. He arrived there on July 18, 1899. following an Indian trail through Wellsville to Richmond where he staked off a claim.

He and his 16 year old brother-in-law and a neighbor by the name of A. F. Stewart put up 50 tons of hay. They returned to Fort Herriman and loaded up some ox teams with lumber for the floors and roofs of their cabins built and considered very comfortable. He returned to Fort Herriman and sold out there and brought his family with him to Richmond, arriving on October 31, 1859. The next day his eldest daughter was born. About two weeks later he was set apart as member of the High Council in the Cache Valley Stake by Apostle Orson Hyde. which position he held for 12 years officiating in many different callings.

In 1877 he was called to be Bishop in the Lewiston Ward which was named in his honor and was the presiding officer for nearly 29 years witnessing the growth of that settlement from a small hamlet consisting of four cabins built in the desert by Peter E. Van Orden Everett Clark Van Orden, Robert Wall, and John M. Bernhisel. Jr., to one of the most flourishing settlements in Cache valley.

In April, 1901 Cache Valley Stake was divided and organized into three Stakes, and Bishop Lewis as chosen as President of the Benson Stake which embraced all of the settlements of the north end of Cache Valley. He continued in this capacity until his death September 1905. By his energy and enthusiasm he has done more than any other man in shaping public opinion in his home town and instilling into the minds of his people a spirit of thrift and economy.

William H. Lewis and his first wife were the parents of 11 children. he and his second wife Eda Elizabeth Standage, were the parents of six children, and he and his third wife, Julia Maria Taggart were the parents of six; children. One of the sons of this marriage, Dow Lewis, was a Bishop of Lewiston from 1941 to 1947. He was a member of the Lewiston City Council from 1932 to 1937. Another son. Lorin Lewis was mayor of Lewiston in 1918 and 1919.

Richard Lewis Grandson of William H. Lewis and son of Dow and Dolly Lewis. is now a resident of Lewiston and has served on the City Council for two years and was mayor for 8 years. At one time, many Lewis' lived in Lewiston. but at the present time Richard is the only one of the descendants living in Lewiston.