Isaac Charles LEWIS 1855-1937

Isaac Charles LEWIS, born 20 July 1855 in Ontario Canada (Canada West), is the grandfather to Jack & Bill Lewis, great-grandfather to their children, 2nd great-grandfather to the next generation. 

Over the course of Isaac's 82 years, he lived in Lennox & Addington county in Ontario, moving to Selkirk Manitoba Canada before 1885, marrying in 1885, having 8 children, and by 1911 he and several of his family moved to Vancouver British Columbia (BC) Canada. Westward ho! 

Isaac Charles LEWIS was the eldest of the 8 children born to Charles LEWIS (1828-1913) & Elizabeth CAMPION (1832-1899). I have little information on 3 of his 5 brothers - more research to do, with common names and many possible men to weed through. Click on CAMPION for a blog post with more information on Elizabeth's family from County Cork, Republic of Eire.

On the 3rd of December 1885, Isaac Charles LEWIS married Alma Jane AIKEN (1858-1954) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Her family can claim a United Empire Loyalist in their heritage, Gilbert PURDY, from Ulster county, New York. Alma was married briefly in 1881 to Melancton O. Ancrews, and had one disabled daughter Cora; the marriage was apparently annulled shortly after.

Isaac Charles LEWIS and Alma AIKEN had 7 children (8 with Alma's daughter Cora):

  1.  Arthur Aiken, b 16 Apr 1887, Winnipeg Manitoba, d 8 May 1917,
          Vimy Ridge, France

  2.  Edwin Charles, b 2 Jun 1889, Brandon Manitoba, d 30 Sep 1975,
          Sacramento California; m after 1930 Anna ____; one daughter

  3.  Frederick Isaac, b 8 Jan 1892, Selkirk Manitoba, d 2 Jul 1965, Los Angeles
          California; m 23 Feb 1915 Seattle Washington to Mayre E. Bailey; 3 sons 

  4.  Alma Elizabeth, b 29 Jul 1894, Selkirk Manitoba, d Vancouver BC;
           m (Dr.) Otto De Muth before 1925, Vancouver BC; 2 children

  5.  Evelyn Eliza, b 29 Jul 1898, Selkirk Manitoba, d 30 Oct 1950, Sacramento
           California; m bef 1930 to Herbert Lloyd Phillips

  6.  Mona Ann, b 17 Oct 1898, Selkirk Manitoba, d bef 1906, Brandon Manitoba

  7.  Charles William [ancestor], b 19 Feb 1901, Brandon Manitoba, d 8 Feb
           1952; m est 1933 California to Reba Kathryn RICE (clink for more
            information); 2 sons [b in USA]

On the 1891 Census, he gives his occupation as "Farmer" with one 13 year old boy employee, named William Breen. He and Alma had had 2 boys at this time - Arthur 4yrs old, Edwin 2 years old. In 1901, he and Alma have their 7 children plus Cora. Cora Andrews remains with her mother until she dies in 1953. Isaac is still working as a farmer.

   

An advertisement in the Feb 1905 local newspaper in Manitoba shows him owning/running a grocery and butcher shop, I.C. Lewis & Son.  Possibly the eldest son, Arthur, was working with him, aged 19 years old at the time.

And in 1906, still in Manitoba, he states his occupation as Butcher, making $1800/year.  The family were living at 609 Lowe Avenue, with one boarder, Alice Crossland aged 35, from England. 

They clearly moved soon afterwards, as the 1911 Census shows the family living in Vancouver BC, and his occupation is working in a Butcher shop.  Home address at that time was 1842 West 5th Avenue. Both Arthur and Edwin are not living with the family at this time. Arthur is in Comox BC working as a Chainman to a surveyor; Edwin was apparently living in Vancouver BC, although not verified.

By the 1921 Census, Isaac was 65, retired, living with wife Alma, stepdaughter Cora, plus youngest son, Charles [ancestor]. Home address was  342 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver BC. Over the next decades, all sons are living in the USA, married, both daughters married - one in BC, one in USA.  

Isaac died 17 Apr 1937, aged 81 years,  and is buried in Mountain View Cemetery - which indeed has a beautiful mountain view of the North Shore mountains. His wife Alma lived to 11 Dec 1954, aged 96. Cora died  in 1953, the year before her mother died. There is no gravestone for either Cora or Alma, although both are buried there. Photo of his flat gravestone above. Note it states he was born in Bath Ontario - wish every gravestone had such nice genealogical details!  

                                                        

 -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  

If any of these people are also your ancestors, I am happy to share what I have about their families and ancestors as well. You can best contact me at calewisATtelusDOTcom - as Blogger is not allowing me to reply to any comments on my posts.