A. J. Lewis

As printed in 1907

A. J. LEWIS.

A. J. Lewis, a resident of Bayard, Iowa, was born February ly. 1852, in Polk county. Iowa, near Des Aloines. He is a son of Jonathan Lewis, a native of Indiana, who came to Iowa in the early forties and located in Polk county where he secured a homestead five miles west of the present site of Des Moines. He later removed to Highland township, Guthrie county, where he owns a valuable farm on which he makes his home. His mother, Evalina (Newton) Lewis, also a native of Indiana, is still living. There were born to this union nine children, of whom seven are now residents of Guthrie county.

Mr. Lewis enjoyed the advantages of a common-school education but spent most of his time in the fields of his father's farm. At the age of twenty-one years he left home to take up the pursuits of agriculture in Dallas county, Iowa, where he lived four years and later he resided in Cass county, Iowa, for three years. He subsequently located in Bayard, Iowa, where he purchased a blacksmith shop and conducted the business for six years. At the expiration of this time he purchased the opera house, on the first floor of which he conducts a pool and billiard hall. He also carries a line of tobacco and soft drinks and furnishes excellent lunches to his patrons. He owns a fine residence and six lots in Bayard.

In 1872 he was united in marriage to Miss Louella Decker, a resident of Cass county, Iowa, and unto this union four children have been born: Willard, Nina, Jay and Goldie. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis are supporters of the Christian church, while Mr. Lewis has always given his political support to the republican party.

As printed in Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.