William M. Lewis

William M. Lewis, a retired merchant of Boonsboro, Ark., was born in the

county in which he now resides, September 23, 1833, and is one of four children

born to the marriage of John Lewis and Marian Coulter, both of whom were

natives of Tennessee. John Lewis came to Arkansas when a young man, about

1829 or 1830, and began blacksmithing at Fayetteville, his shop being in all

probability the first one on the place. He worked at his trade for a number of

years, and died in 1860, lamented· by a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

William M. Lewis was reared and educated in Fayetteville and Cane Hill. In 1848

he began clerking in Cane Hjll, and two years later began merchandising in that

place, continuing until the breaking out of the war, andin 1862 enlisted as a private

in Col. Brook's regiment, Confederate States army. He participated in the

Prairie Grove battle, and was paroled at Fort Smith, Ark. After his return

he clerkedin Fayetteville for a year or two, and in February, 1868, was united

in marriage to Mary E., daughter of Col. G. W. M. Reed, who is one of the

prominent men of Fayetteville, and whose sketch appears in this work. Mrs.

Lewis was born in Washington County, and is the mother of three daughters

and one son: Je>sephine, Maggie C., John R. and Lizzie. After his marriage

Mr. Lewis re-engaged in merchandising in Cane Hill, and until 1884 was one of

the successful business men of the place. Since that time he has been retired

from active business life. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge of Cane Hill,

and his wife belongs to the Baptist Church. They have a pleasant and comfortable

home, and a fine orchard of twenty-five acres.