FATHER

George Lewis

MOTHER

Dennis Forman

WIFE

Mary Doggett 

CHILDREN

1. Mary Lewis
    b. 27 Dec 1625
    m. 14 Nov 1643 John Bryant

2. George Lewis
    b. 11 Nov 1627
    m. Dec 1654 Mary Lombard
    d. 20 MQR 1709

3. Thomas Lewis
    b. 5 Jan 1630
    m. 15 JUN 1653 Mary Davis

4. James Lewis
    b. 25 Mar 1632
    m. 31 Oct 1655 Sarah Lane
    d. 4 Oct 1713

5. Edward Lewis
    b. 9 May 1634 
    m. 9 May 1661 Hannah Cobb
    d. 28 MAr 1703

6. John Lewis
    b. 02 March 1637
    d. 26 Mar 1676

7. Ephraim Lewis
    b. 23 July 1641

8. Sarah Lewis
    b. 02 Feb 1643
    m. Richard Kitterich

George Lewis
by Susan Brooke
Mar 2023

George Lewis was christened on 31 Aug 1600 in Brenchley, Kent, England. (1) On 6 May 1610 he was named a grandchild of George Lewis in the will of the widow Margery Gorman of Brenchley. (2) He married in Horsemonden, Kent, England,  Mary Doggett, a native of Horsmonden, on 1 Nov 1624.  (3) The two villages were less than two miles from each other. (4) George and Mary were both aged 24.  They had four children baptized in Brenchley, Kent, England. (5)   At some point they may have moved to Staplehurst.  George may have been a clothier at some point, but he was in need of aid.  He seems to have applied to the Brenchley Parish for help but the matter ended up in court and in 1634 it was ruled that Mary and her children would remain in Staplehurst.  (6)  Mary was expecting her 5th child, Edward Lewis, so George Lewis took off to the Colonies leaving Mary behind to give birth to their child.  His brother John emigrated on the Hercules in 1635.
George Lewis obtained 5 acres of land in Scituate (7)  which he sold in 1639 when he moved to Barnstable. (8) His wife Mary had joined him by this time as their sixth son, John Lewis, was born in Scituate on 2 Mar 1627.  The will of George Lewis was presented to court on "3 March 1663" granting his son Ephraim his whole estate for the benefit of Ephraim and the wife of George Lewis.  After the death of both of them, his estate would go to his five sons and daughter: George, Thomas, James, Edward, John and Sarah. (8)

Sources

(1) Christening Record of George Lewis

George Lewes
Christened 31 Aug 1600 Brenchley, Kent, England
Father: George Lewes

(2) Wikitree information

The will of Margery Baldock Forman, grandmother of George Lewis
"Her will dated 8 May 1610, MF widow of Brenchley, was proved at Rochester in Feb 1611/2 (R. 20.317 21). Mentions: Margaret Jeffery the wife of Thomas Jefferi; Agnes? Chittenden the wife of Antoni Chittenden; Elizabeth my sister the wife of Thomas ?; ? my sister the wife of Si??n Burt; Margeri Lewis my god daughter; Jaimes Lewis, John Lewis; witness: George Lewis, my son in law; Codicil: Dennis Lewis my daughter, the wife of George Lewis, all my land in Brenchley which I purchased of Thomas Ward; her children George, James & John Lewis "

(3) Marriage Record
George Leweis to Mary Doggat  1 Nov 1624  Horsmonden, Kent, England

(4) Kent, England

(5) Christening Records for children of George Lewis

Mary Lewis  27 Dec 1625 Brenchley, Kent, England,  Father: George
George Lewis 11 Nov 1627 Brenchley, Kent, England, Father: George
Thomas Lewis 6 Jan 1729 (Thomas Lewes) Brenchley, Kent, England, Father: Gorg
James Lewis 25 Mar 1631 (James Lewes) Brenchley, Kent, England,  Father George
Edward Lewis 25 May 1634 (Edward Lews) Staplehurst, Kent, England  Parents: George and Mary Lews
John Lewis 2 Mar 1637 Scituate, Plymouth, MA (John Lewes) Father: George Lewes
Ephraim Lewis  23 Jul 1641 (Ephraim Lewes) Barnstable, Plymouth, MA   Father: George Lewes
Sarah Lewis  02 Feb 1643 (Sarah Lewes) Barnstable, Plymouth, MA  Father: George Lewes

(6) Wikitree information

The Brenchley parish disagreed, and the matter ended up in court.

At its Easter Sessions, on 15 April 1634, the court considered the case. Applying the law, the oldest child, who was older than seven, could have been sent back to Brenchley, but the wife and the younger children could be sent to the place where the “husband belonged”. The court decided that the husband had become a legitimate resident of Staplehurst and elected to ignore the age of the oldest child: “It is ordered by this court that the said Mary Lewis and her children be settled and remain in Staplehurst where they now are, and the said parishioners of Staplehurst are to see them provided for according to the law.”

(7) "Smith with Collateral Lines" compiles by Harriet Southworth (Lewis) Barnes, 1910 

George Lewis was a clothier in East Greenwich, Kent County, England. He came to the Massachusetts on the ship "Griffin" between 1630 and 1633. He owned land in Scituate in 1633 and was living in Plymouth in that year. In 1639 George moved to Barnstable and bought a lot second west of the Hyannis Road. He had several parcels of land, some of which later were sold to his sons, Edward and John.
Sarah had a brother, Edward Jenkins, who lived in Scituate and was an inn keeper.

"It is supposed that they resided in London, and were members of Mr. Lathrop's church, and probably came to this country in 1632, after the Church in London was broken up, and Mr. Lathrop imprisoned. George was of Plymouth in 1633, and though a member of the church there, his name does not appear on the tax lists of 1633 and 4. Though not a man of wealth, he was liable to pay a poll tax, and the omission of this can be accounted for only on the supposition that he was taxed as one of 'Mr. Hatherlie's men.' That gentleman was benevolent, and assisted many worthy men to come to New England, and after their arrival he assisted them to employment and comfortable homes.
George was a clothier by trade but there was not business to give employment to a clothier in the New World so he became a planter. "In further proof that he began life in this country as a poor man, we learn that his allotment of land in Scituate was only five acres, the amount known as 'a servant's share.' Yet he was evidently a man of good standing and known by the colonists before coming over, which is shown by his early admission as freeman of the colony, which occurred January 14, 1636."
"George was, with a number of others, dismissed from the church at Plymouth in 1634" so they could form their new church with Mr. Lathrop who had just been released from prison in London. George became a member of Mr. Lathrop's church in Scituate on September 30, 1635. His lot in Scituate was "the first south of Meeting House Lane, and contained five acres, and stand No 18 on the list of houses built in that town."
George moved to Barnstable in 1639. "His home lot in Barnstable was the second west of Hyannis Road. He also owned an acre of meadow on the side of the highway, with a high hill on the north still known as Lewis Hill."

(8) Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families by Amos Otis, 1888 page 115-116

"Before October, 1636, Goodman Lewes had built a house on Kent street, in Scituate, so named because the residents thereon came from that county, and were know as 'the men of Kent.'  His lot was the first south of Meeting House Land and contained five acres. etc. ---
On the removal of Goodman Lewes in 1639 to Barnstable, he sold to Richard Willis of Plymouth, his dwelling house and lot containing five acres, one acres and three-fourths of swamp, and three acres of marsh ground, etc. ----
George Lewes's home lot in Barnstable was the second west of the Hyannis road.  -- He also owned an acres of meadow on the opposite side of the highway, with the high hill on the north, still known as Lewes hill.  He had ten acres of land in the old common field,, etc. ---

(9) Last Will and Testament of George Lewis
Plymouth  Will Book 2 Part 2 page 19
FHL film 567794 image 225

Will: The last Will and Testament of George Lewis, Sen'r deceased exhibited to the Court held att Plymouth; the third of March 1663 on the oath of Mr. Thomas Allin of Barnstable.

In the Name of God Amen; I being in continual expectation of death; butt yett in my perfect memory and senses: I doe comitt and bequeath my sole to God whoe gave it mee and my body to the earth from whence it came; and my worldly goods I doe bequeath as followeth:

Imprimis I doe give unto my wife and my son Ephraim Lewis my whole estate that shall bee left Remaining after my debts are payed; as well my lands and other Interests as alsoe all my Cattle and Chattle of goods whatsoever; and my will is further that my wife and my said son Ephraim they or either of them shall quietly enjoy the same during either her or his life time; and if either of them die the other shall enjoy it wholly during her or his life time, and after the decease of them both what shall bee then left Remaining shall be divided amongst my other five sonnes viz, my son George my son Thomas my son James my son Edward and my son John; onely my son George shall in the first place have five pounds of it and the Remainder shall be equally divided between him and them; onely I doe will That my daughter Sarah Lewis shall have alsoe an equal share in it;

Item I make my wife Mary Lewis my full and onely exequitrix, to pay and Receive all my debts to order Improve and dispose of all after my decease.''

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