Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion Counties-Walter Lewis


Portrait and Biographical Record of
Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion Counties

Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893




WALTER LEWIS, an honored veteran of the late war and one of the representative farmers of Lyons Township, Dickinson County, residing on section 33, made a location here in 1875. He traded property in Grant County, Wis., for his present farm of three hundred and twenty acres, and has since made it his home. At the time he located here, there was not a settlement between his home and Lincolnville, and his nearest neighbor on the east was six miles away on Clark Creek.

Mr. Lewis was born in Delaware County, N. Y., March 24, 1832, and went to Wisconsin at the age of twenty-one years. On the 1st of April, 1853, he passed through Chicago, which was then a mere village and gave little promise of becoming the wonderful city which we find it today. The railroad extended no farther than Rockford, Ill.

Our subject located in Grant County, Wis., and when the war broke out he donned the blue, entering his country's service as a member of the Thirty-third Wisconsin Infantry. The regiment was assigned to the Thirteenth Army Corps at Vicksburg, marching from Memphis to that city, where they arrived just before the battle began. Mr. Lewis fought all through the siege and was then sent to Jackson, Miss., with his command, which was attached to the Seventeenth Army Corps. They then went to Meridian, Miss., and with ten thousand troops under Gen. A. J. Smith, were sent up the Red River on the Banks' expedition. Mr. Lewis' command was with the fleet. At one time, while descending the river, they were attacked by a large force, losing many men in the encounter.

In July, 1864, the Thirty-third Wisconsin participated in the battle of Tupelo (Miss.), then went down the Mississippi and up the White River, and then, with Gen. Smith, followed Gen. Price on his raid through Missouri. They took part in the battle of Big Blue, near Kansas City, and while in St. Louis our subject voted for Abraham Lincoln, in 1864. With his command he then went on to Nashville, which was then captured, and followed Hood through to Corinth. The troops were then sent back to Eastport, on the Tennessee River, and afterward to Mobile, Ala., where a battle occurred April 13, 1865. This was the last important engagement in which Mr. Lewis participated. Soon after this Lee surrendered, and when the war was over our subject received his discharge in Madison, Wis., on the 1st of September, 1865. He participated in nineteen battles, together with the sieges of Vicksburg and Mobile. He was very fortunate, in that he escaped capture and injury. He was a faithful and courageous soldier and was well worthy to belong to the gallant Thirty-third, whose motto, given them by their commander. Col. Moore, was: "Never surrender! Die in your tracks." The spirit of these words seemed to lie ever in the hearts of the valiant soldiers and they acquitted themselves with honor.

After his return to Wisconsin, Mr. Lewis was married, on the 27th of September, 1866, in Wallaceburg, Canada, to Miss Frances Jenner. By their union have been born four children: Nancy, wife of Charles Swan, of Pomona, Kan.; Lena and Frances (twins); and Sarah.

Mr. Lewis continued to reside in Wisconsin until 1875, when, as before stated, he came to Dickinson County, Kan., where he has since made his home. He now devotes his energies to farming and stock-raising. For eight years he has been engaged in breeding Shorthorn cattle, and has about eighty head of a good grade. He also keeps ten head of horses and was quite successful in feeding hogs until about two years ago, when cholera carried off many of them. He has sixty-five acres planted in wheat, fifty in corn and thirty in oats. He has been quite successful in his business operations and by his industrious and enterprising efforts has accumulated a handsome competence. His farm is well improved with good buildings, and his home, a pleasant residence, is conveniently situated about six miles southwest of Herington.

Mr. Lewis is an honorable and upright man, who has the high regard of all with whom he has been brought in contact. Of his army record he may be proud. He saw much hard service but was never known to shirk a duty, being ever found at his post. To the boys in blue who for so long fought in defense of the Union, the country owes a debt of gratitude which it can never repay, but we can cherish their memory, pay them all honor, and ever hold them in grateful remembrance for their inestimable service. The honored veteran whose name heads this sketch well deserves representation in his county's history.



(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for Dickinson County KS AHGP