Meshach Lewelling moved his family from Randolph Co. North Carolina to Henry Co. Indiana sometime between 1820 and 1825. Some of the family, including 3 brothers Henderson, John and Seth moved to Iowa in 1840 about the time of Meshach's death.

These three brothers all went west. Henderson and Seth were pioneering nurserymen first in Milwaukie, Oregon and later California. They developed several new varieties of cherry including the Bing.

Henderson went to Milwaukie Oregon in 1847.
Seth and John went to California during the gold rush in 1850. They both went up to join Henderson in Oregon later that year.

In 1852 or 3 John went back to Iowa to bring his wife and family (including Sarah and her husband Robert King and their oldest child LL King) to California via Panama and ship to SF and settled in San Lorenzo (Lewelling Blvd. is named after the family)

About the same time Henderson went back east to buy more plant material and to bring back a new wife (his 3rd at that point). Henderson then settled on 200+ acres of land that he bought along Sausal Creek in the east bay in California. Because of all the new orchards and fruit being produced, the area became know as Fruitvale (now a neighborhood in Oakland).

In 1864 John moved to St. Helena in the Napa Valley were he was a pioneering winegrower, establishing Lewelling Vineyards.

The Lewellings are related to Prince Llewellyn of Wales according to some accounts.

1.
. 2. William Lewelling (b. Abt. 1740, Anson Co., NC; d. Abt. 1799 in Randolph County, NC)
.... 3. Meshack Lewelling (b. 29 Jan 1787, Randolph Co., NC; d. 30 Nov 1840 in Henry County, IN)
....... 4. Henry LEWELLING (b. 14 Oct 1807, Randolph, NC ; d. Abt 1850)
....... 4. Henderson Lewelling (b. 23 Apr. 1809, Randolph Co., NC; d. 1883, Oakland, CA)
....... 4. John Lewelling (b. 16 Jan 1811, Randolph Co., NC; d. 25 Dec 1883, St. Helena, CA)
......... 5 Sarah Lewelling (b. 29 Jun. 1833, Henry Co., IN; d. 06 Sep. 1865, New Providence, IA)
............ + Robert King (b. 05 May 1828- Morgan Co.,Ohio; d. 16 Jan 1864- New Providence, IA)
....... 4. Mary LEWELLING (b. 11 May 1815, Randolph, NC)
....... 4. William LEWELLING (b. 28 Sep 1817)
....... 4. Seth LEWELLING (b. 6 Mar 1820, Randolph, NC)
....... 4. Jane LEWELLING (b. 21 Aug 1825, Henry, IN)
....... 4. Thomas LEWELLING (b. 29 Aug 1827, Henry, IN)

Note: Some family members spell their name LUELLING.

Information Sources.