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Thomas John Lewis Family

The Greater
Lewis-Olanie Family
Reunion

August 2001

Washington State, USA

History of Lewis Reunions

Thomas John Lewis and Agatha Olanie Lewis were pioneer settlers in Washington Territory, USA. They sailed from San Francisco aboard the ship Olympus in September 1881, landing in Seabeck, Washington Territory and homesteaded in Crosby. In all they had 12 children, 10 of whom lived to adult-hood.

The Lewis Reunions have been held as long as I can recall. Indeed, I have a photograph of a Lewis Reunion which predates 1913! We try to hold reunions every other year and rotate the host from one line of the TJ Lewis clan to another. For many years the Motzkus family has also been active in the reunions as two Lewis boys (Charles & George) married two Motzkus sisters (Molly & Rose). The Olanie family has also been active in reunions through the efforts of Ella Olanie.

A special thanks goes to the memories of Marion Busch, daughter of George Alfred Lewis, and Ella Olanie (daughter of Henry Olanie and niece of Agatha Olanie Lewis). These two wonderful women spent many years documenting family memories and keeping track of the comings and goings of Lewis/Olanie descendents. They are both sorely missed.

The most recent family reunion was held August 7-8 at Mason Lake Washington (outside of Shelton). The reunion was hosted by the Tom Lewis Family and an estimated 200 people attended. This was a technology based reunion as there were 3 computers and a digital camera available so that family could search the web, send emails to those unable to attend (and receive well wishers emails), search genealogy records, and record the event by digital camera. We also found time to consume tons of food and participate in the all day softball game. Return to top

Schedule of events

WHEN

First Weekend in August 2001 (Saturday & Sunday)
Feel free to come before these dates or stay longer!

WHAT

WHERE

To be Determined

Scene of 99 family reunion: Mason Lake Washington

Mason Lake

ACCOMMODATIONS

Please bring your Ice chests, chairs, etc. We'll have extra dishes and utensils for those that forget theirs.

Please bring current addresses and vital statistics for your family, games to play and musical instruments so we can "sing around the camp fire."

For more information:

e-mailto: Larry & Betty May Lewis (Tom Lewis family),

Family Reunion Coordinators:

All members of the committee are asked to pass on information about the reunion to families in their line. We also ask that they bring to the reunion information on births/deaths/marriages which can be used to update our date base.

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Lewis Heritage 2000 tour of England and Wales

We are planning a Lewis Family tour of England and Wales to occur during September-October 2000. We will visit sites of Lewis/Fenn history including the East End of London and Woodbridge in Suffolk. We also plan to explore our welsh roots by touring Wales. Please let us know asap of your interest so that we can finalise the itinerary and set costs. Thanks, Cheryl Morgan

Proposed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in London, England
As we may be arriving at different times of the day, we will plan our first official get together in the evening at our hotel in London
Day 2: Tour London on your own
You may take a double decker sightseer bus to visit the sites of London such as: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus, London Bridge, Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre-- OR go shopping at Harrods!
Day 3: Greenwich and London's East End
We will take a boat trip down the River Thamesto visit Greenwich, home of the Royal Observatory and The National Maritime Museum. We hope to have a special viewing of the original watercolours made in 1847 of the ship Alfred King Lewis served on in the Royal Navy. Time will be provided for visiting the museum or seeing where time begins at the Observatory.

In the afternoon, we will return by coach stopping off at the London Borough of Hackney and Isle of Dog sites including: Hackney Church where Alfred King Lewis and Eliza Fenn were married; Morning lane, Hackney, where they lived; Roman Road where Thomas John Lewis was born; Regents Canal and West Ham where Alfred King Lewis served his apprentice as a barge builder; Wades Place,Poplar in the Isle of Dogs where Alfred King Lewis died. The Isle of Dogs was the site of the great East and West India Docks and today boasts the tallest building in Europe: The Canary Wharf

Day 4: Woodbridge, Suffolk
Leaving London, we visit Fenn Historical sites. Our first stop will be Manningtree, Essex where John Fenn was a publican at the Kings Head Inn and Eliza Fenn was born. From there we travel to Woodbridge, Suffolk on the banks of the Deben to find John Fenn Sr's Academy for Gentleman's Sons, Athenrye House and see where he ended his days at the Seckford Alms House. After tea at the Seckford Hall (where the first Queen Elizabeth stayed in the 1500's), we will stop at Sutton Hoo the burial grounds of Anglo-Saxon Kings of East Anglia where treasures of gold and precious jewels were found (today they are housed at the British Museum). Our day ends in York.
Day 5: York
Although not a Lewis Heritage site, no visit to England is complete without stopping at York. Places to visit include York Minster, walking the walls, touring the viking exhibit or visiting the National Railway Museum. The evening Ghost Walk is a must! We will spend the night in York
Day 6: Blackpool
Crossing England to the West Coast, we spend a relaxing day at the seaside visiting the famous City of Blackpool. Blackpool is known for its lights, its roller coasters, its Wurlitzer Organ, its fish and chips and, of course, its sea.
Day 7: Wales
Although we don't know where in Wales they came from, we do know that the Lewis family came from Wales. So we will travel the length of wales beginning at Snowdonia travelling through mid-wales stopping at Builith Wells and down through the Brecon Beacons to Cardiff, the capital of Wales.
Day 8: Cardiff
A day of touring and shopping are planned. Must see sites include: Cardiff Castle, the Welsh Folk Museum, Brains Beer! and the Cardiff Docks (where Shirley Bassey and my husband, Brinley Morgan come from)
Day 9: Bath and Stonehenge
Returning to England, we will briefly visit Bath and Stonehenge
Day 10: Home
The tour ends for most of us while some may wish to continue on to explore more of Britain or the continent

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Lewis Heritage Items for sale

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created by Cheryl L. Morgan,
last modified: 27 December 1999