PIONEER LEWIS FAMILIES
It states that Waitstill was amoung the colonists who removed to Nova Scotia from RI in 1759, and returned to MA in time to fight for American Independence and thereby lost his life.
HISTORY OF YARMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA
Waitstill Lewis settled in Yarmouth in 1775. (See Lewisana, vol VIII, p 176; vol X, p47; vol XI, p 117; vol VIII, p 112
RHODE ISLAND SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN THE OLD FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR, 1775-1762 by Howard Chapin, page 95.
Waite Lewis served in Col. Babcock's Co. in 1758.
DAR RECORDS FROM A BOOK CALLED CANADIAN PARTICIPANTS IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, by Virginia EasleyDeMarce, compiled for publication in: Lost in Canada, Joy Reisinger,Editor, 1020 Central Ave., Sparta, WI. 54656,
Waitstill left RI in 1759 after serving in the French and Indian War. He went to Halifax to open a tavern and his whereabouts are unknow at this time until he shows up in Yarmouth in 1775.
THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY YARMOUTH, NOVA SCOTIA, Campbell, page 113,
Waitstill Lewis from RI and Halifax settled in B. Ellenwoods' tan yard. He isbelieved to have returned to Boston from Liverpool in 1776 to become aprivate in the Navy which was in its infancy and at that time wascalled the Continental Navy. Source: MA Soldiers and Sailors of theRevolutionary War, vol 3, states: Lewis, Waitstill, private, CaptCaleb Brooks' Co., Col. Dikes' Regt; muster roll for Dec. 1776-Feb1777; enlisted 12/14/1776 credited to Capt. Sable; regiment raised toserve until Mar 1, 1777; also Capt Thomas Bumsteads' Co; list of mendrafted from Lt.Col. Jabez Hatch (Boston) Regt, agreable to order ofCouncil of May 7, 1777, to guard stores, etc., under Major GeneralHeath at and about Boston for a term of 5 weeks; also petition datedBoston April 27, 1780, signed by Sarah Lewis, stating that herhusband, said Lewis, who had settled at Halifax , NS where he kept apublic house, having gone there from RI at the outbreak hostilitiesreturned by way of Liverpool to Boston where he arrived at the time ofthe evacuation, and after rendering such service as he was able tocause of the patriots, engaged about 3 years prior to the date of thepetition as a Steward on board the privateer "Sturdy Beggar" (at 2 1/2shares), in order to better provide for his family, but said vesselsupposed to h ave floundered, the said partitioner prays to theGeneral Court to do something to relieve her necessity; 200lbs grantedsaid Sarah Lewis by resolve of 4/29/1780. Source: History of AmericanPrivateers, Maclay, p 75, states: "The Sturdy Beggar in May, 1778 wascaptured with 8 other vessals in Croswell Creek by an English forceconsisting of 2 schooners, 4 gunboats, 4 galleys and about 20flatbeds, under command of Capt. Henry, of the Royal Navy and MajorMailand. This book also states that the Sturdy Beggar was a privateercommissioned from PA and was a 14 gun brig at the time. Source: MAHistorical Society Collections, 1927 August 20, 1777, Sturdy Beggar,Brigantine, Guns-8; men-65. Commander: Philip LeFavour; bond:Continental, $5000; bonders: Phillipo Lafavour, mariner of Marblehead,Andrew Cabot and Benjamin Goodhoe, merchants of Salem. Oweners:Andrew Cabot and Benjamin Goodhue; Witness: John Cabot and IsaacWhite. M.A.V. 13, 167, 172, August 13, 1781-Sturdy Beggar, Brig.Ton-120; Guns-16; men-100; Commander: Anthony Diver; petitoners:George Williams and others of Salem. M.A. 171, 456 Source: The Annalsof Yarmouth and Barrington in the Rev. War by Edumund Poole. Shortlyafter Mr. Lewis' arrival in Boston, he enlisted as a private in Capt.Caleb Brooks' Co., Col. Dikes' Regiment and served from 12/14/1776 toMar 1, 1777. His residence is given in the muster and pay rolls asCape Sable. He probably re-enlisted in Capt. Thomas Bumsteads' Co.,Lt. Col. Jabez Hatachs' Regiment, for on May 7 following he was one ofa detail drafted from that company for guard duty at and around Bostonunder Gen. Heath, upon which service he was engaged 5 weeks. Source:History of the Navy of the USA by J.Fenimore Cooper. 1847 on page 87:Leaving the ocean for a moment, we will now turn our attention to theproceedings of the enemy again in the Delaware. Early in May, anexpedition left Philadelphia under command of Major Maitland andascended that river with a view to destroy the American shipping whichhad been carried up it to escape the invading and successful army ofthe enemy. The force consisted of the schooners Viper and Pembroke;the Hussar, Cornwallis, Ferret, and Philidelphia galleys; four gunboats and eighteen flat boats under the orders of Capt. Henry of theNavy. The 2nd Battalion of light infantry and two field piecescomposed the troops. Ascending the stream to a point above Bristol,the troops landed under cover of the guns of the flotilla withoutoppostion. Indeed, there does not appear to have been any force tooppose the British on this occasion or if any, one of so little momentas to put a serious contest out of the question. The Washing 32 andEffingham 28, both of which had been built at Philadelphia, but hadnever got to sea were burned. These ships had not yet received theirarmaments. At this point several other vessels were destroyed,privateers and merchantmen and the party proceeded to Croswise Creek,where the privater Sturdy Beggar 18 and 8 sails of other vessels wereset on fire and consumed. The next day the British ascended to Biles'Island and burned six more craft, four of which werer pierced forguns. On descending by land to Bristol, a ship and a brig weredestroyed. After this, four new ships, a new brig and old schoonerwere burned by the galleys, the party returning to Philadelphia thatnight without losing a man. Source: New Englanders to Nova Scotia Itstates that Waitstill Lewis came to NS with other settlers from RI andprobably settled at Halifax. In the list of grantees of 12 townshipshis name is not seen. The "Halifax Gazette" (date missing)advertises that Samuel Albro informs "all gentleman travellers, andothers" that he has opened "a house of entertainment for man and horsein Halifax, at the house lately occupied by Waitstill Lewis". Source:The History of Washington and Kent Counties, RI by J.R. Cole, 1889,page 160, its states: Col. Babcock (referred to earlier) was 22 whenhe commanded the RI regiment consisting of 1,000 men and in July 1758,he marched 500 of his men with the British army against Ticonderoga.He had 110 men killed and wounded and was wounded himself with amusket ball to the knee. Source: The following information contributedby Ruth Kaufmann (nee Auwater) would tend to cast some doubt on WHOWaitstills' father actually was. It is as follows: From WashingtonCo., RI probate records: John Lewis, Jr., had widow Mary and childrenElisha, John, Joseph, Wait a son, Benajah and William. All were underage, John Lewis, Jr. mentioned in records 1740 to Mar 1752. Source:Council and Probate Reocrds, vol. 3, 1745-1762 Waitstill Lewis, theson and orphan of John Lewis, Jr, late of Westerly, dec'd, appeared inCourt and made a choice of Wm. Hern to be his guardian. Whereupon itis voted by the court that Wm. Hern is chosen guardian of this orphan.In other town records, Wm. Hern married Mary, widow of John Lewis, Jr,26 Oct 1742 (2-119 Westerly marriages) When Waitstill Lewis marrivedSarah Bliven, they were married by Wm. Hern Justice of the Peace. Ifall by Elisha were under age then it is probable that John Lewis haddied ca. 1740. Elisha who was born in 1722 would have been 18 yearsat that time. This date would also fit with Marys' remarriage to Wm.Hern in 1742. Waitstill would have been 5 years of age in 1740. Adocument is also recorded requiring Mary Hern as mother of thechildren of the late John Lewis, Jr to demonstrate that she has fundsto care for those children and that those funds are available for thecare of those children. Seven infants born to this marriage-unnamed.
Birth: ABT 1735
Death: 1778 in At Sea, aboard, the brig, Sturdy Beggar
