Daniel David Lewis (the middle name comes only from family tradtion as no proof exists)

Born in Steuben (now Yates) county to William Lewis and Sarah Miller Butler Lewis. Came to Indiana as a child with his family by way of flatboat, docked at Madison Indiana in 1820.

At one time the largest landowner of Jennings County,
Daniel was by all accounts a very strong willed man, but apparently was also known as being kind and popular.

It is said that Daniel Lewis deplored slavery. Being so close to the Kentucky border this of course was a matter of contention. Southern sympathisers were referred to as "copper heads". During Morgan's Raid of Jennings County apparently some "copper heads" were leading Morgan's men to Daniel's house. He recognized the voices of the "copperheads" and grabbed his sword and stood inside the main door of his house. When the group demanded entry he is supposed to have told them that indeed they could come in, but the first one in would lose his head. Apparently they left.

Daniel was a part of the underground railrood. He had a secret room, the entrance of which was hidden by a bed, where he secreted escaped slaves. It is said he rigged a rope and pulley system so they could pool fresh water up from a well in the baement. I have no way of knowing if all that is true but it certainly was plausible.

Since Daniel had no slaves it is said he had many children, and as soon as they were able he put them to work on his farmlands. He set many of them up with their own farms when they came of age, or so, again it is said.

There was supposed to have been an actual "birthing room" in Daniel's house with a copper floor lining. I don't know if that is true. though.

His first wife, Harriet Rice Keith, daughter of Samuel Adkins Keith, died (as I recall from complications due to childbirth) and he married her cousin Frances Keith

In his later years it is said he had difficulty walking and so he would often be in a wheel chair in the second floor of his house so he could wheel around to the many windows and look out upon his lands. That wheelchair was later inherited by a relative in Texas.

Ida May Owens and her fiancee George Newton Rogers traveled by train from Paris, Lamar, Texas to Jennings County, and were married in Daniel's house. This indicates strong ties between Daniel and his daughter Serelda's family.

When Daniel died the funeral train was supposed to have been quite extensive as they took him out to what is now called the "Keith" cemetery, which was across the street from his father-in-law's home (Samuel Adkins Keith). Source of information: A fine series of interviews that Herschel Lewis did with Mary Lewis Osterman, his work preserved wonderful information for future generations.