William Lewis, III

William Lewis III was about six years old when his father, William Lewis, Jr. moved the family to the Black River area in Southeastern North Carolina.

WILLIAM LEWIS, III, born in Northern Ireland around 1730, died Hanover County, NC (now Duplin County) in 1800, m. married in 1748 (wife's name unknown) and they had six sons: William, Thomas, Jacob, Benjamin, John, and Frederick. William Lewis III was a farmer and produced turpentine and tar. He was also a surveyor and, with his brother Jacob, laid out a road from North Central New Hanover County to the Northwest Cape Fear River. He lived all his life in Northern New Hanover County (now Duplin County) and died there in 1800, almost 70 years old.

---

William Lewis, dead at the time his father's will was made May 14, 1811, died about 1801 in North Carolina. The record (Marion County Deed Book B, page 47) shows he sold land to Mr. Milsap on Feb. 7, 1799. He and his wife Elizabeth signed the deed, which was witnessed by Thomas Grice and Grice Stafford. On Jan. 28, 1801, he sold land to Mr. Crawford (sale recorded in Deed Book 13, page 32). He also sold land to Mr. Stafford (sale recorded Feb. 7, 1799, same book, page 55) and, on April 2, 1798, to Samuel Lewis (Deed Book A, page 168). The latter transaction was witnessed by his brother, Hardy Lewis, and by Joshua Lewis, the Deputy Surveyor. William Lewis married Elizabeth Phillips, thought to be a daughter of Phillip Phillips28. Their children were Sally (or Sarah), Ruth and Everett. Records of the Marion County Probate Court as of Oct. 6, 1801, show the two girls as beneficiaries of William Lewis, "late of Little Pee Dee in Liberty County." They show also a petition of Sarah Lewis, a minor, to James McRae, Ordinary, Marion District, to appoint Collins Woodberry her guardian (Roll 444, dated Feb. 22, 1809). An inventory of the estate was taken Oct. 6, 1801, by the administrators, who were his daughter Ruth, his father, William, and Phillip Phillips, presumably his father-inlaw. Chapter III covers what is known of his descendants.