Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/448

 LEWIS

LEYBURN

Thomas Ward, founder of Western Maryland col- lege. In July, 1886, upon the retirement of Dr. Ward from the presidency of Western Maryland college, Westminster, Md., to assume the presi- dency of Westminster Theological seminary, Dr. Lewis became his successor and under his admin- istration Western Maryland college became one of the leading educational institutions of the state. He also became a popular lecturer before annual institutes for teachers in the various centres of the state. He made a tour of the world in five months. 1893-93. He received the honorary de- gree of D.D. from Adrian college, Mich., in 1885.

LEWIS, William, soldier, was born in Done- gal, Ireland, in 1724 ; son of John and Margaret (Lynn) Lewis. He was educated in the school conducted by the blind preacher, the Rev. Dr. James Waddell, in eastern Virginia, and in medicine in Philadelphia, Pa. He returned to Virginia, intending to settle in the practice of medicine, but in 1753 volunteered for service in the French and Indian war and was severely wounded in Braddock's defeat. He then returned to his practice in Augusta. county, Va., where he took an active interest in the erection of schools and churches, and was an elder in the Presbyterian church. He was commissioned colonel in the continental army in 1776, and served until 1781, when he resigned and returned to his family. In 1790 he removed to Sweet Spring, Monroe county. He was married to Ann Montgomery of Delaware. He died at Sweet Spring, Va., in 1811.

LEWIS, William, soldier, was born in Augusta county, Va., in 1764 ; son of Gen, Andrew and Elizabeth (Givens) Lewis, and grandson of John and Margaret (Lynn) Lewis, the immigrants, 1732. He was a captain in General St. Clair's army on the Miami in 1791 ; and was transferred to the 3d infantry, March 16, 1792, and to the 3d sub- legion in December, 1792. He resigned in July, 1797. On Aug. 14, 1812, he rejoined the army as lieutenant-colonel, commanding the Kentucky vokmteers ; served at Frenchtown, Jan. 18, 1813, and under Winchester in his defeat on the River Raisin, Jan. 22, 1813, where he was captured, sent -to Quebec, and imprisoned for two years. He died near Little Rock, Ark., Jan. 17, 1825.

LEWIS, William Gaston, soldier, was born in Rocky Mount, N.C., Sept. 3, 1835; son of John Wesley and Catharine (Battle) Lewis, and grand- son of Exum and Ann (Harrison) Lewis and of Joel and Mary (Johnston) Battle. He descended from Revolutionary stock. He was graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1855 ; taught at Chapel Hill and in Jackson county, Fla. ; was a government surveyor, 1857-58, and assist- ant engineer on the Tarboro branch of the Wil- mington andWeldon railroad, 1858-61. He was married March 15, 1864, to Martha E. Pender. As a member of the Edgecombe guards, which

formed a part of the 1st N.C. regiment, he was made ensign and lieutenant in 1861. For his action in the battle of Big Bethel, he was pro- moted major of the 33d N.C. regiment ; and for the battle of New Berne he was promoted lieu- tenant-colonel of the 43d N.C. regiment, Jan. 17, 1862. He engaged in the battles of Malvern Hill : Gettysburg, where he succeeded to the colonelcy ; Bristow Station ; Mine Run ; Plymouth, and Drewry's Bluff, and in the latter battle constructed all the outer line of works. He was promoted brigadier-general and assigned to Hoke's N.C. brigade, and was with General Early in the cam- paign in the valley of Virginia and at Petei's- burg. At Farmville he was severely wounded. He was state engineer and agent of the state board of education for swamp lands and was chief of engineers. North Carolina state guards, at the time of his death, which occurred at Goldsboro, N.C. Jan. 7, 1901.

LEYBURN, John, clergyman, was born in Lexington, Va., April 25, 1814 ; son of John and Jane (McDowell) Leyburn ; grandson of George and Abigail Leyburn, and a descendant of an English family who settled in Ireland in tlie sixteenth century, and were connected with Derry in its early history, and members of which immigrated to America in the eighteenth cen- tury. He was a brother of Dr. Alfred Leyburn and of the Rev. George W. Leyburn. He was graduated from Washington college. Lexington, Va., in 1831, and from the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1833, A.M., 1836. He studied theology at the Union Theological seminary in Virginia and at Columbia, S.C., and entered the Presbyterian ministry. He organized a churcli at Gainesville, Ala., in 1836, and during his two years' pastorate built a church for the congregation. He was pastor of the Tabb Street Presbyterian church at Petersburg, Va., 1838-44, and during his pastorate built a large church edifice. On being appointed seci'etary of the Presbyterian board of publica- tion, he removed to Philadelphia. Fa., 1844, whei'e he remained until 1860. He was married at Fredericksburg, Va., in 1845 to Mary Louisa Stuart, daughter of Col. Hugh Mercer. He be- came part owner and chief editor of the Phila- delphia Presbyterian in 1847, but at the out-. break of the civil war resigned his position and returned to Virginia, his sympatliies being with the Southern cause. He served as secre- tary of the domestic missions and publication of the Presbyterian church, south, 1861-65 ;. was pastor of an Independent Presbyterian church in Baltimore, Md., 186.5-87. and pas- tor emeritus, 1887-94. He was a trustee of the College of New Jersey, 1875-86.' He re- ceived the degree of D.D. from Hampden-Sidney college, Virginia, in 1849. He traveled in Eu- rope and tlie Holy Land, and (contributed many articles on his travels to the Presbi/fo-ion l\•l^d tiie