Obituary of Mary (Jones) Lewis, 1857
From "Y Cenhadwr Americanaidd", Vol. 18,
No. 2, February 1857, page 78
Short Biography of Mrs Mary Lewis
Deerfield, by Utica
Mary Lewis was the daughter of Rowland and Catharine Jones, of Tÿ
Hen, Mallwyd. She lived about 20 years of her youth keeping house for
her uncle, William Jones, of Cae Aethgen, by Cemmaes, Montgomeryshire.
She was joined in marriage with Mr. Rees Lewis from the Dolgellau area.
They had 6 children: 2 have died and the other 4 are alive. The family
emigrated from the Cemmaes district to America in the year 1823, and
they came to Utica, and it was in Utica and Deerfield that Rees Lewis
and his wife spent the rest of their lives. He died nearly 15 years
ago.
Mary Lewis was one of the salt of the earth-she was a church member,
and she was true to her faith, over 58 years. In Wales she was a member
of the M. C. (i.e. Calvinistic Methodists) and when she came to this
country she joined the Independents in Utica under the ministry of R.
Everett, and she remained lovingly in the same connection until death.
Honesty, tenderness, a quiet and simple life, a feeling of warm respect
and tenderness towards the servants of Christ, and everyone in whom
she recognized his image, typified the character of our dear sister.
She was very fond of reading the Bible-there are signs of reading and
turning of pages on her bold print Testament and Bible, especially the
book of Psalms in which she read a great deal. She was one of the few
who held a ladies' prayer meeting in Utica thirty years ago-and she
was fond of prayer throughout her life. In her last years and months,
she was often heard in prayer in the middle of the night, and the family
feel their great loss after her death, because they lost someone who
constantly offered earnest prayer on their behalf. She had hardly any
illness but sank gradually, and she died in the house of her son in
law John L. Lewis and her daughter Catharine, in Deerfield, on January
5 at the fair age of 92. She was buried in Salem Cemetery, Marcy beside
her husband, and brothers Richard Isaac and Wm. D. Williams, officiated.
Lines of Rememberance of this dear old sister will be published in
our next issue.
Note: The above was translated from Welsh to English in May 2003 by Mr.
Edryd Jones, who is a descendent of Mary Jones Lewis' brother Rowland
Jones. Edryd lives in Aberystwyth, Wales.
©All rights reserved. This information may not be used for any
commercial enterprise. Quotation for personal use is allowed with appropriate
citation.
|