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From: "Joan Tregarthen Huston" <>
Subject: [LEWIS-L] Story of "Robber" Lewis of PA
Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1999 23:32:05 -0700

DAVID4 LEWIS(*) (Jane3 Dill Lewis, Thomas2 Dill, Captain Mathew1),
of Doubling Gap, Pennsylvania, born 4 May 1790, on Hanover Street,
Carlisle, Pennsylvania; died at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, 13 July 1820;
buried on Lewis Farm, in Center County, Pennsylvania. He eloped
and married first, in New York City, in 1810, (???) BLANKENBURG,
born about 1794, probably in Troy, New York, daughter of the jailor
there at the time of marriage. David and the girl masqueraded as
brother and sister and traveled to New York City on a Hudson River
market boat where they married. After the death of his young wife, a
few years later, David married secondly G. MARGARET (???), who
married afterward (???) Whitebread, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
She died 25 Jan. 1872, and is buried in the Lewis plot, Mount Vernon
cemetery, Philadelphia.
The romantic, even though reprehensible, exploits of David Lewis are still
bed time stories around the foothills of the Pennsylvanian Alleghenies. This
American Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor; befriended the
widows and orphans and succored the innocent from the hands of the wicked.
The legend around Doubling Gap in the Cumberland Valley holds the fellow was
an Adonis in appearance, standing six feet in height, slim of build and with
hands, more beautiful than those of any woman.

David Lewis died when scarcely thirty years of age having lived a life of
adventure since his early teens. The field of his activities covered chiefly
the rural areas in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. In an alleged
"confession" written after his death in 1820. he is made to pity himself for
the scanty advantages he had received as a fatherless boy. In reality, the
young fellow was the son of a gentleman who had received an Oxford education
and claimed to have been a kinsman of George Washington. On the other side
of his family, his maternal grandfather was one of the first justices of
York and Cumberland counties. His uncles and cousins held high positions in
the Revolutionary Government regime while other members of his family were
Elders in the Presbyterian Church and members in high standing of the
Friends Societies. Much of the romance and notoriety achieved by David Lewis
was probably due to the prominence and importance of his highly placed
family connections. Even though the man spoke carelessly of his educations,
there were several persons in the Valley who stated, "David Lewis was an
excellent school teacher and a gentleman of manners."

As one learns of the dangers and hair-breadth escapes from the authorities
of this frontier swashbuckler, it is easy to believe his first experiences
with justice, when he was "cobbed" for a petty offense with a Bellefonte
recruiting force at the age of seventeen, seriously influenced his life.
Yet, a short time later, he is found enlisting in Capt. W. N. Irvine's Light
Artillery under the fictitious name of Armstrong Lewis. However, army life
soon bored him. After jauntily taking "French Leave" of his company, he was
arrested on a charge of desertion and double enlistment; court martialled
and sentenced to death before his twenty-first birthday!

>From that time until his death, nine years later, his life was a tempestuous
story of a mother's unflinching love for her erring youngest born; frivolous
flirtations; chivalrous marriages and shrewd philosophies of life. He
masqueraded as a "gentleman in true dandy style"; a "Georgia planter;" a man
of fortune singing a good song and being able to crack a bottle with the
best of them. This daring frontiersman was a consummate actor who played
many parts with the countryside of three states as his stage.

About 1815, David became a widower with two baby daughters whom he lovingly
dubs "Jemima and Kezialt." His young wife is said to have died of neglect
and desertion. Quickly David casts his eye around for another charmer. He
soon enters into a marriage with a Philadelphia woman by whom, tradition
states, three sons were born, David Jr., George and William Lewis, However,
parental cares did not long bother him. He again took to the open road.
Deeds of kindness, indictments and jail sentences, miraculous escapes,
notices of rewards for his capture, convictions, pardons from the governor,
follow one another in quick succession.

Shrewdest of mountaineers, his friends were legion. His arms tapered from
his shoulders to his finger tips and his legs from his hips to his toes.
Laughing merrily, he slipped manacles from himself and went on his way. A
Houdini of the Alleghenies! Although there was none quicker of aim or hotter
in temper, David Lewis was never known to have shed blood. When sorely
pushed by their enemies his confederates threatened to kill, but a sharp
rebuke from their leader always lowered their arms.

On July 2, 1820, David Lewis, ran his last race, In attempting to reach the
mother who had never failed her youngest child, he was captured in
Clearfield County, Pa., near her home. He was taken to Bellefonte, riddled
with bullets and with an arm broken.

A few days later, courageous to the end, he mentioned his young daughters,
softly saying, "When I last saw them, they promised to be as beautiful as
the daughters of Job; should they be as virtuous as their lovely namesakes,
I shall not have lived in vain, but may he honored after my death in the
honors paid to them and have the disgraceful end of any ignominious life
washed away by the virtuous offspring of my "Jemima" and "Kesiah."
This dying blessing bestowed upon and tribute to innocent children and the
graceful hope for their descendants has been happily fulfilled: "Jemima's"
children and children's children have achieved distinction and renown. The
histrionic gifts of their talented but misguided grandfather have lived
again and been an inspiration and joy to countless thousands. Thus perhaps,
"the sins of the father have been washed away by a virtuous offspring."

See letter in possession of S. B. Shaller, Duueanuon. Pa., from Roland Berd.

(*)Notes Adelaide Schiller. Duncannon, Pa.

(*)Life and adventures of David Lewis, pages 4-34-75. Edited by C. D.
Richel, Newville, Cumberland
Co., 1890.

Harrisburg Republican, July 7, 1890.

See Gen. Soc. Pub. of Phila, Pz. Vol. 8. p. 105 & 206.

Joan Tregarthen Huston
Washington, USA

webpage: http://members.aol.com/TREGJM/index.html
Surnames:
Brown-PA.;Crosby-MA-WA; Colenso-Cornwall; Ferguson-Sct-AZ; Hanchett-MA;
Knapp-Ont., Canada; Lewis-PA; McAllister-Jura,Sct.-Ont.Canada;
McIntosh-Ire-Ont.Canada; Naylor-VA-OR; Pratt-MA; Tregarthen-Cornwall>USA or
anywhere; Benning, Chappell, Rogers & Gibson in Cornwall.

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• [LEWIS-L] Story of "Robber" Lewis of PA by "Joan Tregarthen Huston" <>