The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-05-18
Abraham Jarrett Lewis, Esd,

for many years one of the most prominent
citizens of Philadelphia, died in that city on
Saturday, Mey 12lh. He was born in Balti-
more January IL, 1901, and was in the 97tlI
year of his age ut the time of his death,
Joseph Lewis, barrister, of Monmoufhshire,
Wales, the great grandfather of Mr.. Lewis, came
to Fairfax county, Virginia, in the nth century,
and his father, Captain Joseph Lewis, served in
the Army of the Revolution.
Mr. Lewis removed in 1929 to Philadelphia
with his younger brother, the late Hon Elisha
Lewis, and for many years the firm of Lewis &
Co. was one of the foremost.of our city, until
not long since dissolved, when ii was said to be
the oldest in the United States, of which the
| founder was still an active member His skill,
| prudence and foresight were almost proverbial,
and enabled him during an eventful career of
| more than sixty years of active life to pass
through all the commercial storms and panics
which have swept over the country during that
period, while so many others were irretrievably
ruined He was esteemed by his many friends
| and admirers for q most exalted integrity and
q remarkable iirmncss of purpose, and none ever
| enjoyed to such an unlimited extent the conf
| dence of those with whom he had business in
tercourse, preserving in England with various
| houses unbrokcn relations during more than
forty years. lie was in early life Federalist of
| the old school, and afterwards a Henry Clay
| Wing, of whom he was a great admirer and
was a trustee of the fund known as the Clay
Testimonial, presented to that distinguished
| statesman by the citizens OF Philadelphia
Shortly after removing to Philadelphia. Mr..
| Lewis became prominent member of the Select
Council when that body was composed of the
leading citizens
In early life he manumitted his slaves, and at
the beginning of the rebellion was one of the
! first to be enrolled on the Committee of Safety,
was one of the founders of the Union League
and throughout the war gave moral and pecu-
mary support to the Federal Government
During more than thirty years Mr.. Lewis has
been director of the Bank of North America
and for forty years vestryman of ST. Andrews
Protestant Episcopal Church. and contributed
much to its present prosperous condition. He
was a kind husband aud father, and the close of
| his useful life seemed to be fastened by The
death few months ago of his son, our we'll
| known and esteemed fellow-citiZen, the late DR..
| L. j. Lewis, to whom he was devotedly attach
ed. Mr. Lewis retained the vgor of his active
mind until the last He never, even under the
most trying circumstances, gave way to anger
and his mild but dignitied bearing always in
spired respect, while his great integrity, exper-
fence, Judgment and candor often led those to
ask his counsel who were themselves accustom-
cd to take the lead in affairs. lie even possessed
that eminently Christian gift of charity, and
at no time of his life was he known to speak of
any person unkindly At peace with all the
world bearing malice to no one, he has passed
away, leaving an imcifaccabc record ON the
hearts of those who best knew him, loss TO
the public of n good and useful member of So
| ciety.