Lewellen - Thomas - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

One of the leading and influential citizens of Waynetown, Montgomery County, is Thomas Lewellen, a scion of an excellent old family. Engaging in a variety of business from early years he has, by an unvarying course of honest industry, energy and ability, won success in life, held position of trust, and deservedly received the high regard and esteem of the entire community by which he has been surrounded and to many of whose members he has been personally known for many decades. Mr. Lewellen has ever been an earnest worker in behalf of his native locality, and especially Waynetown, believing that this place was destined by location, the fine agricultural land surrounding it on all sides, its magnificent forests of hardwood timber, the unlimited supply of coal underlying the soil not many miles away, the magnificent water range on her western border, the beautiful streams adjoining, and the purity of the waters, both medicinal and for domestic purposes, to become one of the most prosperous towns in this section of the country, and all that was lacking to build her up was capital to develop the natural resources, and he has done much for the general progress of the community. Mr. Lewellen was born in Union Twp, Montgomery Cuntyo on April 6, 1856, about a mile from where the first settler located. He is a son of John & Minerva (Coons) Lewellen, the father was b. in Ohio and mother in Tenn, the former being b. in the year 1818 and dying in 1892. He was a farmer all his life. His family consisted of 12 children: namely: John, Mary, Sarah, William, Andrew, all deceased; Candy, Ann Eliza, Thomas, subject of this sketch: Elizabeth, James, Katherine and Harvey. Thomas L. was a grandson of Thomas Lewellen who served in theWar of 1812. He d. in 1853. He was a native of Ohio. He had two land warrants from the government. Thomas L. was reared on the home farm and he assisted with the general work when a boy. He received a meager educ, going through the spelling book and half way through the school reader when he took up farming, but later turned his attention to tile making, which he followed for a period of 21 years in Ripley Twp, building up an extensive and lurcrative business, there being a great demand for his products owing to their superior quality. He then sold out and purchased the electric light plant at Waynetown which is still operation with much success. Mr. L. was married Sept 29, 1879 to Frances A. MOORE, daughter of Allen and Louise (STONEBRAKER) Moore. They were natives of Montgomery County, their people having come here in an early day and settled in Ripley Twp and they established comfortable homes here through their industry. 10 children have been b. to our subject and wife, namely: Stella married Fred WILKINSON of Ripley Twp, this County; Walter married Edith ZACKERY; Zola, married William SMITH; Bessie Bessie, married Frank ELLIS of Attica; Archie married Katherine PADGETT; Goldie, married Ralph MAXWELL of Crawfordsville; Edward Orton and Herbert Gordon, twins, both at home; Doris Lucile at home; Mabel Alice is at home. Our subj. was road supervisor for one term. He is a member of the Baptist Church. He loves the outdoors and is something of a sportsman. He caught the biggest bass that was ever taken from the waters of Montgomery County. It measured 26"in length and was 13" through the thickest part. - typed by kbz