Much as been said about the contribution of the Welsh towards the birth of the new
American Republic, during their Revolution and afterwards. We hear of Thomas
Jefferson who had Welsh ancestry (from his own autobiography he wrote that his ancestors
lived in the shadow of Snowdon) though no evidence has ever been found (records
etc). Governor Morris of New York who wrote the preamble to the
Constitution. However there was only one
of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of
Confederation that was actually born in Wales. That was Francis Lewis.
And who
was Francis Lewis, and how important was he to America? The first thing we
learn is that he is still unknown in the country of his birth, and largely
unknown in the one he gave birth to. Unless you live in the Whitestone
neighbourhood of Queens, New York City, which was where his 5000 acre estate
(7M2) was. You find his name all over the place, including the High School.
Francis Lewis High School, aka Franny Lew.
And who
was Mr Francis Lewis? Unfortunately there is not too much information, he has
no autobiography or modern biography all[DH1] we have is a biography written by his
great granddaughter, Julia Lewis Delafield in 1877 "The Lives of Francis
Lewis and Morgan Lewis" Julia say that there was very little on Francis
besides the recollections of Morgan her grandfather, Francis younger son. This
is his story.
Francis
was born in Llandaff on March 21st, 1713 (according to David Williams in the
Dictionary of Welsh biography this was probably a misspelling, and more likely
Newport) the son of the Rev Francis Lewis (The rector of Llandaff, also a
misspelling as Llandaff practically a ruin, and my own research of the records
I could not find Francis's baptismal
record or a cleric of that name) his mother was Amy Pettingal, the daughter of
a Rev Dr Pettingal (also an error, he was more likely her brother). Tragedy struck
the young Francis when he was still a child when both his parents died, and he
went to live with a maiden aunt, a sister of his mother, she was quite wealthy,
and taught him Welsh (which he was fluent) and the history of Wales, he
travelled much, in Scotland where he even learned Scots Gaelic (possibly the
only founder that did!). When he was old enough he was sent to stay with his
uncle, the Dean of St Paul's, and attended the prestigious Westminster School,
London afterwards he went to work at a "London Counting House", which
prepared him for business.
America
His
aunt left him a substantial amount of money in her will, enabling Francis to
emigrate to America, and establish his mercantile business in New York City and
Philadelphia in 1735, he made his money in New York where he made his money he
went into business with Edward Annesley, who himself was a Welshman originally
from North Wales, he married Edward's sister Elizabeth,she gave birth to 7
children, of which 3 survived to adulthood. Francis, Morgan, and Anne. Business
took him all over the World, quite the traveller! As reported by Julia he took
trips back to the British and Irish Isle, he was shipwrecked on the Irish coast
and took one trip back to England, something is recorded as him being
uncomfortable about being in the country that conquered and oppressed his home
land. Nothing is known of him, except some entertaining stories which we shall
not get into here.
The
French Indian War 1752-60
When
the war broke out Lewis obtained the clothing contract to supply the British
army, he was at Fort Oswego attending to business, when General Montcalm
advanced with a body of French, and Indian allies. He was friendly with Col
Mercer who was killed in the artillery barrage. The fort fell, and what we hear
is another of these adventures that Francis Lewis has, like something out of
the "Last of the Mohicans". After the fall of Fort Oswego, Francis
Lewis demonstrates his charisma as Julia recalls in her biography. General
Montcalm gave his Indian allies (Hurons we would assume) 30 captives as their
share of the booty. Francis Lewis was one of those captives that went with, as
the Indians retreated they would sacrifice one of the captives in celebration of
their victory. He guessed at his fate, as was the case he was selected, and he
was not shackled because he was so calm,he was escorted towards his fate.
Meantime according to Julia's account is a story, that is quite common
"whilst they (the guards) beguiled the time talking together. Presently
words familiar to his childhood struck his ear. Acquainted with both Gaelic and
Cymraeg dialects, it was easy for him to be drawn in their conversation"
she goes on to suggest that his life was spared because he spoke a "common
language". This is an example of a tale of the "Welsh" Indian
that was common in the late 18th and early 19th Century, in fact when Jefferson
sent Lewis and Clark to survey the Louisiana purchase he asked them to seek out
the Welch Indians, and there is a reference in their journals to meeting
Indians who they thought were speaking in Welsh. The Story related in Julia
Delafield's book is similar to the one told by the Rev Morgan Jones who was
captured by some Doeg Indians in North Carolina, where he prayed in Welsh and
his captors understood him, released him, and he preached to them in Welsh. The
Lewis story is almost the same, he was welcomed by the Indians and released and
sent to Montreal,and shipped off to France in a box.
The
story is obviously nonsense. The Doeg part of the Potawan nation that lived in
Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina spoke a language that bore no
relation to Welsh etc. It's just a "tall tale" that
Was
common and believed, perhaps motivated by anglophobia more than anything else!
However it was also alleged that Meriwether Lewis and Thomas Jefferson
corresponded in Welsh,which might have been possible as Jefferson had a Welsh
English dictionary in his library. And there might have been used in dispatches
that might have been captured by either the French or the Spanish at the time.
However,
back to Mr Lewis, after he was released and returned to New York, he was
rewarded with a "gift" of 5000 acres close to New York City. With his
wealth (reputed to be the 5th wealthiest individual in the colonies)he retired
from business, and began to get involved in the politics of the New York
Colony.
1765
1779
After a
costly Seven Years War, the British government wished to recompense itself over
the cost by taxing the American colonies. Under the Granville administration
the infamous Stamp Act was introduced in 1765,signed into law by King George
lll. In Julia's account she puts it as the King’s “first act of lunacy, for
which he could not be held responsible". This was the casus belli for
independence that was ruled by a "tyrannical ruler" that was why
America rebelled. It is quite clear that the King was by then a constitutional monarch.
However,
truth is always more complicated than the facts. The colonists I think were
just fed up of being run by a distant government in London. Francis Lewis
decided to throw his hat in with those Colonists who wanted rid of the British.
In 1765 he attended the Stamp Act Congress, the first body that had
representatives from the all American colonies protesting the Stamp Act (which
was scrapped). He joined the Sons of Liberty which opposed attempts at taking
away the rights of "Englishmen the American colonies. He helped his older
son Francis establish a dry goods business, he moved his family to Whitestone.
His
involvement in the movement that led to the Declaration of Independence began
when he joined the Committee of 51 on May 16th in New York which was set up to
oppose the closure of Port of Boston, he attended the New York Provincial
Convention in which established New York's Colonial government. He was elected
to the first and second Continental Congress. He was not an active member of
the Congress He rarely spoke, he was more of a "backroom boy" active
in committee. When it came to the vote that led to the declaration, the New
York delegation abstained, as they waited for instruction from the New York
Provincial Congress to vote in favour, they got in on July 10th, and the actual
declaration was signed on August 2nd, 1776. On that basis, Francis Lewis put
his signature to one of the most important documents in Human history – and
made a little piece of history for Wales in the process.
His
involvement in the War of Independence was organising and purchasing supplies
for the army, he devoted all his wealth to his country. He lost much including
his beloved wife, Elizabeth, whilst he was away in Philadelphia she was at home
in Whitestone. When the British captured her house, they treated her
shamefully, destroying the house, burning the books, and papers, she apparently
remained calm. They threw her in prison, without a bed or change of clothing
and very little food. George Washington heard of this and was outraged and
ordered the arrest of the wife of the British paymaster General, after which he
was able to organise a prisoner exchange. Unfortunately for Elizabeth her poor
treatment severely damaged her health,and she died in 1779.
Despite
that, Francis continued to work for the new Republic, his strong support of
Washington prevented the attempt by the so called "Conway Cabal" to
replace him with General Horatio Gates, which might have led to a sad end for
independence. Lewis also signed the Articles of Confederation, effectively the
first constitution. After that he retired from active affairs in the new United
States. His mark on world – and American – history had been made.
He
retired to Whitestone where he was a Vestryman at Trinity Church, New York
City. He lived his final years in genteel poverty surrounded by his
grandchildren, his son, Morgan, became Governor of New York, founded the
University of New York. He died at the grand Old age of 89, he was buried in a
unmarked plot, which was later marked by a granite marker and bronze plaque by
the Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence in 1947.
It is
sad that Francis Lewis has been largely forgotten, that even though he is one
of the most obscure of the founding fathers, his contribution and his sacrifice
in creating this new country in one that should celebrated not only in America,
but in Wales which he strongly identified with that the Old should continue in
the New. Perhaps Lewis will be remembered and celebrated as he deserves in the
country that he also regarded as home and taught it to his children
Francis
Lewis a proud Welshman, and American. May he be lifted out of his obscurity!
[DH1]Draft is contradictory as it read
