Fred and Mary Wilhelmina DANIELSON - 26 Lewis.

Spouse: Mary Wilhelmina DANIELSON - 26 (1887)

Father: John Lort LEWIS - 19 (1846)
Mother: Catherine Mary LEWIS - 18 (1852)

Siblings: William Lort LEWIS - 20 (1881)
Siblings: Lewis Mortimer LEWIS - 22 (1883)
Siblings: Adelaide Ann LEWIS - 23 (1886)
Siblings: Florence Matilda LEWIS - 24 (1888)
Siblings: Catherine Margretta LEWIS - 25 (1891)
Siblings: Rose Veletta LEWIS - 3 (1893)

Children: Robert Frederick LEWIS - 27 (1905)
Children: George LeRoy LEWIS - 28 (1908)
Children: Alfred Lloyd LEWIS - 29 (1912)
Children: Gladys Adelaide LEWIS - 30 (1914)
Children: June Florence LEWIS - 31 (1917)
Children: Kathryn Rose LEWIS - 32 (1924)

Paternal Grandfather: William LEWIS - 38 (1814)
Paternal Grandmother: Adelaide Matilda BUSHELL - 39 (1811)
Maternal Grandfather: William Mortimer LEWIS - 63 (1826)
Maternal Grandmother: Anne LEWIS - 64 (1828)

My father was Frederick Robert Lewis. He was born August 26th, 1882 at Great Pale, Wales. He was married November 1st, 1904 to Mary Wilhelmina Danielson. He died in Evanston, Wyoming on March 9th, 1959.

The children of Fred and Mary Lewis were Robert, George, Alfred, Gladys, June, and Kathryn.

The father of Fred Lewis was John Lort Lewis and his mother was Catherine Mary Lewis. John Lort Lewis was a gentleman farmer who lived on a farm called Great Pale. His wife was known as Kate Lewis.

Kate's father was William Mortimer Lewis and her mother was Ann Lewis. William and Ann were the second generation of the Lewis family to live at Great Pale. Kate was not related to her husband so Fred is from two different lines of Lewis'.

The third generation of Lewis' to live at Great Pale were John Lort Lewis and his wife Kate. The children born at Great Pale to this family were William Lort, Frederick Robert, Lewis Mortimer, Adelaide Ann, Florence Matilda, Catherine Margaretta, and Rose Veletta.

As a child Fred Lewis went to school in a little town named Whitland which was located on the railroad a few miles from their farm at Great Pale. Fred and his brother Bill lived in town and walked home on weekends.

When Fred was nine years old, a brother of his mother, Uncle Tom Lewis who had gone to America and taken up ranching in Wyoming, came to visit with his new American wife, Rose Clifton Lewis. When they returned to America Uncle Tom had talked his sister into letting her son, Fred, return with him. Uncle Tom gave glowing accounts of the opportunities in America. It was always strange to me that a mother would give up her son when only nine years old, never expecting to see him again.

Fred Lewis arrived in Wyoming in 1891 to make his home with Uncle Tom and Aunt Rose. Tom and Robert were brothers to Kate who had purchased a huge ranch which was named the Crown Ranch in honor of the King of England. Uncle Tom lived on part of this land which later was bought by Charlie Myers. Uncle Robert lived where the Spencer Ranch and the Jamison Ranch now stand.

Life in this frontier settlement was very hard. Fred scrubbed floors, washed dishes, and tended Uncle Tom's children. These children were Florence, Jessie and Norman. Fred always thought Aunt Rose (Clifton) was the meanest woman on earth and this he maintained until his death.

When Fred was about twelve years old, he was put out in the bunk house with the hired man, whose name was Charlie Clifton. Charlie looked out for Fred and often took his part. Fred's life was hard with wrangling horses, herding sheep, breaking broncos, clearing ground, putting up fences, digging ditches, plowing, haying and doing everything that goes with settling a new country. Fred often said he wondered how he lived through some of the injuries he received with the horses he rode. His school days were over when he arrived in America.

John Lort Lewis, and his son William arrived in Wyoming in 1896. As I have been told, it seems that Grandpa John Lort was a gambler and dearly loved to play the horses. As it turned out he was not very good at it. By the time little Rose was a toddler, the farm was lost and the family were in bankruptcy. This was the reason for John Lort and Bill to come to America. John Lort worked for Robert Lewis for several years. Then he took up a homestead of 160 acres. Kate and her children, Mortimer, Addie, Florence, Margaretta, and Rose arrived at Knight, Wyoming on June 7th, 1898. This was the nearest railroad stop to the Crown Ranch. It was snowing when they arrived. The family lived at the Crown Ranch for about two years. Then they moved to the homestead where a house had been built.

The steamship that Kate and her children sailed on was "The City of Rome." Aunt Rose tells us that Kate Lewis studied music with Videon Harding. She had a beautiful soprano voice which was well-trained. Kate's voice was as clear as a bell and she could reach High A without any effort. This teacher, Videon Harding, composed a beautiful song, "The Step Upon the Stair." Kate Lewis sang it the first time is was sung. She sang in many concerts in Wales and also on the ship coming to America. Kate presented a concert for the first class passengers. The family traveled second class. Copies of two programs where she sang are found here.

When Fred was older, his Uncle Tom bought a large herd of sheep. Fred was sent out onto the desert with a herder. The herder's name was James Horvoka who was a Bohemian who had come to America with just a bedroll on his back. Jim had a violent temper. Fred had difficulty getting along with him. Fred became worried that in a fit of temper he would either kill Jim or he would be killed himself.

Fred quit working for his uncle and decided to go to a barber college to become a barber. When Fred finished barber college in Salt City, he was married to Mary Danielson who had grown up on a neighboring ranch. The first year of their married life was spent in Evanston where Fred had his barber shop. Fred and Mary often tended the children of Uncle Robert and Aunt Sadie. Uncle Robert had bought a home in Evanston so his children could attend school there. The children were Mortimer, Claudia, and Frances. Frances died as a child.

Fred wasn't entirely happy with barbering. He loved the outdoors and hunting and fishing were in his blood.

"CONTINUED: NOTES ON TOM LEWIS, RIN# 582."