Francis Lewis

Lewis married Elizabeth Annesley, the sister of his business partner Edward Annesley, in 1745. The couple had seven children, of whom only three survived to adulthood.

Elizabeth Lewis was taken captive by British soldiers after the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776. She was kept in inhumane conditions and was released after months of imprisonment. She died in 1779.

He spent his later years happily in the company of his children and grandchildren, and died on 31 December 1802 at the age of 89.

Francis Lewis was born in Wales, United Kingdom, as the son of Morgan Lewis and Anne Pettingale. Both his parents died by the time he was just five years old. He was raised by a maiden maternal aunt who was an intelligent and compassionate woman.

He received his early education in Scotland where he learnt Gaelic, and later went to England for his higher education. There he attended Westminster School, a highly prestigious educational institution.

After completing his studies, he took up work as an apprentice at a mercantile business house in London.

Upon attaining the age of 21, he inherited some properties left by his father. He converted the properties into merchandise and traveled to New York in 1734.

In New York, he entrusted his business partner Edward Annesley to sell a portion of the merchandise while he went to Philadelphia to sell the remainder. He returned to New York after two years.

As a businessman, he travelled to many faraway lands and visited places in Africa, Scotland, and Europe.

He established a successful business and secured a contract of supplying uniforms to the British during the French and Indian War. In August 1756, he was present at Fort Oswego when the fort was attacked by French forces. Lewis was taken as a prisoner along with others and sent to France.

He is famous for being one of the 56 signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence (1776), and for being one of the 16 signers of the Declaration who also signed the Articles of Confederation in 1781.