Shelby County Indiana History & Genealogy, Newspaper articles

Shelby County Indiana
Newspaper Articles

Lewis

The Shelbyville Democrat
Tuesday January 27, 1925
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COUPLE IS REUNITED
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          Mrs. Manie E. Lewis has dismissed her complaint for a divorce and alimony, which was filed against Evan Lewis a short time ago in the Shelby circuit court. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis have reunited and are living together here.
Contributed by Barb Huff

The Indianapolis Star
June 9, 1923
Page 6
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Columbus--- Miss Irva May Sutherland of this city and Howard T. Lewis of Shelbyville were married here by the Rev. Z. T. Sweeney, ex-consul general at Constantinople. Mr. Lewis is an official in the Shelbyville post office.
Contributed by Janet McColley Franklin

The Daily Republican
Rushville, Ind.
October 2, 1912
Page 5
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Miss Ethel Lewis, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. George F. Lewis, formerly of Blue Ridge, but now of Rushville, and Sebastian Creed, son of Mrs. Creed of Blue Ridge, were married in Indianapolis last night. After the fifth of this month, Mr. and Mrs. Creed will be at home in Blue Ridge. Mrs. Creed has been teaching school in Decatur County the past two years.
Contributed by John Ballard

The Shelby Democrat
Thursday, August 24, 1911.
Page 4 Column 4
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Miss Frankie Lewis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P. D. Lewis, of Meltzerville, is in the city as the guest of Miss Herma Becker at her home on west Locust street.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelby Democrat
Shelbyville, Ind.
Thursday, April 6, 1911
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TWO LIVES LOST IN STORM
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TWENTY-FIVE PERSONS IN THE COUNTY HAD MIRACULOUR ESCAPES – PROPERTY LOSS WILL BE GREAT IN DEVASTATED TERRITORY – ED MOBERLY SUFFERS LOSS OF ABOUT $7,000 – MILTON R. SENOUR FARM BUILDINGS RAZED TO GROUND – MANY OTHER BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
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(From Wednesday’s Daily)
Two lives were lost, twenty-five persons had miraculous escapes from death, and thousands of dollars’ worth of property was destroyed in a cyclone that struck Shelby county at about 10:10 o’clock last night. The exact property lass could not be determined today, as a scene of devastation followed in the wake of the storm. That the storm was the worst that ever visited Shelby county is evident to those who visited the scenes of its path.
The victims were Timothy Lewis, aged 54 years, and his daughter Louise, aged 7 years, residing about one and one-half miles northeast of the city on the Knightstown pike. Their bodies were found early this morning by a party of searchers, who had given up hope of finding them last night, and waited until the daylight hours arrived. The body of Lewis was found near the spot where a chimney had stood, entirely covered over with the wreckage from the house. The body of the little girl was found lying on a cot and it was plainly evident that she had been killed while peacefully sleeping.
Dr. M. M. Wells, of Fairland, county coroner, accompanied by a representative of the Democrat, visited the spot this morning. Dr. Wells said, in his opinion, the girl had sustained a broken neck, while her father died as a result of internal injuries, inflicted by falling timbers. Several of his ribs were crushed in and he was otherwise injured. The bodies had been moved to the home of Jacob Yarling, where they were viewed by hundreds.
The scene at the Lewis home is almost beyond description. The house was moved almost completely from its foundation. Not one piece of the barn was left in place. Pieces of the structure were carried for more than a mile. Scattered over the ground shattered pieces of timer could be seen in almost every direction. Several bushels of corn had not been moved. The corn looked as if it had been left by Providence as a monument for what had once been a happy home. The scene presented to the eye was enough to make tears creep into the eyes of the most hardened.
With a physician in the room, and kind and sympathetic friends standing near to administer to her wants, Mrs. Lewis looked the picture of despair. Practically nothing was left of her once cheerful home. In another room, her husband and child lay still in death. Her condition is not regarded as serious. Unless grief strikes her down, she will soon be herself again, but her once happy home is gone forever.
Mrs. Lewis cannot describe how she made her way out of the house. In speaking about her escape today she said she “just climbed out while timbers were flying around in every direction” and managed to escape. Her husband also got out, but the instant he thought of his loved child sleeping amid danger, he hurriedly made his way back into the house, where cruel Fate struck him down. He evidently encountered many difficulties in making his way back the cot where his daughter lay. Spots of blood on the timbers bore mute evidence to the fact that his death was a horrible one. His body was found near the chimney, where heavy timbers were rent and twisted together in one big mass. One of his shoes was found near the body, and it is believed that he had either put on his shoes, or attempted to grab them up while making his way to the side of his child.
Mrs. Lewis was removed, today, to the home of her son-in-law, Earl Anderson, on the Knightstown pike. She is on the verge of a nervous collapse.
The loss to the Lewis home will amount to about $2,500. One of the sad features about the affair was the fact that Mr. Lewis had just finished paying for his little farm of thirteen acres and was preparing to live an easier life. The house was erected about three years ago and had six rooms.
The storm seemed to have been at its greatest fury in the vicinity of the Lewis home on the Knightstown pike and in Hoganville, north of the city. The homes of Harry Meiks, Ed Moberly, Jefferson Walton, and several others northeast of the city; Allen Wallace and Rufus Morgan, in Hoganville, and the house and barn on the Milton R. Senour farm, on the Morristown pike, were either razed completely or damaged so badly that they could not be recognized.
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Moberly had a narrow escape from instant death. They were asleep in a room upstairs when the storm struck the house. Both were thrown out of bed and tossed about among the wreckage until they finally lighted on the ground. Fortunately both struck the ground in such a position that the walls of one of the rooms stood in a perpendicular position over them. This is all that saved them from instant death. Mr. Moberly was badly hurt. A deep gash in his head, requiring three stitches, and an injury to his right ear, were among the wounds he received. Seven stitches were required to sew up the wound to his ear. Dr. Phares was called after Mr. and Mrs. Moberly had been removed to the home of Jacob Yarling, a short distance west of their home. Mrs. Moberly was not injured so badly as her husband. She was bruised in several places and a gash was inflicted on her head. The fine Moberly residence of eight rooms was razed to the ground. Heavy timbers were twisted, torn and thrown together into one conglomerate mass.
The cyclone did some peculiar things. A new electrical apparatus, that was being installed in the house, was not damaged. A clock that was running when Mr. And Mrs. retired had stopped at ten minutes after ten o’clock, and this, it is believed, shows when the storm struck the house. The roof on barn was blown completely off. The barn was a comparatively new structure and was damaged to the extent of $2,000. None of the horses was badly hurt. The automobile house was blown over, but the machine was only slightly damaged. Only one fender was slightly bent. While no accurate estimate could be obtained today as to Mr. Moberly’s total loss it is believed that it will aggregate about seven thousand dollars. Mr. and Mrs. Moberly were both resting easily and it is believed their injuries will not terminate with serious results. Their relatives were busily engaged this morning in removing the debris and in taking care of what household goods that had not be rendered useless in the wreck. This morning Jacob Yarling crawled underneath the wreckage and found two watches that were still running.
The tenant house on the Moberly farm, occupied by Harry Meiks and family, was almost razed. A peculiar thing was noticed in the wreck. The wind came from the southwest and one would naturally suppose that that part of the house would have been most damaged. Instead, the east-half of the house was blown away and a mere shell was left standing. Mr. and Mrs. Meiks and their two small children had a narrow escape from death. They were not aware of the presence of the storm until they had been rudely awakened by being thrown among a pile of heavy timbers. None of them was seriously injured. The roof of the house was carried several feet into a field. After the storm, Mr. and Mrs. Meiks and their children made their way thru the darkness to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Yarling, where his employer, Mr. Moberly, and wife found a place of refuge. The Meiks house was a three-room structure and was rendered useless.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. George Phares, one mile east of the Moberly residence, was also badly damaged. Sections of the roof were blown off both the house and barn. One lone tree was left standing in the orchard. A forest on the Phares farm felt the effects of the strong wind and several trees were blown down. A small outbuilding was turned upside down and other damage was done to outbuildings. The total loss at the Phares home will aggregate about $1,000.
The house and barn on the farm owned by Mr. Lou Enos were badly damaged. Trees near the house were uprooted and tossed about as if they were feathers being wafted about by a summer zephyr. Telephone poles near the Enos home were blown over and much difficulty was experienced in getting communication with the affected area last night. The exact loss at the Enos home could not be ascertained, but it will likely amount to more than eight hundred dollars.
The home of Jefferson Walton, west of the Lewis home, was damaged to the extent of two thousand dollars. The second story was blown completely off while the roof was removed from the barn as completely as if it had been taken away by carpenters. Mr. and Mrs. Walton were in the house at the time and both escaped uninjured. They were totally frightened, however, and today they congratulated Fate that their lives had been spared.
In Hoganville, the home of Allen Wallace, colored, was razed completely. He and his wife and their seven (?) children were buried beneath the timbers of the house, but luckily none of them was killed. Mrs. Wallace is injured internally, but the extent of her injuries could not be determined today. She was taken to the home of Rufus Morgan, colored, just across the road. Dr. W. W. Tindall, of this city was called and rendered medical attention. The wreckage of the house looks as if some of the biggest guns Uncle Sam has in either his army or navy had been trained on it. Piled together in a big heap, the timbers of the house look as if someone had attempted to make kindling. That [?] in a measure, reciprocated for the damage done at the Lewis here is shown in the fact that none of the members of the Wallace family was badly hurt. Hundreds of visitors viewed the wreckage today and each expressed surprise upon learning that none had been killed or badly hurt. Estella Wallace is suffering from a few bruises, but no serious developments are expected. The loss at the Wallace home will aggregate more than one thousand dollars. The spot where the barn stood is now naked.
The house occupied by Rufus Morgan and family, north of the city, was badly damaged. Patches of the roof were blown off. Mr. Morgan stated to the Democrat representative this morning that he expected to see the house lifted from its foundations during the height of the storm. Twenty-five dollars will cover the damage done to the Morgan house. One of the horses in the barn owned by Mr. Morgan was injured so badly that it is believed the animal will die.
On the M. R. Senour farm, two barns, one large crib and the house were almost completely wrecked. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Cherry, who are the tenants on the farm, and the farm hand, Joseph Cain, each had a narrow escape from death in seeking a place of safety. Neither of them could tell today how they escaped. “We just got out,” said Mrs. Cherry, “and that is all I can say.” All three of the occupants were asleep. They were awakened by falling timbers. Making their way to the home of Henry Sullivan, almost directly across the road, the trio secured clothing and returned to face a scene of devastation. Seven horses in the barn were taken to a place of safety after several of the animals had been injured. None of them was badly hurt, however. Mr. Cherry places his loss at four hundred dollars. Mr. Senour’s loss will aggregate about three thousand dollars. Part of his loss is covered by insurance. The two large barns were rendered practically useless. Mr. Senour was aroused from his slumbers at the Hotel Ray at a late hour last night. He made his way with difficulty to the farm last night.
Several houses located on the Knightstown road within a short distance of where that road intersects the Rushville pike, were damaged. Small outbuildings had been carried more than one hundred yards. There was a small strip where no damage had been done, which only go to show that the storm dipped down, and did not strike with the same force in every section.
The scenes of the storm were visited by hundreds of persons today. The visitors went in almost every conceivable kind of conveyance. Some went in automobiles, others went in buggies and surreys, while others walked. Pieces of timbers, branches of trees, giant monarchs of the forest are scattered about promiscuously. Never before in the history of Shelbyville has such an appalling sight been seen. The present generation will doubtless never see such a sight again. Practically all of the wrecked homes will be rebuilt. While the loss in a few instances will be keenly felt, it was not such that it will be irreparable.
The I. & C. traction line also suffered considerable damage. Eleven poles were either blown down or snapped off. The car leaving here at 10:07 for Indianapolis, last night went dead at the first stop west of the city. The Central Union Telephone Company also suffered severely. More than fifty poles were broken, forty-five of which are on country circuits. The Indianapolis toll line was out of order this morning. Superintendent Early estimates that it will cost between $2,000 and $4,000 to repair damages.
The old woolen mill, west of the city, now used as a barn by J. W. Oldham, was badly damaged. A horse, in a stall, had a narrow escape from death. When found the animal was surrounded by boards and wreckage, but was unhurt. Another barn on Mr. Oldham’s farm was entirely destroyed, a cow being cut to pieces by the flying timber. One of the boards from the old woolen mill slightly damaged the house of George Bausback. Windows and the chimney of the house occupied by George Coleman, were also damaged.
The large sale barn of Milton Pitts, in Union township, was blown over like it was a feather. His barn was unroofed, the floor torn up, and the building moved about four feet. A buggy was blown out of the barn, but was not damaged.
While other parts of the county report heavy rain and considerable win, no damage of importance occurred.
Contributed by Dave Richey

The Shelbyville Republican
Friday, October, 22, 1909.
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Lew Lewis returned to his home in Manilla Friday morning.
Submitted by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Republican
Friday, October 21, 1898
Page 1
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          Mrs. O. E. Lewis, who has been sick for three weeks, is now in a serious condition, in fact she is very dangerously ill.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
Monday, February 26, 1894
Page 4 column 1
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L O C A L    N E W S
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Wanted, salesladies, apply at Lewis' shoe and millinery emporium.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Daily Democrat
Monday, September 4, 1893
Page 1
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Mr. Oscar Lewis received a telegram this morning from Mr. Ed Maas, of Cincinnati, warning him to look out for two female crooks who were headed for this city, this morning. Oscar was scanning closely the looks of all strange females who passed his store until Mrs. Emma Maas and Miss Cora Lauer hove in sight and then he knew that he had been sold. The following parties on their road to the encampment ....
Copied by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Democrat
April 21, 1892
Page 3 column 2
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          Mr. Oscar Emmett Lewis, of this city, and Miss Catherine Fischer, of Cincinnati, were united in marriage at Cincinnati Sunday morning at nine o'clock. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Hugo G. Eisenlohr, pastor of the 12th & Elm st. German Presbyterian church, at the parlor of the pastor, in the presence of a few personal friends. Mr. and Mrs. Lewis will be at home at 38 East Taylor st. to their friends after May 1st. The Democrat most heartily congratulates the young people, and cordially welcomes the bride to this city for permanent residence.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Daily Democrat
Thursday, January 21, 1886
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LOCAL NEWS.
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A daughter was born to Mr. Geo. Lewis, and a son to Mr. Charles Wiley, at Flatrock, the other day.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The Shelbyville Volunteer
Thursday, October 4, 1877
Page 3 column 2
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Mrs. Sarah Lewis, widow of Dr. J. S. Lewis, of Fairland, in company with Miss Emma Coffey, visited our city, on Saturday. While returning home in their buggy in the evening, the horse became frightened at a field-roller on the pike near the farm of Isom Wray and overturned the vehicle, throwing the occupants out and seriously injuring Mrs. Lewis, Miss Coffey escaping with a few slight bruises. Mrs. Lewis was conveyed to her house in Fairland, the following day -- Sunday.
Contributed by Phyllis Miller Fleming

The National Volunteer
SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA
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June 29, 1854
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Administrator's Sale - - selling at public auction on Saturday the first day of July at the late residence of John J. Lewis, of Washington Township, Shelby County, Indiana, his personal property... William Law, Administrator.
Abstracted by Maurice Holmes, in his book Shelbyville, Indiana, Newspaper Excerpts: 1853-1859. Submitted by Sherry Badgley Ryan, with permission from the author.

The National Volunteer
SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA
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June 15, 1854
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William Law had been appointed administrator of the estate of John J. Lewis deceased and advertised for sale John's personal property at his late residence in Washington Township ........ It included several one horse carts.
Abstracted by Maurice Holmes, in his book Shelbyville, Indiana, Newspaper Excerpts: 1853-1859. Submitted by Sherry Badgley Ryan, with permission from the author.

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