Edward  Wayland  Lewis


         Secretary of "The Mutual Loan and Savings Association" at Shelbyville, and one of the city's most accomplished business men, is a native of Shelby county, Indiana, born November 14, 1873, in Noble township.  His father, Simpson H. Lewis, [born] also occurred in the county, followed ... agriculture ..., served in Company K, One Hundred and Twenty-third Indiana Infantry, during the late Civil war, and ...was pensioned by reason of impaired health.  His wife, Medora J. Gregory, daughter of  Charles S. and  Mary Gregory, has spent her life [in Noble township]. Simpson H. and Medora J. Lewis are the parents of five children, four of whom are living, namely:  Iva,  Mary,  Ora S.  and  Edward W., all residing in Shelby county, the daughters still [at] home .... 
          Edward W. Lewis spent his childhood and youth in his native township [Noble], early learned by practical experience the meaning of honest labor, and while still quite young formulated plans for the future with the object of becoming something more than a mere passive factor in the world of affairs.  After attending the district school ..., he entered the high school at Sulphur Hill [another name for Geneva], from which he was graduated ... afterwards supplemented by two years at the Northern Indiana Normal University at Valparaiso. ... [He] soon achieved more than local repute as a capable and popular instructor and disciplinarian ... He was principal of the county high school at Waldron two years, ... [also] at Blue Ridge, and during ... 1896-97 did general work at the State University ... 
          Discontinuing his school work on 1901, Mr. Lewis accepted a position in the Democrat [newspaper] office at Shelbyville, ... reading proof, keeping books, etc. ... [In 1903] he entered the Shelby bank, as bookkeeper ... [for] four years, ... he [then] took service with "The Mutual Loan and Savings Association of Shelbyville," in the organization of which ... he took an active ... part ... contributing much to its ... growth and prosperity ... // Mr. Lewis on November 14, 1900, was united in marriage with Florence Buxton, daughter of William J. and Eva (Yount) Buxton, of Iowa, now of Shelby county; ... one child, ... William J., [born] December 25th, ... 1904. Mr. Lewis's residence ... is one of the attrative homes of Shelbyville. As a businessman Mr. Lewis is careful and methodical ... [and is unequalled] as an accomplished and reliable accountant. ... 
          The Mutual Loan & Savings Association of Shelbyville, of which Mr. Lewis is the secretary, was organized December 26, 1891 ... The officers at this time are  Judge K. M. Hord, president;  A. J. Thurston, vice-president;  E. W. Lewis, secretary;  Anderville Shaw, attorney;  Sylvan B. Morris, treasurer.  These with  Joseph H. Akers,  Robert W. Buxton,  Joseph B. Randall,  and  Christian Steinhauser, constitute the board of directors.
The History of Shelby County, IndianaEdward Chadwick,  pages 457-459.
Submitted and summarized by Don T. Mitchell, childhood neighbor at Waldron of  Ora, Ivy and Mary Lewis.  

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