Edwin R. Lewis

Edwin R. Lewis was born in 1834 in New York.

Sometime before 1860 Edwin was married to New York native Harriet (b. 1840), probably in New York. They left New York and eventually settled in western Michigan where by 1860 he was working as a lawyer and living with his wife in Lyons, Ionia County.

Edwin was 27 years old and probably living in Ionia County when he enlisted at the age of 27 in Company E on May 13, 1861. (He was possibly related to Oliver Lewis also of Company E, and who had also been living in Ionia County when the war broke out. He may also have been related to Royal Lewis who was also from Ionia County although he enlisted in Company D, the other Ionia County Company.)

Edwin was hospitalized sometime in early 1862 and was a hospital nurse in July of 1862, a hospital cook from August of 1862 through January of 1863, and serving with the Brigade wagon and ambulance trains in February, presumably as an ambulance driver. He was on detached service from March through June, and at Brigade headquarters from July of 1863 through March of 1864. He was reportedly detached “outside of the department” in April and May, and was mustered out on June 20, 1864, at Detroit.

By 1865 Edwin was probably living in New York when his son Byron was born, but eventually returned to Michigan after the war by 1870.

He was married to his second wife, Virginia native Mary E. (b. 1845), and he had at least three children: Byron (b. 1865), Henry H. (b. 1870) and Edwin L. (b. 1872).

He apparently lived for a time in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, but by 1880 he was working as a physician and living with his wife Mary and three children in Comings, Alcona County, Michigan. By 1889 he was residing in Hastings, Barry County, Michigan, although it appears that in June of 1889 he applied for a pension in Minnesota.

He was a member of the Old Third Michigan Infantry Association. In 1889 he applied for and received a pension (no. 1046558).

Edwin died on March 22, 1917, in Oklahoma and was presumably buried there.

In April of 1917 his widow was probably residing in Oklahoma when she applied for and received a pension (no. 850236).