George Lewes is the first lineal Lewes ancestor to have come from England to the "New World". He was a clothier in East Greenwich, Kent County, England. He came to
Massachusetts in the ship Griffin in 1630 along with his wife Sarah and three of his children. Sarah (Jenkins) Lewis was the daughter of John and Mary (Ewer) Jenkins.
In 1633 George owned land in Scituate and was living in Plymouth in that year. He was a member of the Plymouth Church being dismissed in 1634 to join the church in Scituate.
The Rev. John Lothrop arrived in Boston with about thirty members of his
congregation in Sept. of 1634. They went immediately to Scituate where George Lewes became a member of their group. They were probably known to one another in England.
George and his brother, John, who arrived in America in 1635 aboard a ship called The Hercules obtained lots on Kent Street named after the men who came from that county
in England and were known as "The Men of Kent." George's lot contained five acres and his house is No. 18 on Rev. Lothrop's list of the houses built. Twenty-seven householders
had gathered themselves and their families into a church and community.
George Lewes was named a freeman in Scituate in 1636, and his brother, John, in 1637. His actual date of admittance was 14 Jan. 1636, in good standing, showing that he had been
known to the colonists in England.
In the History of Scituate, Massachusetts, by Samuel Deane, Boston, 1831, is the following
dated January, 1637: "Whereas certain freemen of Scituate, visit Mr. Anthony Hatherly, Mr. John Lothrop, William Gilson, Anthony Annable, James Cudworth, Edward Goster,
Henry Cobb, Isaach Robinson, George Kennerick, Henry Rowley, Samuell Fuller, John Cooper, Bernard Lumbard, George Lewis and Humphrey Turner, have complained that they have such
small proportions of lands there allotted them that they cannot subsist upon them etc".
In "The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of the Thirteen towns of Barnstable County" by Frederick Freeman, 1862, Boston, under the "Annals of Barnstable County", George Lewes is
mentioned as one of the first settlers. A grant was obtained for a settlement at Mattakeese, between Yarmouth and Sandwich; and in October the settlement was commenced chiefly
by people from Scituate. Two persons are named in the grant, "Mr. Joseph Hull and Thomas Domoc," who, with their "associated", were "to erect a plantation or town at or about a
place called by the Indians Mattacheese;" but many persons of character and note were embraced under the term "associates," among who were the distinguished pastor, Rev. John
Lothrop; also, Anthony Annable, Henry Cobb, Thomas Cudworth, Samuel Fuller, George Lewis, Barnard Lumbard, Samuel Hinckley, William Crocker, William Parker, Henry Bourne, and
others. In 1639, George moved to what was named Barnstable and bought a lot second west of the Hyannis Road. He had several parcels of land, some of which were later sold to
his sons, Edward and John.
In 1648 and 1650 George was surveyor of highways, in 1649 juryman, and in 1651 constable.
Some time after the death of his wife Sarah in 1654, George remarried to a woman named Mary Doggett, the daughter of Thomas and Isabel (Martine) Doggett. Mary is named in the
Last Will and Testament of George Lewis.
George Lewis is probably buried with the other first settlers near the seashore. His will was exhibited at court 3 March 1663.
__________________________________George Lewis Witnessed by:_____Thomas Allin __________________William Casley
Source: History of Scituate, Massachusetts, by Samuel Deane, Boston
Source: The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of the Thirteen towns of Barnstable County" by Frederick Freeman
Source: Pioneers of MA Vol VI pg 788:
Source: Pioneers of MA Vol VI pg 285
Source: Genealogy Reg of First Settlers of NE 178
Source: Gen Dictionary of NE CD#169:
Source: The First Settlers of Barnstable, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts,
transcribed from the original records by David Hamblen of Boston,
Source: Genealogy Notes Barnstable Families, Amos Otis
Source: Lewis Family, Williams, Barbara