Neriah Lewis

Neriah Lewis Jr. was born April 29, 1816 in Franklin, Kentucky to Neriah Sr. and Mary Moss Lewis. Neriah is a Pioneer of Richmond. Neriah is the father of William Hendricks Lewis. Neriah was a veteran of the Indian Wars. Neriah served as one of the first City Council members of Richmond.

History

The early life of Neriah is unknown.

Neriah married Rebecca Hendricks on January 5, 1836 in Franklin, Kentucky. Rebecca is the niece of James Hendricks. Soon after their marriage, they moved to Carlinville, Illinois. During the winter of 1845, Neriah's brother David Lewis visited to teach them about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Neriah and Rebecca were converted and baptized in Jan of 1846. A few weeks after their baptism, the family moved to Nauvoo, Illinois to be closer to the Saints.

The Lewis family continued to live in Nauvoo until 1848 when they moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa. In 1850, Rebecca's brother Allen and his wife, Neriah's niece Elizabeth, died while trying to cross the plains. Neriah and Rebecca would adopt their youngest child Samuel Allen Hendricks.

On July 1, 1851, the Lewis family joined the James W. Cummings Company and arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on Sep 30. The Lewis' purchased a home in the Salt Lake City 15th Ward and began farming.

On Dec 6, 1854, Rebecca died. After her death, the Lewis family moved to Harriman, Utah. A short time while in Harriman, Neriah married Martha Catherine Youngblood on March 20, 1857. The Lewis family then moved to Farmington, Utah before being invited by Neriah's son William Hendricks Lewis to live in Richmond. They moved to Richmond in 1860.

Member of the City Council (1868 - 1872)

William D. Hendricks served as the first Mayor of Richmond after it was incorporated as a city in February of 1868. He was sworn into office on May 28, 1868 with the first City Council members: Stillman Pond, Henry E. Gibson, David P. Rainey, Neriah Lewis, and Thomas L. Whittle with William Beers as City Recorder. They were in charge of hiring individuals to fill in the necessary appointments for the city. Such were Christopher M. Olsen, City Treasurer; William F. Fisher, Assessor and Collector; William T. Van Noy, City Marshall; Christopher M. Funk, Supervisor of Streets; William H. Lewis and R. Marion Kerr, Chief of Police; David P. Rainey, Neriah R. Lewis, Marcus E. Funk, and George F. Burnham, Deputies of Police. Along with this, they had appointed the city seal, passed the first City Ordinance of constructing bridges across all ditches, and named the streets of Richmond.

Indian Wars Service

After the construction of the Richmond Fort in 1860 and other forts in Cache Valley, the Territory of Utah created the Cache Military District on Oct 15, 1861 with Church Apostle Ezra T. Benson as Colonel. Richmond was organized as the 5th Battalion Infantry, with Thomas L. Whittle as Major, David P. Rainy as Adjutant, and Robert M. Kerr and Dana Walton as Captains. On June 16, 1863, Richmond was organized into two companies of Infantry and two squads of Cavalry. Neriah was appointed a Private in both instances.

Epilogue