Neriah Robert Lewis

Neriah Robert Lewis was born March 10, 1843 in Carlinville, Illinois to Neriah and Rebecca Hendricks Lewis. Neriah is a Pioneer of Richmond. Neriah was a veteran of the Indian Wars.

History

Soon after Neriah was born, his parents were converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois. 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.1

In 1860, the Lewis family moved to Richmond by invitation from Neriah's older brother William Hendricks Lewis. In 1864, Neriah joined a freighting company taking a teamster from Corinne, Utah to Montana. The same year on Jan 20, Neriah married Amanda Jane Allred. Neriah stopped working for the freight company in 1867 and began working on his farm in Richmond.1

When Richmond was incorporated in 1868, he was appointed as a deputy of Richmond and served as such for eight years.2

In 1883, he was called by the Church to move to Oxford, Idaho, and serve as the city's bishop. He did so until 1904.1

Indian Wars Service

On July 23, 1860, Neriah was enrolled as a Home Guard of Richmond under the command of Captain Thomas E. Rich.3

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. On June 16, 1863, Richmond was organized into two companies of Infantry and two squads of Cavalry. Neriah was appointed a Private.

On Sep 14, 1864, the Richmond Home Guard was established with Henry Standage as its Captain. At any cost, the city Guard was to protect. Most of the Guard, including Neriah, consisted of Minute-Men. They had regular drills every night.4 The Home Guard was released from active duty on Oct 25, 1864.5

Epilogue