James Lewis b1814 St Davids Pembs and d1891 Balaklava, S Australia

[cando]

The reference for his name appearing on that list is BISA - which is the Biographical Index of South Australia - information submitted by researchers and not always correct.

This is not entirely accurate.  the CD The Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885 also includes two volumes of South Australians 1836-1885 - these two volumes contain contributed information with sources.

The index was originally published in 1986 with approximately 100,000 entries of South Australians who were born or arrived in the colony during this period.  The information was gleaned from research by the South Australian Genealogy and Heraldry Society [now known as SA Genealogy] in archives, public records, private papers, and letters of administrations as well as contributions from individuals.

It is an excellent place to start your South Australian research but naturally one needs to validate any information where possible.

Interesting that the 1836 arrival of the RAPID with Colonel LIGHT on board also had a James LEWIS on the passenger list.
http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/1836Rapid.htm

http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/1838Rapid.htm
http://www.familyhistorysa.info/shipping/passengerlists.html
LEWIS James  arrived in SA 20 Jun 1838 aboard the RAPID from London [Source:5,7,8,18,23(1),26]

5.  Cemetery and other memorial inscriptions, 5b burial registers
7.  Biographical Index of South Australians 1836-1885, SAGHS, 1986
8.  South Australians 1836-1885, SAGHS, 1990
23.1841 South Australia Census Returns, SAA, GRG24/13
26. Barry Leadbeater, South Australia Marriages 1836-56, Adelaide, 2005-2014

In case others wish to help....

http://www.rgssa.org.au/Exhib1978.htm
WELSH BIBLE PRESENTED BY THE LEWIS FAMILY.
James Lewis brought this Bible to South Australia in 1837 in the brig 'Rapid'. His son John was President of the Society from 1914 to 1920 and was keenly interested in Australian exploration. Dr. J. Brooke Lewis, grandson of the owner, presented the Bible. A bequest from the family established the various Lewis prizes for geography.

http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/fh/passengerlists/SAShips1836-1840.htm
1837 RAPID from Sydney arrived Glenelg - Apr 23th No Passengers
 
South Australians 1836-1885   -  Published 1990
L 933    *Also detailed in BISA
LEWIS * James
Parents: Thomas                                      FO, FR
Birth: c1813 St Davids MON WLS                 FO, FR
Death: 14.4.1891 Balaklava SA                   RDC
Burial: Balaklava SA                                  FR
Arr SA: 30.6.1838 from ENG RAPID       SRV, CI
Occup: mariner, explorer, postmaster, pastoralist    RDC, FO
Residence: Marino, Brighton                       RDC, FR
Religion: C of E
Marriage: 15.5.1841 Adelaide SA                PRA
Spouse: BRISTOW Eliza Margaret Hutton     FB, RDC
Parents: Robert & Janet
Birth: c1825 ENG                                    RDC
Death: 6.7.1906 Balaklava SA                   RDC
Burial: Balaklava SA FR
Arr SA: 11.9.1836 from ENG CYGNET          SRV, CI
Children: Jane SHILLABEER (17.3.1842 -19.3.1908), John (12.2.1844 - 25.8.1923),
Sarah DAW (10.10.1847 - 5.6.1926), George (19.4.1849 -d.inf), James
(16.11.1850 - ), Eleanor McCLEERY (14.11.1853 - ), Mary RUDDOCK
(6.12.1855 - ), Martha [unm](1.4.1857 -17.9.1913), Thomas (7.8.1858 -
27.12.1863), Phillip (20.4.1860 - ), Stephen (22.4.1862 -15.7.1933), Lillian
[unm](4.12.1863 - 20.7.1946), Henry Francis (4.4.1867 -13.1.1937)
Other Information: James was a member of the STURT expedition to the interior in 1844.
Contributor: S 161U

CI = Cemetery Index
FB = Family Bible
FO = Family oral tradition
FR = Family records unspecified
PRA = Parish records Church of England
RDC = Death Certificate
RMC = Marriage Certificate
SRV = Vessel records

I will pm you the contributor's name and hopefully up to date contact details.

Cando

[Essie]

Differing recollections of family members is not unusual. All family stories have some confusing details.
Stories my father told are questionable, and my sister believes the birth place of our father's mother is totally different to her birth record that gives the family living in a different area of SA.

Essie

[Essie]

I tried to attach the image of the LEWIS headstone and it did not work.
The inscription clearly says James LEWIS arrived on the Rapid in 1837.

Essie

[cando]

I wonder if any events other than bdm's were listed in the LEWIS family bible?

Cando

[mrs.family]

I am so very grateful to everyone who has replied on this post - and to the people who have replied via the Pembrokeshire board.

Judith B – many thanks, but ‘my’ Thomas Lewis is actually living next door to this chap on the 1841 Census – oh dear, there are a lot of Lewises in the area, and they have the habit of using the same names for their children….. By 1861, ‘my’ Thomas has drowned in an accident just off the coast, so he isn’t in that census.
Re the 1787 Will, I’ve had a look at it – the Nat. Library of Wales has Welsh Wills to 1858 online, bless ‘em – and I don’t think it’s relevant, though of course I will bear it in mind.

Debra – Well, the Lewises never came to Wales to visit any of OUR family in 1937! The news report indicates that Philip Lewis might know about his Welsh family – but none of my family have any stories about cousins in Australia (and in my family, bragging rights would have ensured they would have passed on stories about a branch which had apparently done so well in material terms!) – so either [a] James didn’t contact his family, and Philip was imagining he could walk into St Davids and find his family waiting or James came from another family altogether.
 And what to make of the elderly daughter’s account…h’m…. But fascinating reading.
We have a story that a boy from the St Davids family “ran away to sea”. Curses that I never asked who/when/etc when the last generation was alive. But it MIGHT be James Lewis, of course (he may be mentioned in a 1835 Mariner’s List, sailing out of Whitby, the age and place of birth agree) ….

Cando – Wow! There is a Welsh Bible in existence!  I wonder whether it has any info, like a dedication or possibly family notes? I can’t easily believe the family would have given their ‘family’ Bible to a 21-year-old leaving for Australia, but might have presented him with his own Bible…maybe….  Is there any way of seeing an image of the flyleaf, etc, I wonder?

Essie – thanks for trying!

Essie and Cando – thanks for the PMs –  I’m in the UK, and know NOTHING about Australian genealogy (or anything else Oz, except I can sing ‘Waltzing Matilda' off-key). But I’m off now to try and find this descendant you’ve pointed me towards. Many thanks. Also to get my head round BISA.

thanks all, Elaine
ps Just came to me - there IS a Thomas Lewis, watchmaker - but in Montgomeryshire. Could 'MON' possibly refer to Montgomery [MGY] , not Monmouth [MON]? I don't think there's a St Davids in Montgomeryshire, but it did come under the diocese of St Davids.....clutching at straws.....     Another family to chase, then, to see if they have a James who swanned off in 1836....

[cando]

http://www.rgssa.org.au/Exhib1978.htm
WELSH BIBLE PRESENTED BY THE LEWIS FAMILY.
James Lewis brought this Bible to South Australia in 1837 in the brig 'Rapid'. His son John was President of the Society from 1914 to 1920 and was keenly interested in Australian exploration. Dr. J. Brooke Lewis, grandson of the owner, presented the Bible. A bequest from the family established the various Lewis prizes for geography.

I suggest you contact the Society and ask about the bible.  It is a good idea to read the links posted

http://www.rgssa.org.au/Contact_Us.htm

Cheers 
Cando

[judb]

Can you give some details about the Thomas LEWIS from Montgomeryshire?  All these names the same; my husband is Welsh Thank goodness his surname is not very Welsh but as soon as we get a couple of generations back - Thomas, Rees, Griffiths, Davies etc and the forenames.............

So the Thomas who is a father to a James LEWIS is this chap, next door to the one I quoted earlier:
1841 Wales Census
Thomas Lewis   45, tailor
Elinor Lewis   45
Mary Lewis   15

Good luck with it!!

Judith

[mrs.family]

I've been reading about the Sturt expedition - AMAZING!
 [ Though I think the technical term for anyone who puts himself through something like this must be
 "a loony"  ]
I'm beginning to realise why James Lewis's descendants are so proud of him.

Cando - oops, I got a bit over-excited and didn't stop and look. I'll contact the Geog. Soc.

Judith B - I dunno anything about the Lewises of Mongomeryshire, just a chap I found when I googled for Welsh clockmakers.  Something else to follow up, in case James was actually from this family.
And yes, Thomas and Elinor are the parents of James - well, according to all the public trees on ancestry, anyway..... and I have to add, the names do chime: John/Stephen/Philip/Thomas/James/Mary/Martha/Jane/Sarah/Eleanor all appear as children of James in Australia - and are also Lewis family names back in Wales.....

Having looked at various bits of information about James Lewis's arrival in S Australia, I am more than a little confused. There seem to be three arrival dates:
1836 - a James Lewis/Lowis is shown on the Rapid
1837 - Essie 9earlier in this conversation) says this is the arrival date shown on the gravestone; and this is the date shown

[mrs.family]

APOLOGIES - MUST HAVE PRESSED 'SEND' BY MISTAKE....oh dear.

I've been reading about the Sturt expedition - AMAZING!
 [ Though I think the technical term for anyone who puts himself through something like this must be
 "a loony"  ]
I'm beginning to realise why James Lewis's descendants are so proud of him.

Cando - oops, I got a bit over-excited and didn't stop and look. I'll contact the Geog. Soc.

Judith B - I dunno anything about the Lewises of Mongomeryshire, just a chap I found when I googled for Welsh clockmakers.  Something else to follow up, in case James was actually from this family.
And yes, Thomas and Elinor are the parents of James - well, according to all the public trees on ancestry, anyway..... and I have to add, the names do chime: John/Stephen/Philip/Thomas/James/Mary/Martha/Jane/Sarah/Eleanor all appear as children of James in Australia - and are also Lewis family names back in Wales.....

Having looked at various bits of information about James Lewis's arrival in S Australia, I am more than a little confused. There seem to be three arrival dates:
1836 - a James Lewis/Lowis is shown on the Rapid
1837 - Essie (earlier in this conversation) says this is the arrival date shown on the gravestone; and this is the date shown on the Royal Geog. Soc. of S A site, arrived on the Rapid
1838 - a James Lewis of St Davids MON is shown on the Rapid
Assuming that nobody in their right mind would travel UK-Aus three times in three years, what is going on?
It seems the Rapid arrived in S Australia in 1836 and 1838, but not 1837.
So do we actually have TWO James Lewises?
Or was James actually a crew-member in 1836, and returned to UK, then arrived back in Australia in 1838 as a settler?
Can anyone shed some light on this for me, please?

many thanks, Elaine