From Will Crump

I have searched ancestry.com for other family trees with Benjamin Lewis. None have any sources. Dozens report a birth year of 1794 and a birth place in Wayne County, which we know is incorrect since William Lewis was in Glasgow/Greene County during this period. None appear to attach the 1830 Wayne County Census as a source.

A select few provide a spouse of Byer Patience Snowden again with no sources and no marriage documents. They claim she was born in Sampson County in 1804.

Sampson County, NC 1850 Census - Northern District Benjamin Lewis, 51, born 1799, Laborer Byer, 46 Lidia, 23 Benjamin, 13 Delitha, 1 month

Byer and Lidia cannot read and write but the two Benjamins can. I am a little concerned about the age gap between Benjamin and Delitha and I suppose it is possible Delitha is an out of wedlock child of Lidia, but I will set that aside for later research. I do not have any information on Lidia after the 1850 Census.

Benjamin has some interesting neighbors on the 1850 Census, one of whom is my ancestor Barnabus Lewis (1811 - Aft 3 Jun 1880). Barnabus is my 2nd great grandfather and was the son of Ulla Lewis (1784 - 27 Dec 1879). Barnabus is listed as 39 and lives at dwelling #155. Next door to him at dwelling #154 was his mother in law Apsilla (McLamb) Honeycutt (1792 - 1855) who is my 3rd great grandmother. Barnabus's spouse was Bathsheba Honeycutt (1811 - Sep 1879). Their son Archibald (29 Sep 1834 - 7 Mar 1925) is my great grandfather and my middle name is from him.

On the next page of the 1850 Census are the rest of the children of Barnabus and Bathsheba Lewis and at dwelling #156 was Bathsheba's brother 30 year old Robert Honeycutt (19 Apr 1820 - 4 Nov 1865).

Next to him at dwelling #157 was 42 year old James Lewis (1808 - 27 Feb 1896) who was married to 37 year old Elizabeth. Elizabeth is Elizabeth Honeycutt (1816 - Aft 10 Aug 1850). She was the daughter of Apsilla (McLamb) Honeycutt and sister of Bathsheba (Honeycutt) Lewis and Robert Honeycutt. The name of their first child was 17 year old Ulla Lewis who was named after James father Ulla Lewis (1784 - 27 Dec 1879). Ulla was the son of our William Lewis (6 Sep 1761 - 6 Oct 1841). James was the older brother of Barnabus and named his first child after his father. He named his third child Barnabus after his brother and his fourth child Robert possibly after Robert Honeycutt. The fifth child was named Elizabeth after her mother and the sixth child was named Apsilla after her maternal grandmother.

Next door to James Lewis at dwelling #158 was the family of William "Bud" Honeycutt (11 Feb 1816 - 9 Aug 1871) who is a sibling of Bathsheba, Elizabeth and Robert Honeycutt.

I have no idea why Benjamin Lewis is living among the Honeycutt Family and the family of Barnabus Lewis and James Lewis who were his nephews. My guess is that Barnabus and James were living on land their spouses inherited from their father, James Honeycutt (1785 - May 1850) who died in May of 1850. James Honeycutt is my 3rd great grandfather.

Benjamin and Byer Lewis are also on the 1860 Census for Sampson County and their household had some interesting occupants. He was listed as 64 which supports a birth in 1796, but it was 13 years older than he was in 1850, and she was 55, only eight years older than she was in 1850. Delitha is now listed as Lytha J and there is an additional child Apha J Lewis who is a year older than Lytha. I believe this date is not correct and Apha is younger than Lytha since she was not on the 1850 Census. I need to look into this some more and it is possible both of these females are the daughters of Lidia who was not living with the family on the 1860 Census. I have not found her on any other 1860 Census. Perhaps she died delivering the second child, but this is just speculation and there is no support as I have no information on her death or a grave for her. She could just as easily run away from home - who knows.

Of even greater interest is the two strangers living with Benjamin Lewis. Elizabeth Utley who was a 34 year old seamstress and Frederick Utley who was a 25 year old laborer. Utley is an uncommon last name. It has not been confirmed, but Benjamin Lewis's mother may have been Sarah Utley (spouse of William Lewis). If that is correct, then these two Utley's may be cousins of Benjamin Lewis. I have not been able to confirm any additional information on the two Utley's so additional research is required.

I have not found Benjamin Lewis on any subsequent Census and I have not found a grave or any other information concerning his death. There is a Benjamin Lewis from North Carolina who died in Salt Lake City Utah on 2 Feb 1882 but I have no means of connecting this record to this Benjamin Lewis. Since Byer is listed as a widow on the 1880 Census this is not likely to be him.

His spouse Byer may be on the 1880 Census. I found an 80 year old Byer Lewis who is a widow on the Sampson County Census for Clinton. This is the same post office as the 1860 Census. She was listed as a cousin of the head of household who was 28 year old Frank Smith. Frank was married to 20 year old Margaret and they have a one year old son named John Henry Smith. Also living in the household is 45 year old Benjamin Lewis who is listed as an uncle of the head of household. Byer's son Benjamin was 13 on the 1850 Census which translates to an 1837 birth year. He should be 43 on the 1880 Census so this is fairly close given the inaccuracy of ages on the Census. Neither Byer nor Benjamin can read or write. While not free from all doubt, a reasonable inference can be drawn that this is Byer and her son Benjamin. Further research is necessary to work out the exact family lines to either Frank or Margaret Smith - I do not know Margaret's maiden name.