"Thirdly I give & devise unto my son William Lewis all my lands of which I am seized & possessed at my death, reserving therein a life estate to my beloved wife Susan in all that part of any lands lying on that side of Lewis' Branch whereon my present dwelling house now stands, in lieu of dower. I also give and bequeath unto my son William a horse of the value of fifty dollars". Urban Lewis Will, 1841

William Lewis was the eighth child and third son of Urban Lewis (1783 - 13 Aug 1846) and Susan Casey (1 Jan 1787 - bef. 10 Oct 1860). He was named after his grandfather William Lewis (6 Sep 1761 - 6 Oct 1841) who was a Revolutionary War soldier and was living when he was born. His grandfather did not die until 1841 when William would have been 14. His mother was the daughter of Micajah Casey (bef. 1748 - c. 1800) and Sarah (said to be Sarah "Sallie" Herring; 1750 - c. 1820), both of whom were deceased before he was born. More

Deed of Gift made 13 Jul 1856 between John Casey and Harriet Casey in consideration of the love and affection I have for my daughter Harriet Casey land on the westside of the Wilmington Weldon Railroad adjacent to James F. Olivers line containing one acre. Witnesses: A. Kornegay and Wm. Vernon. Registered: 30 Jul 1859. Wayne County, NC Register of Deeds Bk 26, pg 311. Image

17 May 1859 - Married at the residence of William Casey, her brother or uncle.

16 Sep 1872 - Cullen Casey will mentions Harriet Lewis being his Half Sister More

Wayne County, NC 1850 Census - South side Neuse River (Indian Springs)
Susan Lewis, 63 (Mother)
William Lewis, 23, works on farm
Elizabeth Lewis, 19
Neighbor: Joel Lewis 33, Penny 24, Major 3, Ann E. 2, Sarah E. 7/12

Wayne County, NC 1860 Census; Indian Springs; Post Office Mt. Olive
William Lewis, age 32, farmer
Harriet Lewis, age 32
Susan Lewis, age 70, domestic

Mortgage - Indenture made 25 Feb 1857 between William Lewis and John Lewis both of Wayne, in consideration of the sum of $210 to me in hand paid in the payment of bonds secured by the said John Lewis, hath bargained, sold and conveyed unto the party of the second part his heirs and assigns forever, all the properties by me possessed, my lands bounded as follows: William Kelly, Thomas Reaves and Joel Lewis, one black horse, twelve head of hogs, seven head of cattle, two stacks of fodder, ten barrels of corn, four hundred and fifty pounds of bacon, fifty pounds of lard, to have and to hold the above mentioned properties. The condition of the above is such that whereas of the aforesaid William Lewis shall relieve the said John Lewis by paying the bonds secured by the said John Lewis with lawful interest together with costs &c then this obligation to be utterly null and void, otherwise to remain in full force virtue and effect. Witness: Joel Lewis. Registered 22 Aug 1857. (William, John and Joel were brothers). Wayne County, NC Register of Deeds; Bk 25, pg 391

Mortgage - Indenture made 10 Apr 1858 between William Lewis and John Lewis both of Wayne, whereas the said William Lewis is justly indebted to Kinchen Cogdell Guardian in the sum of money between $140-150, also to Benjamin Oliver in the sum of $42 or 3 dollars, also to Abia Herring and Bryan Casey Exors in the sum of $30 with John Lewis as his security, as on reference to the bonds or notes will more fully appear, and whereas William Lewis is desirous to secure the payment of the said debts and to save harmless the said John Lewis.
Now therefore this indenture that for and in consideration of the premises, together with further consideration for the sum of one dollar to William Lewis in hand paid by said John Lewis hath granted, bargained and sold and by these presents grant unto the said John Lewis a tract of land lying in Wayne County bounded by the lands of William Kelly, Thomas Reaves and Joel Lewis, on which William Lewis' mother now lives and in which she has a life estate (by will), also one black horse, twelve head of hogs, seven head of cattle, two stacks of fodder, ten barrels of corn, four hundred and fifty pounds of bacon, fifty pounds of lard.
Property conveyed to John Lewis in a Mortgage 25 Feb 1857 in special trust unless the debts shall not be fully paid off before 1 May 1858 then it shall be the duty of John Lewis being requested by said William Lewis having first advertised at the courthouse in Goldsboro and three other public places for 20 days and sell the lands, premises and personal property at public auction to the highest bidder for ready money and convey the same by proper and sufficient appearances to the purchaser and out of the proceeds or monies arising from said sale to retain all necessary expenses of this trust and then pay off and discharge the said debts and interest and any overplus to the said William Lewis. Witness: David Lewis; Registered 18 May 1858. (The Grantor Book does not indicate this mortgage was cancelled). Wayne County, NC Register of Deeds, Bk 26, pg 63

Wayne County, NC Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, 18 Nov 1867
Clerks Office vs Ollin Coor, Wm Lewis & wife and Joseph Edwards
The execution in this case is on motion set aside and it is ordered that Ollin Coor pay 6/8? of the cost up to the time the first report of the division was made and it appearing that said report was set aside at the insistence of Wm Lewis & wife and Joseph Edwards it is ordered that they pay all equal shares the remainder of the cost of the petition and that the same taxed by the clerk. FamilySearch.org

22 Sep 1868 - District Court of the United States, For the Pamlico District} Bankruptcy
In the matter of William Lewis, a bankrupt
Notice is hereby given, That on the 30th day of May, 1868, a warrant in bankruptcy was issued out of the District Court of the United States for the Pamlico District of North Carolina, against the estate of William Lewis in the county of Wayne, and State of North Carolina, who has been adjudged a bankrupt on his own petition; that the payment of any debts and delivery of any property of such bankrupt, to him or for his use, and the transfer of any property by him are forbidden by law; and that a meeting of the creditors of the said bankrupt, to prove their debts and to choose one or more assignees of his estate, will be held at a court of bankruptcy to be holden at Wilmington, NC before A. W. Reiger, Register in Bankruptcy for said District, on the 22d day of September 1868, at 10 a.m. D. R. Goodloe, U.S. Marshall as Messenger. R. C. Kehoe, U.S. Deputy Marshall. From Will Crump. The Daily Standard, Raleigh NC - 5 Sep 1868 - page 4. Image

Notice is Hereby Given - 12 Jan 1869
That I have been appointed Assignee of William Lewis, of the county of Wayne, and State of North Carolina, who has been adjudged a bankrupt upon his own petition by the District Court of the United States for the Pamlico District of North Carolina. Daniel Cogdell, Assignee, PO Goldsboro, NC. From Will Crump. The Daily Standard, Raleigh NC - page 2. Image

Assignment of Bankruptcy - 28 Sep 1869
In the District Court of NC in the matter of Wm Lewis in bankruptcy, Pamlico District of NC. SS. Know all men by these presents that Daniel Cogdell of the Town of Goldsboro in the county of Wayne and state of (blank) in said district has been duly appointed Assignee of said court in bankruptcy by virtue of the authority vested in me by the 4th section of an act of Congress entitled An Act to Establish a Uniform System of Bankruptcy throughout the United States approved March 2, 1867 do hereby convey and assign to the said Daniel Cogdell Assignee as aforesaid all the estate real and personal of the said William Lewis Bankrupt aforesaid including all the property of whatever kind of which he is possessed or in which he was interested or entitled to have on the 3rd day of May AD 1868 with all his deeds, books and papers relating thereto excepting such property as is exempted from the operation of this assignment by the provision of said fourteenth section of said act, to have and to hold all the foregoing premises to the said Daniel Cogdell and his assigns forever in Trust nonetheless for the use and purpose with the powers and subject to the condition and limitations set forth in said act. In witness whereof I the said Register have presents set my hand and caused the seal of said court be affixed this 28th day of Sept AD 1868. SS of the court - A. W. Reiger
State of North Carolina; County of Wayne; In the Probate Court; Oct 29, 1868
The due execution of the within deed was this day acknowledged before me by A. W. Reiger the grantor let it be registered. George John Robinson, Judge of Probate. Wayne County, NC Register of Deeds, Bk 28, pg 363. Image

29 Sep AD 1869 - Notice is hereby given that a petition has been filed in the District Court of the United States for the Pamlico District of North Carolina by William Lewis in said District, duly declared a Bankrupt under the act of Congress of March 2d, 1867, for a discharge and certificate thereof from all his debts and other claims provable under said act, and that the 20 Oct 1869, at 10 o'clock, a.m. at the office of A. W. Rieger, Register in Bankruptcy in Wilmington, NC, is assigned for the hearing of the same, when and where all creditors, who have proved their debts, and other persons in interest may attend and show cause, if any they have, why the prayer of the said petitioner should not be granted. And that the second and third meetings will be held at the same time and place. Dated at New Berne, NC on the 29 Sep AD 1869. Charles Hibbard, Clerk. From Will Crump. The Daily Standard, Raleigh NC - 11 Oct 1869 - page 3. Image

Indenture made 4 Mar 1870 between Sarah J. Price and Harriet Lewis of the one part and Dempsey E. Newell of the second part all of Wayne for $16 land in Wayne adjoining the lands of Dempsey Newell and others containing 2 acres. Witnesses Whitman Price and James Thompson. Registered 22 Oct 1885. Wayne County, NC Register of Deeds; Bk 56, pg 25. Image