WI BIO - Dane Co - LEWIS, Henry W
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 394-395

Henry M. LEWIS, a successful jurist of Madison, Dane County, WI, was born in 
Cornwall, Addison County, VT, 07 Sep 1830, a son of Martin and Sophia 
(RUSSEL) LEWIS, natives respectively of Cornwall, VT, and Tolland [Tolland 
County], CT. Henry M. was reared on his father's farm in VT, and received 
the advantages of a district school education.

In Apr 1846, Henry M. LEWIS removed with his parents to [the Territory of] 
Wisconsin, and located with them in what is now Burke Township, Dane County, 
WI, and followed farming until the fall of 1850, when he entered the 
University of Wisconsin, where he remained but one term, and then taught 
school during the winter of 1851. At that time the total enrollment of the 
university was only about thirty, of all ages and grades.

In the spring of 1851 Henry M. LEWIS began reading law with the firm of Vilas 
& Remington, later with Collins, Smith & Keyes, and was admitted to the bar 
in Oct 1853. He first spent one year at Hudson, St. Croix County, WI, where 
he was a member of the firm of Semmes, McMillan & Lewis, but in 1854 he 
returned to Madison, WI, where he has since engaged in the active practice of 
law and as a member of the following law firms: Lewis & Lathrop; Ainsworth, 
Johnson & Lewis; Stevens & Lewis; Stevens, Lewis & Flower; Lewis, McKenney & 
Tenney; Lewis, Lewis & Hale; Lewis & Harding; Lewis & Pfund; and he is 
presently a member of the firm of Lewis & Briggs.

Politically Henry M. LEWIS affiliates with the Republican party; was District 
Attorney of Dane County, WI, from 1861 to 1863; Collector of Internal Revenue 
for the 2nd Collection District of WI from 1867 to 1873; was U. S. District 
Attorney for the Western District of WI; has served three terms as Alderman 
in Madison, one year of which he was President of the Common Council; a 
Director of the Free Library since its organization in 1873, and was for 
several years President of the Board of Directors; has been a member of the 
Board of Education for twelve years, and is now President of the Board.

Henry M. LEWIS was admitted to the Supreme Court of the U. S. in May 1875, 
and is member of the American Bar Association. He is the author of the 
Wisconsin section of the work entitled "The Law of Incorporated Companies 
Operating Under Municipal Franchises," published by Allen R. FOOTE, of 
Washington , D. C., and Charles E. EVERETT, of Cincinnati, OH, in 1892. 
During the winter term of 1892 Henry M. LEWIS lectured on Equity 
Jurisprudence in the law schools at the University of WI, in place of the 
Hon. I. C. SLOAN, who was absent on account of ill health.

Henry M. LEWIS was married 01 Sep 1858 to Charlotte E. CLARKE, a native of 
Carbondale [Lackawanna County], PA, a daughter of Addison and Cynthia M. 
(ARNOLD) CLARKE. To his union has been born three children: (1) Lottie 
Breese, deceased, wife of William H. HOLMES, of Janesville [Rock County], WI; 
(2) Jessie Russel, wife of Rev. Lloyd SKINNER, of Eau Clair [Eau Claire, Eau 
Claire County], WI; (3) Sophia M., Librarian of [p 395] the Free Library of 
Madison. The mother [Charlotte E. (CLARKE) LEWIS] died in Aug 1884. In 
religion Mr. LEWIS is a Unitarian, and an active member and one of the 
Trustees of the First Unitarian Church Society of Madison, and he is 
President of the Wisconsin Conference of Unitarian and other liberal churches.

The city of Madison, like most western cities, in its earlier history, 
undertook to aid the building of railroads, whose lines came to or passed 
through the city, and for that and other municipal improvements, issued its 
bonds to a amount beyond its ability to pay, and it was compelled to default 
in the payment of the interest on its bonds as it became due, and the city 
was in such a financial condition as to seriously injure the town and prevent 
its future development. It was for the purpose of devising some means of 
extricating the city from its difficulties that Mr. LEWIS was solicited by 
his fellow citizens and consented to be elected to the office of Alderman. 
He devoted several years to the difficult task of placing the city upon a 
sound financial basis. He, with the assistance of others, prepared and 
procured the passage of the needed legislation, thorough revision of the 
charter to enable the city to compromise and liquidate its then indebtedness, 
and to prevent the incurring of future indebtedness beyond its ability to 
promptly pay; and he, with the late Hon. J. C. GREGORY, was appointed by the 
Common Council agent of the city to visit the creditors of the city, mostly 
residing in the Eastern States, to adjust and compromise their claims against 
the city, a work which was successfully accomplished, and the city was 
relieved of the financial incubus which was destroying its prosperity.

Henry M. LEWIS is distinguished for his ability as a trial lawyer, and he is 
particularly strong before a jury. Possessing in an eminent degree mental 
acuteness, he addresses himself to the turning point in the case. He is 
noted especially for the candid and straightforward manner in which he 
addresses courts and juries, making his forensic efforts convincing and 
effectual, and him as opponent to be respected by opposing council.

Upon the death of the Hon. Alva STEWART, Judge of the 9th Judicial Circuit of 
the State of WI, about 01 Jan 1890, Henry M. LEWIS was the choice of a large 
majority of the lawyers of the circuit as his successor, but the then 
Governor of the State, in whom the appointment was vested, for personal and 
other reasons, refused to make the appointment. Strictly faithful to trusts 
and honorable in all his dealings, and of a generous and genial disposition, 
Henry M. LEWIS deservedly enjoys a high degree of popularity among his fellow 
citizens.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly