Barber and majordomo. Henry "Steamboat" Lewis was the son of enslaved James Lewis and Margaret Smith. He was born in Pulaski, Tennessee on July 9, 1886. He was a barber and majordomo (someone who oversees the day-to-day responsibilities of a business enterprise) for business executives for about 50 years.
He registered with the military in June 1917 for WWI but did not serve. At the time, he was the sole support of his mother and father. Later that year, on November 29, 1917, he married Sarah Francis Wood.
At age 29, Henry started cutting hair in the Ed Wilkinson Barber Shop in the old Chamber of Commerce Building in downtown St. Louis. He worked there for 32 years and took over the shop in 1945 when Wilkinson died in 1945.
In 1952, Henry closed the shop and went into limited retirement. He continued to trim the hair of executives in a small shop in the Anheuser-Busch Inc. brewery in St. Louis, Missouri. Besides being a popular barber, Mr. Lewis was eagerly sought after by wealthy sponsors of private parties, fishing expeditions, and other trips as a majordomo.
He died in 1965, at age 79, survived by his wife Sarah.
Barber and majordomo. Henry "Steamboat" Lewis was the son of enslaved James Lewis and Margaret Smith. He was born in Pulaski, Tennessee on July 9, 1886. He was a barber and majordomo (someone who oversees the day-to-day responsibilities of a business enterprise) for business executives for about 50 years.
He registered with the military in June 1917 for WWI but did not serve. At the time, he was the sole support of his mother and father. Later that year, on November 29, 1917, he married Sarah Francis Wood.
At age 29, Henry started cutting hair in the Ed Wilkinson Barber Shop in the old Chamber of Commerce Building in downtown St. Louis. He worked there for 32 years and took over the shop in 1945 when Wilkinson died in 1945.
In 1952, Henry closed the shop and went into limited retirement. He continued to trim the hair of executives in a small shop in the Anheuser-Busch Inc. brewery in St. Louis, Missouri. Besides being a popular barber, Mr. Lewis was eagerly sought after by wealthy sponsors of private parties, fishing expeditions, and other trips as a majordomo.
He died in 1965, at age 79, survived by his wife Sarah.
Bio by: Connie Nisinger
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