David Walker Lewis was born the 11th of August, 1848 in Cedar Creek, Arkansas to James M. Lewis and Catherine McCurdy (some believe his mother was Katherine Burnett).  David had a troubled childhood.  His parents, James and Catherine Lewis had marital difficulties and were separated when he was very young.  He is found twice in the 1850 census, once living in a household headed by his mother with two siblings and living next door to her parents, and again in a household headed by his father living with who is believed to be his father's sister and next door to his father's supposed brother.  His father died about 1854.  His mother married 2) John Boen about 1855 and died in 1858 after having three more children.  In 1860 he is found living with his sister "Winney", Buena Vista Lewis, in the home of Andrew T. and Elizabeth Willey.

David married Eliza Jane Shipley the 11th of August, 1870 in Crawford County, Arkansas.  She was born the __ of July, 1852 (1)  in Lees Creek, Upper Township, Crawford County, Arkansas to Nathan Pascal Shipley, Sr. and Elizabeth Mildred Lester.  Eliza Jane saw tragedy in her early life too.  Her father was murdered during the Civil War when she was only ten years old.  The family oral history says he was hanged by bushwhackers in front of the family along with his brother, Richard Shipley.  According to family oral tradition Eliza lived with other family members after this.  Her mother was very poor and after her house burned down she lived with David and Eliza for awhile.  Supposedly, Eliza purchased her parents' property.  In 1880 Eliza's mother and her three brothers were living next door to David and Eliza.   David patented 120 acres in Crawford County, Arkansas September 18, 1894.  They had eleven children all born in Crawford County, Arkansas:  

1. Roseltha Delcie b. August 20, 1871
2. Elizabeth "Lizzie" b. February 15, 1873
3.  William Franklin b. July 17, 1875
4. Gertrude Ellen b. January 11, 1879
5. Henry Davis Baskum b. February 25, 1881
6. Moody b. February 8, 1883
7. Darwin Sherman b. February 19, 1885
8. Walker Harlen b. April 23, 1889
9, Harvey Leander b. August 13, 1890
10. Thomas Wesley b. February 18, 1893
11. Joseph Webber b. July 16, 1895

David died the 2nd of March, 1919 in Chester, Crawford County, Arkansas(2) and is buried in Oliver Cemetery in Crawford County, Arkansas.(3)  Eliza died the 20th of August, 1931 at 435 So. Valencia, Burbank, California.  She was buried the 22nd of August, 1931 in Valhalla Cemetery, North Hollywood, California.  According to family folklore there was "a falling out" amongst the descendants.(4)  Apparently, when David died he owned a large acreage.  In his will he left it to his wife and children.  When Eliza died some of the living siblings arranged to have the children of their deceased sisters, Elizabeth and Roseltha, left out of the disbursement.  This created a rift that split the family apart.

Footnotes:
(1)  Eliza's death certificate #31-04 3891 indicates she was 82 years old when she died, incorrectly making her birth year 1849.  The cemetery lists her birthday as the 8th of August, 1849.  Some Lewis family researchers list it as the 18th of August, 1852.  The 1860 census lists her age as 8 years and the 1870 census lists it as 18, making her birth year 1852.  In the 1900 census she gave her birth date as July, 1853.  In Sarah Shipley's pension application No. 379,798, p.41, the 20th of March, 1890, Eliza states, "I will be 37 years old in July:"  This would make her birthday, July 1853.  July 1853 makes her just 6 months older than her brother, William Lester, which seems very unlikely, therefore I put her birth year as 1852 (9 months after her parents marriage).
(2)  Virginia Kimes Pierce GedCom April 18, 1999 and Holly Breidenbach.
(3)  Peggy Seidler, Descendants of Catherine McCurdy,  (May 28, 2003), "Electronic."
(4)  E-mail from Virginia Pierce to Susan Burgess, Jan. 11, 2000.
Compiled and written by Susan Kimes Burgess