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Joseph Horace Lewis was the commander of the Orphan Brigade.
"Death of Joseph H. Lewis. When Joseph H LEWIS died, one of the of the old time
leaders of Kentucky past [passed] to his eternal rest. He was, in deed and in truth, a
leader among men. So few has so large a measure of success in life been given; by none
has that success been more deserved. In all the attributes of sterling manhood, Judge
LEWIS towered like a great oak in the forst, among his fellow men. Personal fear he
knew not; mortal cowardice was a stranger to him; honesty was his heritage, and
strength of character was his armor in the long battle of life. As a scholar his
record was brilliant; and no commanding offier was more beloved by those whose good
fortune of was it to serve under him, and to achieve immortal fame under him. As a
judge; both upon the Circuit and Appeals benches, his decisions were characterized by
a clearness and wisdom that defied opposition, and disarmed even criticism. At the
court he knew no man, nor was he swayed in the slightest degree by any influences.
Always the friend of the people and the unrelenting foe of corporate oppression, there
was neither taint nor suspicion of demagoguery of a single act of his whole public
life. Artless and simple as a child in his everyday life, no more acute and powerful
mind ever solved the intricacies of the law. A well rounded man, strong always and in
all directions, he mastered problems as easy as he dominated men. No situation ever
dwarfed his magnificant mentality, and to every occasion he rose superior. It is a
splendid tribute to his greatness that political opportunities vied with friends in
honoring him. Personal enemies he had none. His long and brilliant career was
unsllied, by a single stain; his patriotic life was unsullied. It has been said that
he was the most distinguished and favorite son of Barren County. While this is
markedly true, it is nonetheless true that he never received an honor that was not
deserved, nor won strictly upon his merits.
Among the people he loved, and who loved him witha surpassing devotion, he lies today
in a grave hidden by flowery tokens of affection from those who knew him best and
honored him most. Along the pleasant valleys of Beaver Creek and Barren River, where
his childhood feet wandered, among the hills and plains of Southern Kentucky; where
his mature voice always rang clear and true on the hustings - every where and in all
hearts - sorrow swells and the voice of mourning is heard tthan a strong man, a good
man, has passed away.
"The Last Tribute. The funeral and burial of General Joseph H.
LEWIS, Sunday afternoon July the 10, 1904 was in keeping with the life of the man -
plain, simple and free from all ostentations or displays - the large audience which
assembled to pay the last token of respect to Barren County's distinguished son being
composed of the plain people of Barren and adjoining counties who had always delighted
to honor him, and the veterans of the Confederacy who had followed him through the
greatest War in Christendom. Sunday morning at 10 o'clock the casket was placed in the
Circuit Court room, where, surrounded by a guard of honor, it remained open until the
time of the funeral, and the friends and comrades of the deceased chieftain and jurist
were given the opportunity to take a last look at the face of him whom they had loved
so long and fondly.
"The time for funeral services was fixed at 2:30 o'clock but long before that
hour the room was filled to suffocation, every seat being filled and the aisles
crowded, many turned away for want of room. The services were conducted by Rev. G. B.
OVERTON of Russellville, familiarly known among his former comrades as "Buck
OVERTON." Rev. Overton spoke feelingly of the dead chieftain and pointed to his
life as one of emulation by the young men of the land. Rev. J. LOVING, on behalf of
the Sons of the Confederate Veterans, made a brief address suitable to the occasion,
and was followed by Rev. J. D. GILLIAM, who said he had known General Lewis for forty
years, and always delighted to admire the sterling character of the man.
"The benediction was pronounced by Elder Y E PAYNE; Rev Overton announced that
the sermon would be concluded at the grave. The procession headed by the Confederat
verans and members of the bar on foot and followed by the hearse with the pall bearers
on each side, was the longest ever seen in Glasgow, extending from the public square
to the cemetery, a distance of half a mile.
"At the grave a short but eloquent address was delivered by Senator J C S
BLACKBURN who paid a high tribute to the life and character of General Lewis. He spoke
with much feeling and his lips trembled with emotion as turning to his aged comrades
standing around the open grave of the dead chieftain, he said; "But for us this
parting will not be for long. It will be only a few years at best until all of us will
meet him on the other and brighter shore under the Banner of th Great Captain."
"Following Senator BLACKBURN, Rev. OVERTON read a chapter in the
Bible and after a song by the Choir the benediction was pronounced. The pallbearers
were General Fayette HEWITT, S H BUCHANNAN, John B PIRTLE, John H WHEELER, Theo.
COWHERD, Thos. A. PAGE, John H. YANCEY, Geo. PRUNTY, W. S. MARTIN, Wm. STEENBERGEN,
Sandy EDWARDS and Wm. WOOD. Among those present from a distance were Y. C. S.
BLACKBURN of Versailles former United States Senator, Marshall James BLACKBURN of
Woodford County, Maj. General Simon Boliver BUCKNER and Mrs. BUCKNER, Dr. C H WALTON,
D Y WOOD, of Munfordville, J E LOGSDON, James BAILEY, Horse Cave, Hon. S M PAYTON of
Elizabethtown, Mr. John ROGERS of Franklin.
The floral designs were many and beautiful. The three largest being an anchor of white
carnations, a cover of white roses and ferns, and a large wreath of white roses
entwined with ivy and having the letters SCV in red
and white carnations across the center of the wreath. This was the offering of the
SONS OF THE CONVEDERATE VETERANS of this place. Among the many grateful incidents
surrounding the exercises incident to the death and burial of General LEWIS was the
meeting of the funeral train at Midway by the aged widow of General John C
BRECKINRIDE, and the action of the Frankfort Joseph H LEWIS Chapter of the Daughters
of the Confedracy in marching to the train in a body and covering the coffin of the
deceased leader with flowers. The family and relatives of General LEWIS were most
deeply touched by these attentions.
"At a called meeting of the JOSEPH H. LEWIS CAMP SCV, the following resolutions
were adopted: First: That in the death of Geneal Joseph H LEWIS we mourn the loss of
the noblest work of God's hand - an honest man - a man of the strictest integrity and
purest motives, whose public records was without a spot or bleming, and his private
life without a stain. Second: That he was a commanding figure both in War and in
peace, and that his
daily walk and his successes in life are an inspiration and a guidance to the young
men of our country."
"Third, That the memory of his deeds of valor will live as long as life is in the
hearts of his old soldiers and comrades; while his talents and his eminent services,
upon both the Circuit and Court of Appeals benches have
indelibly impressed themselves upon the public records of the State he loved so well
and served so long and ably. Fourth, that whether on the field of battle, or in the
halls of Congress, or sitting at the highest court of the State, his voice and his
heart and his brain always turned to the right, and he was ever the champion of the
people, and the strong and eloquent defender of their liberties. Fifth, that we, his
old soldiers, and comrades, whose thinning ranks have yielded only to the
all-conquering ravages of time, do now bow our heads and our hearts to these, our last
services to our beloved commander, whom we followed in death and in life,
and we do declare that in valor he was second to none; that in patriotism, he was as
pure as the sunlight of God; that in wisdom, he sat at the council board with the
wisest, and that in all that constitutes an honorable citizenship he measured up to
the highest standards of humanity.
"May the God of us all rest his soul in peace and may we follow him and be with
him, when we shall pass over the river, and rest under the shade of the trees. Sixthh,
That these resolution be spread upon the records of this
camp, and that copies theeof be sent to the widow and son and daughter of the
deceased."
Partial family tree:
General Joseph Horace Lewis b 24 Oct 1824 Glasgow, Barren, KY; d 6 July 1904 Duval
Station, Scott, KY, buried Glasgow Municipal Cemetery, Glasgow, Barren, KY. Married
(1) Sarah Hensley Rogers. She born 22 Oct 1828 Glasgow, Barren, KY; d 1 Apr 1858 same,
d/o Dr. George Rogers (born 18 May 1794) and Sarah "Sally" Hensley GORIN (b
11 Dec 1800, d/o General John GORIN and Elizabeth FRANKLIN). Their children:
1. Captain John Lewis b 28 Dec 1847 Glasgow, Barren, KY; d 10 June 1910 same; buried
Glasgow Muncipal Cemetery; md (1) Elizabeth BYBEE; m(2) Ida WILLIAMS.
2. Sarah Rogers Lewis b 29 June 1849 Glasgow, Barren, KY; d 20 Oct 1871 same, buried
same; md Joseph HALL. No children.
3. George Lewis b 1852 same; single.
4. Elizabth Lewis b 1854 same; died Lincoln, NB; md Silas H. BURHAM.
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