“Uncle John” Lewis is dead. He was one of the
landmarks of this city. Coming here long before a railroad was build or was
thought of being built in this section, he drove a stage coach years, and long
after the railroad came into San Antonio he drove one of the large buses for
the Carter-Mullaly Transfer company (1).
“If
I was an artist and wanted to paint a picture of Uncle Sam I would have John
Lewis pose for me, and I’d bet that a better likeness of Uncle Sam, as he is
generally pictured, could not be found,” said the late Joe Cooley (2) as he saw
“Uncle John” drive up on the bus on a return trip from the depot when Cooper
Register (3) was one of the principal gathering places in San Antonio. Those
who knew John Lewis will say that Joe Cooley’s description was accurate. There
is not a wagon road in west Texas that John Lewis was not acquainted with and
he drove over them in his old stage coach long enough to know every tree and
rock along them.
It
was while he was driving a stage coach that John Lewis had many thrilling experiences. He almost regarded it as a
pastime to be held up on a trip by robbers or attacked by Indians. He could
recite experiences which would have put a war correspondent on Easy street for
the rest of his days.
John
Lewis was 76 years of age at the time of his death. He died yesterday in the
city hospital (4). During his illness he was affectionately regarded by the
employes [sic] of the Carter-Mullaly company and they contributed to his
maintenance. They frequently visited him and saw that he wanted for nothing. He
appreciated it, and he always warmly thanked the boys when they called on him.
Arrangements
for the funeral are being made today. The remains are at the chapel of the San
Antonio Undertaking company (5), where many who have known him in life are
today viewing them.
(from the San
Antonio Light, 9 July 1908, page 9)
(1)
Carter-Mullaly
Transfer Company was started in June of 1881 by Henry Carter and Thomas
Mullaly. It consisted of three departments: transfer line for passengers and
baggage; livery and stable service, and hacks; and undertaking services. By
1885 it claimed to be the largest provider of all such services in the State of
Texas.
(2)
Joe
Cooley, born in New Hampshire in 1865, ran a saloon. His wife Kattie (born 1869
as Catherine Mahoney) was also from New Hampshire. They were married on 2
January 1888 in Dover, New Hampshire. On 10 April 1896 he and Herman A. Goebel
applied for a patent for a “refrigerating apparatus” which was approved on 19
Jan. 1897 as patent number 575,594. According to New Hampshire death records
(FamilySearch.org) Joe died in San Antonio on 24 April 1901.
(3)
Unidentified
at this time.
(4)
The
City Hospital was located at 515 Morales at this time.
(5)
Dan
Delaney was president of this company which was at 401 E. Houston (San Antonio
city directory, 1907-08).
Two notes should be mentioned here. First, the tern "uncle' was often used in the past to designated an elder in the community, and not a blood relationship. Second, as noted below Uncle John Lewis was buried in the Lutheran cemetery. It is believed this is the Old German Lutheran Cemetery.A friend and member of St. John's Lutheran Church checked the records for all three Lutheran churches at the time and found that he is listed in Record Book 2, page 155, entry 33. It reads
"John Lewis, Age 76, hack driver, died July 9, 1908. Buried in Row __, Lutheran Cemetery, July 10." Uncle John Lewis does not have a gravestone, so we don't know where he's buried.
John
Lewis Funeral
Following the remains
of the veteran stage and bus driver of this city, John Lewis, to the grave, was
the team and bus that he drove to and from the railway depots so often. The
funeral of John Lewis took place yesterday afternoon from the chapel of the San
Antonio Undertaking company, and was attended by employes [sic] of the
Carter-Mullaly Transfer company, headed by President H. E. Hildebrand (1).
Services
were conducted by Rev. O. Hartmann (2), of St. John’s German Lutheran church,
and the interment was in the Lutheran cemetery. The pall bearers were A. G.
Bennett (3), W. A. Lowther (4), John Evans
(5), R. M. McDonald (6), John Smith (6) and
Alex Masson (7).
From the San
Antonio Light, 11 July 1908, page 3 [3], col. 5 (bottom)
(1)
Hildebrand resided at 119 E. Craig Place and the 1907-08 San Antonio city
directory lists him as vice-president of Carter-Mullaly.
(2) The
Reverend Ossian Wilhelm Hartmann was born in Kleinwasach, Baveria on 27
September 1852. After coming to the United States he received both theological
and medical degrees and first served the Lutheran Church in Iowa. He came to
San Antonio in 1903, remaining at St. John’s Lutheran Church until shortly
before his death on 18 October 1915. (obituary in San Antonio Light, 18 October 1915)
(3) Anson G.
Bennett lived at 1231 So. Alamo at the time and was a clerk for
Carter-Mullalay. (1907-08 San Antonio city directory)
(4) William
A. Lowther and his wife Verna H. lived at 208 Bowie according to the1907-08 San
Antonio city directory where he is listed at superintendent of Carter-Mullaly. Both
were born in New York. He is listed as 46 years old and she as 36 (1910 census
for Bexar County).
(5) The
1907-08 San Antonio city directory lists him as assistant superintendent at
Carter-Mullaly. He and his wife Elizabeth lived at 320 Bowie.
(6) McDonald
and Smith are not identified at present.
(7) Alexander
Masson immigrated from Scotland in 1879 or 1880 where he was born in May, 1849.
Callie, his wife was born in Mississippi in March, 1851. The 1900 federal
census notes that their son Harvey was born in August of 1893, the only
surviving child of the two Callie bore during her eighteen years of marriage up
to that time. In both the 1907-08 San Antonio city directory and 1900 and 1910
censuses Alex is listed as being in the grain business.
