Author Description

The new, second edition offers a revised text, with more stories about the places of Mississippi, as well as a new, detailed index & more comprehensive bibliography. The Autobiography was first published in 1913 by Rev. Henry P. Lewis, a Methodist Itinerant preacher from Pike & Marion County, Mississippi. He describes his extensive travel, churches, yearly Methodist Conference meetings, fellow ministers & church members who all lived during the second half of the 19th Century. It is readable & interesting, & in parts a very personal discussion of itinerant life. Additionally, there are stories added by the compiler, along with a sketch of the Lewis Family History, as well as more about Henry's wife, Rebecca A. Tillery, & her ancestors and the times. Five of the sons of Henry & Rebecca became Methodist ministers, who were Barney, John Tillery, Henry P. Jr., James & Osmond S. Lewis. The daughter, Lela also married a minister. Stories of each of them are included, along with Conference Memoirs, contributed by Millsaps College. There are also stories about the other children--Elizabeth Jane, Charles Q., Pattie & Lela Lewis. The text is brought to life with photos of the family, as well as about 120 interesting, period photos. (To see more about this project & family photos please see findagrave.com (by searching for Henry P. Lewis, 1836-1919.)