George Hewes and his wife Sara Ann Avise arrived in Quincy, IL by paddle steamer in the summer of 1836. There, on December 1, 1836 their second son, Matthias Avise Hewes was born. Matthias Avise was named for one of his mother’s favorite brothers, a watchmaker at No. 22 North 2nd St., Philadelphia PA. The following record was prepared by my great grandfather, Matthias Avise Hewes for his son, George Cavender Hewes.
The following are the children born to George Hewes and his wife Sarah Ann Avise during their life in Illinois:
Matthias Avise Hewes, December 1, 1836 married Elizabeth J. Wright – a daughter, Anna both mother and daughter died November 9, 1859, 1 month and 9 days old. Her mother died January 12, 1860 at 20 years of age.
Rebecca Ann Hewes Kay – April 2, 1839 married Charles W. Kay
Samuel Elliot Hewes – October 30, 1841 married Idella Kay 1 child, Mable who married Dr. Clarence A. Wells- 2 sons, Roger and Paul
Sarah Elizabeth Hewes Gooding – June 14, 1844 married William McKendree Gooding – 4 children
Hannah M. Hewes – January 19, 1847 – April 19, 1848 Died in infancy*
George Hewes – March 10, 1849 * 1 year, 3 months of age
Jesse Hewes – July 23, 1852 – died February 9, 1854*
Charles Travis Hewes – June 18, 1857 married Mary Etta Sinnock – 5 children
*Not living at the time of their father’s death on January 6, 1877
“The family home at that time was on the south side of Main St. about half way between 2nd and 3rd.Quincy was then a village and “had three brick houses in process of completion but no such building was complete in the city.” This comment by Sarah may reflect the comparison she made between the well-developed east coast where they came from and the less developed community of Quincy.”
“George worked at his trade of blacksmith and was in partnership with Harrison Dills, whose wife, Fanny, was a sister of William Gooding. Grandfather Avise kept a hotel in Quincy for several years near the southwest corner of the square. He was a democrat in politics and an Episcopalian in religion. He was a true patriot and lived near enough to the Revolution to dislike the English nation with vim. In New Jersey at Swedesboro and perhaps at Quincy, he was a vestryman in the Episcopal Church. Of Course, my mother became a member of that church and had me baptized when a babe by Bishop Chase, then Bishop of Illinois, on one land of his visits to the church in Quincy.”
“In 1837 my father (George Hewes) bought land 12-14 miles north of Carthage, Hancock County, decided to move on it and try farming. Grandfather Avise also purchased land and settled some three miles north near the town of Durham. During those years Grandfather Avise moved to Carthage and was working at his trade of shoemaker. In 1843 George Hewes moved his family to Payson, IL, where he was successfully engaged in blacksmithing for a period of twenty-four years.”
In 1867 he purchased a farm two miles south of Payson, where he pursued farming until his death.
George and Sarah were the parents of nine children of whom five (six reported in the obituary) were living at the time of his death. Five of these were married. His obituary includes this description:
Politically, he was a whig, but since the organization of the republican party, he has been a strong advocate ans supporter of its principles. During the late rebellion he was a staunch supporter of the Union cause. Mr. Hewes and wife are both active members of the M.E. Church, as also are most of their children. His daughter, Sarah E. is the wife of Rev. W.M. Gooding, who, as is Mr. Hewes’s eldest son, Matthias Avise a minister of the Methodist denomination. He is now residing on his farm, surrounded by an interesting and happy family. As a citizen, Mr. Hewes is highly respected by his friends and neighbors. A fine lithographic view of Mr. Hewes’s farm residence is shown above.