Samuel Lewis (March 17, 1799 - July 28, 1854) was an American educator, lawyer, and politician, who from 1837 to 1840 served as Ohio's first state superintendent of common schools.[1] He was also one of the candidates for Free Soil Party's vice-presidential nomination in the 1852 US presidential election.[2]
Samuel Lewis
Born in Falmouth, Massachusetts, his father, Samuel Lewis Sr., was the captain of a sea vessel.[3] In 1813 the family migrated west and settled in Cincinnati, where young Samuel took up the study of law, and was admitted to the bar in 1822. As a young lawyer one of Lewis's clients was the Cincinnati philanthropist William Woodward,[4] and in 1826, when Woodward endowed a fund to create one of the first free public schools in America, the historic Woodward Free Grammar School. Lewis was made a trustee of the school for life, with the power of appointing his successor. Notable educators associated with this school in its early days include Joseph Ray and William McGuffey, the author of the McGuffey's Readers. In 1831 Lewis was one of the organizers of an annual teachers' institute that met in Cincinnati for many years, and in 1837, when the state legislature created the office of Superintendent of Common Schools, Lewis was named the first incumbent of the office for a three-year term. During his term in office he is said to have visited 300 schools, traveling on horseback.[5] More than 1400 new schoolhouses were constructed in Ohio during his tenure. His report to the Ohio legislature requested additional teacher pay and the need for small class size.[6]
After leaving office Lewis, who up to that time had been a Whig, affiliated with the abolitionist Liberty Party. In 1846 he stood for office as the Liberty Party's candidate for governor of Ohio, coming in a distant third in the final canvass behind the Whig and Democratic nominees, with 11,000 votes.[7] In 1851 he was once again an unsuccessful candidate for governor, this time as the nominee of the Free Soil party, polling 17,000 votes. In 1852 he attended the national convention of the Free Soil party where his name was put forward as a candidate for the party's vice-presidential nomination; he withdraw after coming in second to the eventual nominee, George W. Julian, on the first ballot. In 1853 he ran again as the Free Soil nominee for governor, increasing his vote total to 50,346.[8] He died on July 28, 1854, of a typhoid fever, at the age of 55.
Referencesedit
^"State Superintendents", The Journal of Education, vol. 50, no. 22 (December 7, 1899), p. 372.
^Theodore Clarke Smith (1895). The Free Soil Party in Wisconsin. State Historical Society of Wisconsin. p. 135.
^Lewis, William G. W. Biography of Samuel Lewis, First Superintendent of Common Schools for the State of Ohio (Cincinnati: Printed at the Methodist Book Concern, for the Author. 1857).
^"History: The Woodwards" Woodward Trust. Retrieved August 22, 2018.
^"Samuel Lewis", Ohio History Central. Retrieved Aug. 22, 2018.
^Fred R. Ross. "A Portrait of Dedication: Samuel Lewis' Influence on the Abolitionist Movement in Ohio 1840–1854". Master's Thesis. Morehead State University, 1970
Media related to Samuel Lewis (educator) at Wikimedia Commons
May 08, 2024
samuel, lewis, educator, samuel, lewis, march, 1799, july, 1854, american, educator, lawyer, politician, from, 1837, 1840, served, ohio, first, state, superintendent, common, schools, also, candidates, free, soil, party, vice, presidential, nomination, 1852, p. Samuel Lewis March 17 1799 July 28 1854 was an American educator lawyer and politician who from 1837 to 1840 served as Ohio s first state superintendent of common schools 1 He was also one of the candidates for Free Soil Party s vice presidential nomination in the 1852 US presidential election 2 Samuel Lewis Born in Falmouth Massachusetts his father Samuel Lewis Sr was the captain of a sea vessel 3 In 1813 the family migrated west and settled in Cincinnati where young Samuel took up the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1822 As a young lawyer one of Lewis s clients was the Cincinnati philanthropist William Woodward 4 and in 1826 when Woodward endowed a fund to create one of the first free public schools in America the historic Woodward Free Grammar School Lewis was made a trustee of the school for life with the power of appointing his successor Notable educators associated with this school in its early days include Joseph Ray and William McGuffey the author of the McGuffey s Readers In 1831 Lewis was one of the organizers of an annual teachers institute that met in Cincinnati for many years and in 1837 when the state legislature created the office of Superintendent of Common Schools Lewis was named the first incumbent of the office for a three year term During his term in office he is said to have visited 300 schools traveling on horseback 5 More than 1400 new schoolhouses were constructed in Ohio during his tenure His report to the Ohio legislature requested additional teacher pay and the need for small class size 6 After leaving office Lewis who up to that time had been a Whig affiliated with the abolitionist Liberty Party In 1846 he stood for office as the Liberty Party s candidate for governor of Ohio coming in a distant third in the final canvass behind the Whig and Democratic nominees with 11 000 votes 7 In 1851 he was once again an unsuccessful candidate for governor this time as the nominee of the Free Soil party polling 17 000 votes In 1852 he attended the national convention of the Free Soil party where his name was put forward as a candidate for the party s vice presidential nomination he withdraw after coming in second to the eventual nominee George W Julian on the first ballot In 1853 he ran again as the Free Soil nominee for governor increasing his vote total to 50 346 8 He died on July 28 1854 of a typhoid fever at the age of 55 References edit State Superintendents The Journal of Education vol 50 no 22 December 7 1899 p 372 Theodore Clarke Smith 1895 The Free Soil Party in Wisconsin State Historical Society of Wisconsin p 135 Lewis William G W Biography of Samuel Lewis First Superintendent of Common Schools for the State of Ohio Cincinnati Printed at the Methodist Book Concern for the Author 1857 History The Woodwards Woodward Trust Retrieved August 22 2018 Samuel Lewis Ohio History Central Retrieved Aug 22 2018 Fred R Ross A Portrait of Dedication Samuel Lewis Influence on the Abolitionist Movement in Ohio 1840 1854 Master s Thesis Morehead State University 1970 Biography of Samuel Lewis p 372 Biography of Samuel Lewis p 415 External links edit nbsp Media related to Samuel Lewis educator at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samuel Lewis educator amp oldid 1107348557, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
