Early Life and Education
Lewis was born at Warner Hall, a plantation in Gloucester County, Virginia, the son of John Lewis (1694-1754), a merchant and planter, and Frances Fielding (c1702-1731). He was the third of seven children. His paternal uncle, Robert Lewis (1704-1765), became the grandfather of Meriwether Lewis, who would explore the Louisiana Purchase.
His father had a store in Fredericksburg. In 1749 John Lewis had a fine retail building constructed to display his wares and provide space for a selling floor and storage. The sandstone quoins, usually found only on larger mansions, were a sign of his aspirations. His son Fielding joined him in the business, taking it over in the 1750s.
The originally one-and-a-half story building was expanded to two stories in the early 19th century. Despite competition and changing tastes, the handsome building operated successfully as a store for nearly 100 years, until 1820, when it was finally adapted for residential use. Donated to the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation in 1996, the building has been studied and stabilized for restoration. It is believed to be one of the oldest retail buildings in the United States.
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