Ellis County Star ( Hays City, Kansas) 14 Apr 1881
Death of a Remarkable Dwarf
JOHN LEWIS, the famous dwarf, who died recently at Watertown, Wis., was born in the town of Ixonia, in 1857, and was the eldest of a family of seven children. His height was twenty-seven inches, and average weight nineteen pounds. He had a web-foot, and both of his hand were without thumbs, but in all other respects he was a perfect little man. He possessed more than ordinary intelligence, and had a very retentive memory. He was thoroughly posted in farm topics, and could recall incidents, the occurrence of which dates back more than fifteen years, with wonderful precision. Although his younger brothers and sisters outstripped him in growth, he never permitted them to domineer over him nor look upon him in any other light than as their superior in experience and intelligence. He was an apt scholar and a ready conversationalist. He spoke the Welsh and English languages fluently, and could tell a story with a moral to it as cleverly as anybody. As a member of the Welsh Methodist Church, in his native town, he frequently took part in the meetings, often giving out hymns for the congregation to sing, and was specially prominent and active in Sunday school exercises. In giving out a hymn he invariably stood on top of the pulpit, and read his lines with such vim and distinctness as to be heard in all parts of the room. He traveled but little, and was always opposed to being placed anywhere on exhibition. Thousands of people visited him during his residence in Ixonia, and from them he received many gifts. About a year ago his usual vivacity gave way to despondency, and for some months prior to his death he conversed but little, and then only in a sad and subdued tone. The cause of his death was congestion of the stomach.
**Typed as written**
Death of a Remarkable Dwarf
JOHN LEWIS, the famous dwarf, who died recently at Watertown, Wis., was born in the town of Ixonia, in 1857, and was the eldest of a family of seven children. His height was twenty-seven inches, and average weight nineteen pounds. He had a web-foot, and both of his hand were without thumbs, but in all other respects he was a perfect little man. He possessed more than ordinary intelligence, and had a very retentive memory. He was thoroughly posted in farm topics, and could recall incidents, the occurrence of which dates back more than fifteen years, with wonderful precision. Although his younger brothers and sisters outstripped him in growth, he never permitted them to domineer over him nor look upon him in any other light than as their superior in experience and intelligence. He was an apt scholar and a ready conversationalist. He spoke the Welsh and English languages fluently, and could tell a story with a moral to it as cleverly as anybody. As a member of the Welsh Methodist Church, in his native town, he frequently took part in the meetings, often giving out hymns for the congregation to sing, and was specially prominent and active in Sunday school exercises. In giving out a hymn he invariably stood on top of the pulpit, and read his lines with such vim and distinctness as to be heard in all parts of the room. He traveled but little, and was always opposed to being placed anywhere on exhibition. Thousands of people visited him during his residence in Ixonia, and from them he received many gifts. About a year ago his usual vivacity gave way to despondency, and for some months prior to his death he conversed but little, and then only in a sad and subdued tone. The cause of his death was congestion of the stomach.
**Typed as written**
Ellis County Star ( Hays City, Kansas) 14 Apr 1881
Death of a Remarkable Dwarf
JOHN LEWIS, the famous dwarf, who died recently at Watertown, Wis., was born in the town of Ixonia, in 1857, and was the eldest of a family of seven children. His height was twenty-seven inches, and average weight nineteen pounds. He had a web-foot, and both of his hand were without thumbs, but in all other respects he was a perfect little man. He possessed more than ordinary intelligence, and had a very retentive memory. He was thoroughly posted in farm topics, and could recall incidents, the occurrence of which dates back more than fifteen years, with wonderful precision. Although his younger brothers and sisters outstripped him in growth, he never permitted them to domineer over him nor look upon him in any other light than as their superior in experience and intelligence. He was an apt scholar and a ready conversationalist. He spoke the Welsh and English languages fluently, and could tell a story with a moral to it as cleverly as anybody. As a member of the Welsh Methodist Church, in his native town, he frequently took part in the meetings, often giving out hymns for the congregation to sing, and was specially prominent and active in Sunday school exercises. In giving out a hymn he invariably stood on top of the pulpit, and read his lines with such vim and distinctness as to be heard in all parts of the room. He traveled but little, and was always opposed to being placed anywhere on exhibition. Thousands of people visited him during his residence in Ixonia, and from them he received many gifts. About a year ago his usual vivacity gave way to despondency, and for some months prior to his death he conversed but little, and then only in a sad and subdued tone. The cause of his death was congestion of the stomach.
**Typed as written**
Death of a Remarkable Dwarf
JOHN LEWIS, the famous dwarf, who died recently at Watertown, Wis., was born in the town of Ixonia, in 1857, and was the eldest of a family of seven children. His height was twenty-seven inches, and average weight nineteen pounds. He had a web-foot, and both of his hand were without thumbs, but in all other respects he was a perfect little man. He possessed more than ordinary intelligence, and had a very retentive memory. He was thoroughly posted in farm topics, and could recall incidents, the occurrence of which dates back more than fifteen years, with wonderful precision. Although his younger brothers and sisters outstripped him in growth, he never permitted them to domineer over him nor look upon him in any other light than as their superior in experience and intelligence. He was an apt scholar and a ready conversationalist. He spoke the Welsh and English languages fluently, and could tell a story with a moral to it as cleverly as anybody. As a member of the Welsh Methodist Church, in his native town, he frequently took part in the meetings, often giving out hymns for the congregation to sing, and was specially prominent and active in Sunday school exercises. In giving out a hymn he invariably stood on top of the pulpit, and read his lines with such vim and distinctness as to be heard in all parts of the room. He traveled but little, and was always opposed to being placed anywhere on exhibition. Thousands of people visited him during his residence in Ixonia, and from them he received many gifts. About a year ago his usual vivacity gave way to despondency, and for some months prior to his death he conversed but little, and then only in a sad and subdued tone. The cause of his death was congestion of the stomach.
**Typed as written**
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