He was sometimes called John Perry Lewis Jr., to distinguish him from his first cousin of the same name, who was about 5 years older.

His death certificate records John P. Lewis, age 90 years 9 months 19 days, born 1 July 1820 in Morgan, died 20 Apr 1911 in West Liberty, Morgan Co., Ky, widowed, farmer, father Francis Lewis, born in Ky, mother’s maiden name Elen Perry, born in Green Brire Co., W. Va, cause of death general dropsy & old age, informant Math Lewis, West Liberty, Ky, burial in home cemetery.

Dates of birth and death are from her gravestone.

Morgan Co., Ky marriage records list the marriage on 1 July 1846 of John P. Lewis Jr. and Clarinda McClure, by S. R. Turner. (The “Jr” does not indicate a father of the same name; it is simply intended to distinguish him from John P. Lewis born 1789, and from John P. Lewis born 1815, son of William Marion Lewis. In the 19th century, “Jr” was commonly used to mean “the youngest one around here by that name.”)

John and Clarinda had children Anna, Elizabeth, William Ragland, James H., Lucinda, Mary Frances “Fannie”, Francis “Frank” L., Hannah, Florence G., Matthew M., and Minerva.

1860 census of Morgan Co., Ky, division 2, West Liberty P.O., enumerated 8 June, lists on p. 2 as family #14:
John P. Lewis, 39, farmer; Clarind, 32; Ann, 12; Elizabeth J., 10; William R., 7; James H., 5; Lucinda, 2; Mary F., 1. All born in Kentucky.

1870 census of Morgan Co., Ky, West Liberty precinct, enumerated 14 June, lists on p. 2 as family #9:
Lewis, John P. Jr., 49, farmer; Clarinda, 42; William R., 17; James H., 15; Lucinda, 13; Mary F., 11; Francis L. (male), 8; Hannah, 5; Florence G., 3; Matthew, 1. All born in Kentucky.

1880 census of Morgan Co., Ky, West Liberty precinct, enumerated 11 June, lists on p. 24 as family #205:
Lewis, John P., 57, brother, farmer; Clarindia, 52, wife; Fannie, 21, dau; Frank, 18, son; Hannah, 16, dau; Florance, 13, dau; Mathew, 11, son; Minnirva, 8, dau; Raglain, 28, son; Catherine, 18, wife; Francis (fem), 2, dau. (Birthplace columns all blank, assumed intention Ky.)

The “brother” refers to John’s relationship to the previous head of household, Dile Lewis age 31 at household 204 (actually, his half-brother.) This census taker reported the relationship of each household head to the previous head of household whenever there was one, although he usually bumped the household number. Since he did not do so for Raglain, Catherine should really have been recorded as John’s daughter-in-law and Francis as his granddaughter.