Lewis E DePriest

 

Grandmother Kate named my father Lewis Bailey Steppe. Bailey is for her family name, probably; and Lewis is for stepfather Lewis E. DePriest, possibly. And the name Lewis came from the Colonel Lewis that married George Washington’s sister. Milton Bailey says that Lewis DePriest was descended from the sister of George W. And aunt Mary Steppe Booth remembers that as a child living in the DePriest household she used to get out and read a letter that GW had written his sister.

 

John Pleasant Bailey died July 2, 1887 and Martha remarried to Lewis E DePriest Aug 3 1892. They had been married 48 years when she died in 1941. Lewis’ first wife had died in childbirth so he had no children of his own, but he was there while Martha raised several batches of kids: her five children, her daughter Kate’s six children including my father, her first husband’s younger brothers, and a couple of her brother’s children, maybe not in that order.

 

Lewis E DePriest probably earned some respect of all of Martha’s family. I say this because they regarded him enough to cause him to be buried in the family cemetery, beside Martha, and with their father John P Bailey. Martha died first and Lewis went to Maryland. The family could have just forgotten Lewis when he died 3 years later.

 

 

In the Bailey family cemetery the three small headstones are left to right, Lewis, Martha, and John, Martha lies between her husbands. Lewis is acknowledged as the husband of Martha on both their markers.

 

 

The enlarged photo slice is from a family reunion picture, probably long after there were no more children living with Martha and Lewis. Lewis is the central figure with Martha close to his right.  Milton Bailey, grandson of Martha, says that Lewis drank somewhat. I looks to me that he has had a couple of belts before this picture.

 

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