The Lewis Tribe

By Sybil Clara Lewis Holzschuh

The Lewis Tribe, like millions across the world in the new twentieth century, set out to America in search of a better life. This is Sybil Holzschuh's story, and that of her ancestors and descendants.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781469142296

Sybil Clara Lewis Holzschuh

Born in Cardiff, Wales in 1922, Sybil Holzschuh was the fifth child out of eight, the last to be born in the old country. The Lewis Tribe, like millions across the world in the new twentieth century, set out to America in search of a better life. This is her story, and that of her ancestors and descendants. Sybil married a young, handsome, and mischievous B-24 pilot as he left for Europe to defend America. At the end of the war, he came home, and together with Sybil they raised a family and built the American Dream that her parents brought them all across the ocean to achieve. Sybil lives in Waretown, New Jersey, where she still has time to tell her granddaughters all her stories. Sybil Clara Lewis Holzschuh is a mother, grandmother, sister, aunt; but most of all a lifelong story teller. She has, for as long as anyone can remember, shared them with whoever “has a minute”. This story, then, is all her stories, preserved here for all the Lewis Tribe and their descendants to read, enjoy and pass on.

Book preview

Chapter 1

My father’s name was Ernest William Lewis Hooper. Hooper was the name that he boxed under. Growing up, I knew that boxers often boxed under names other than their own and as a child I didn’t think about it at all. Ernie lived with his grandparents, Grandmother and Grandfather Hooper until he was nine years old. He then went back to live with his mother and her three other children, Gertrude, Bert, and Will.

Life was different when he left the mountains in Wales to live in the city of Cardiff. He hardly knew his brothers and sister and they probably wondered what he was doing there. His grandfather was dying of throat cancer and that must have been heartache for the young boy.

I knew this much of the story from Mom. Dad never spoke about his childhood, but he did tell me about the time, as a teenager, when he was working in some nearby stables. Dad was working in the stalls and got pinned in the stall by a horse; he took out his pocket knife and gave the horse a little jab to make the horse move. Needless to say, he lost his job that day. After that experience there was no love lost between him and horses. He also used to tell of the mischief brother, Monroe, and he got into when they were young men.

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William and Elizabeth Hooper

Chapter 2

Dad was working in the steel plant in the daytime and going to college and boxing at night. Here is a picture of Ernie Hooper in his boxing stance. He became amateur Light Weight Champion of Wales in 1910. Ernie trained with Fred Welsh, the Light Weight Champion of the World. He was still Hooper. He gave Fred Welsh his championship scarf.

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Ernest Hooper Lewis

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Freddie Welsh

One night, Dad was walking down by the docks, which I’m sure was in a disreputable area. He was struck on the head and awoke to find himself onboard a ship bound for Russia! He had many tales to tell about that trip. He wasn’t well-liked, but was befriended by a Scandinavian cook that Dad said saved his life more than once. He jumped ship in Riga and the British Consul sent him back to Cardiff.

Mom refused to marry Dad until he stopped boxing. Monroe, Mom’s brother, opposed the marriage and wouldn’t speak to either one of them. He didn’t want to lose his best buddy. Mom wasn’t a bit happy with Monroe.

Now is the time to tell of Moms family. Mom’s mother was Mary Jane Grainger. Mom said her mother was a very quiet lady who never raised her voice in anger. She was beautiful, and adored by all her children. Her husband, I think his name was Joseph, was a traveling salesman for the Patented Iron Stove Company and took Mary Jane and the children with him.

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Mary Jane Grainger Nee Davies

1857-1906

Mom was born in Royersford, Pennsylvania, and another child was born in Virginia. Mom was the youngest child and it seems likely that she traveled with him for many years. The children were, Monroe, Marvena, Ernest and Linda Valteze (Mom).

I’m conjecturing that they had a home in America, for it doesn’t seem likely that they traveled back and forth between the United States and Wales it would have been too costly. When they returned Mary Jane was pregnant and had Lilly in Wales. Shortly after that Joseph deserted her, leaving her no money and finally she had to ask for public assistance rather than go to a work house. She left the two oldest children with their grandmother temporarily. Mary Jane died with cancer at the age a young age. After her mother’s death, Linda went to live with her sister, Marvena, who was married at that time. It evidently was a happy arrangement for Mom never said a bad word against her sister.

When Linda was seventeen, her brother sent away for a bull mastiff puppy. When it arrived, it was a full grown dog, and an angry one at that! Aunt Marvena had a stone wall around her back yard and that is where the delivery man left the dog, thinking he would be safe since he couldn’t get out. When Linda came home, unaware that there was a dog in the yard, the mastiff attacked. Linda had nothing to protect herself with. The only thing she could do was kick, and kick she did, trying all the time to protect her face. He had her arm at one point, but a sound kick made him let go and he grabbed the sole of her shoe. High button shoes were the fashion of the time and that saved her ankle, but not her foot. She finally crawled to the back door before he let her go.

The dog was not rabid, although that was also a worry for a time, but the wounds were severe. Linda had huge ugly scars on her right upper arm, and the dog had bitten through her foot and that took a long time to heal. What shows Linda’s courage is she never blamed the dog, although her brother destroyed the mastiff after the attack on his sister. Linda loved dogs and always had one in her lap or by her side.

Monroe and Ernest sparred together in a gymnasium. Ernie used to come home with him and met Linda. Ernie was always welcome in the house, Mary Jane was very fond him. Later they fell in love despite the fact that Ernie didn’t like to dance. I remember years later that mama said what an amazing life she had led for she went to her wedding in horse and carriage and lived to see men walking on the moon.

One day, Val and Vena were sent to the corner store to buy a pound of cheese. On the way home, Vena opened the package and broke off a piece. Val said, You shouldn’t have done that. God will punish you. Vena replied, I’ll just go around this corner and He won’t see me. Val said, He’ll put his eye on a stick and poke it around that corner. When Val reported what happened about the cheese, Linda just laughed, and then punishment was forgotten.

The house that they lived in was a company row house. It must have been on the end of the row because that would have been bigger and we know they had a fireplace. Sometimes, on their street, there was an old man with a cart that sold cockles and whelks to the children. Val and Vena would play a game with stones that they found on the shingles. All the family lived within a few blocks of one another. The girls were very fond of their grandmother, Elizabeth Hooper, who visited them there often. Valerie’s whole name, Mary Elizabeth Valerie was named after Grandmother Hooper.

Linda’s best friend was Violet, Ernie’s brother’s wife. When Mom went to Wales in 1953 she stayed with Violet and Bert. Later, in the 1970’s, they came to the United States. Tommie brought them to visit me. Mom and Aunt Vi giggled and sometimes laughed out loud as they recalled some incidents from the past. Mom looked young then and pretty, as she must have looked long ago.

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Aunt Violet at age 92

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Ernest William Hooper Lewis

Chapter 3

Dad concentrated on his education and became a metallurgist and moved up in the steel plant. In due time, Valerie was born and two years later, Marvena. Another two years came Freddie and two years later Vincent arrived. Vincent wouldn’t stay away from a little dog named Toby that wanted to follow him home. That is how Vincent got his nickname, Toby.

Mom was happy with her life; she asked nothing more than to have a healthy, happy family. Every Saturday, Mom dressed the children and they would all go into the city. Mom loved the castles and the lovely walks. The boys loved the puppet shows and the girls loved to shop like girls the world over.

Mom was a proud mother. Nothing made her happier than when someone would say, What a well behaved family you have, or How beautiful your children are." Then a salesman could sell her anything.

Mom’s sisters were close by and Dad’s sister and brother visited often. The older girls had close friends, especially Valerie.

Monroe was killed in World War I. His death caused great sorrow to Dad as well as to the rest of the family. He was Dad’s best friend and they sparred together.

Val played the violin and had made her debut, but was unable to play. Dad, in a fit of temper, had smashed her violin, but Mom had reassured her that she would get a better one.

Dad was getting restless. The family seemed to be growing bigger every two years. Two and a half years after Toby, in June of 1922, I, Sybil Clara, was born. There was a depression at that time and Dad’s wages were cut. The position that he had been promised went to someone else. It was the right time for a change. Many families were migrating to America. Things would be much better in the Land of Opportunity.

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Dad and Mam, Freddie, Vena, Toby, and Sybil

Now plans were being made to make a gigantic move. We were going to America! Dad had probably spoken many times over the years, at least to Mom, about going to America and I never knew whether she wanted to move or not, but having to sell most of their possessions was a hard thing to do. Dad remarked once that he had The History of England books bound in calfskin that he hated to leave behind, and Mom could only bring the barest necessities. I think the move was strictly Dad’s choice and Mom always acceded to his wishes, always.

The move to go to America wasn’t without careful planning. Dad had an offer to go to Ohio to work as a chemist in a brewery at a decent wage. I don’t think anyone thought the quota system would have taken so long to call up their number. It took a full two years. Now Mom was pregnant again and the job Dad had hoped for had been filled.

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Linda Grainger Lewis

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Freddie, Valarie and Sybil

Chapter 4

The Lewis tribe, Dad’s name for us, set sail for a new beginning in June of 1924. We were all excited and nervous at the same time. This was a first class adventure! I can imagine Toby, at four, looking with awe at the big Canard Line ship.

Shortly after the ship set sail Mom was seasick and had a miscarriage. Valerie, naturally, took charge of Toby and me. This was not a simple task. Toby kept running away and getting lost on that big ship. Staying on one deck meant nothing to a four year old and he was found everywhere! Mom was confined to bed and Dad would not leave her side. Vena, only ten years old, took care of Freddie and me. After five days we arrived in New York Harbor. Mom, weak as a kitten, but feeling much better, and all the children were anxious to see the United States they had heard much so about.

Ellis Island was the first stop, and what a nightmare it was! There were thousands of people in lines waiting to be examined. Dad refused to let the doctor examine his boys until he washed his hands, and you can be sure he did!

The girls and Mom were in another line. Also, it was very noisy because a lot of children and babies were crying. The lines were long and tiring. Eventually, things got done and we were met by Aunt Beatty, a shirttail cousin of Mom’s who had been writing to her, encouraging her to come to her when they arrived. Aunt Beatty had