The Book

Cover of the book "William Lewis, Esquire: Enlightened Statesman, Profound Lawyer, and Useful Citizen" by Esther Ann McFarland with Mickey Herr. Design has a portrait of William Lewis, a colonial man in a dark jacket and powdered wig, superimposed over a photo of the front of Strawberry Mansion.

 

Historic Strawberry Mansion, then known as Summerville, was built for William Lewis in 1789.

But who was William Lewis, and what was his life really like? Esther Ann McFarland, a descendant

of Lewis and longtime volunteer at the Mansion, set out to answer these questions. The product of

years spent poring through family letters and archival records, William Lewis, Esquire: Enlightened

Statesman, Profound Lawyer, and Useful Citizen is the most complete biography available of

this forgotten founder. The true story of a Quaker farm boy turned fiery lawyer who drafted

Pennsylvania’s first act to legally abolish slavery, this limited-edition publication is available only at

Historic Strawberry Mansion. Plan your visit today and pick up your copy at the museum shop!