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134 Grandeur of Gonzales Hugh Lewis went into the mercantile business shortly after his marriage to Susan in 1856. His business career was interrupted by the Civil War where he served in the Confederate Army in Company "E," 8th Texas Infantry. In 1866, following the end of the Civil War, Hugh joined with G.N. Dilworth in the businesses of groceries, iron and plantation goods and banking. Later he became heavily involved in the livestock and land business with his brother-in-law, Colonel James Harrison Parramore. By the turn of the century, Lewis and Parramore owned huge amounts of land including a large ranch in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and the San Simon Land and Cattle Company near Tucson, Arizona, where the Apache Chieftain, Geronimo, was captured in 1886. Lewis' business ventures were usually successful and he amassed a considerable fortune, becoming one of the wealthiest men in this part of Texas. HUGH LEWIS HOUSE 300 St. Paul Street In the early 1880s, Hugh hired architect, Frederick E. Ruffini, to design his home and the house was completed in 1883. The woodwork and some of the beautifully restored floors are longleaf pine. Other floors and wainscoting around the staircase are intricate oak and walnut parquet. There are five fireplaces with original mantels and a beautiful walnut staircase leading to the spacious second floor bedrooms. Large porches surround the south and west sides which give the house a light atmosphere. The house was originally a Victorian design but was modified during remodeling in 1920. It was given to the city of Gonzales in 1987 but was in poor condition, then it was struck by lightning in 1991 and sustained considerable damage. It was purchased from the city in 1997 and restored to its 1920 design. It is now owned by Jim and Carla Welch and is used as a rehabilitation center. Photograph By Paul Frenzel

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