John Lewis’ Siblings: He Had 9 Brothers & Sisters

John Lewis died at the age of 80. He had a large family, including nine brothers and sisters. Here’s what you need to know about John Lewis’ siblings.

John Lewis’ nine siblings included six brothers and three sisters. His brothers were Adolph Lewis, Sammy Lewis, William Lewis, Grant Lewis, Edward Lewis, and Freddie Lewis. His sisters were Ethel Lewis Tyner, Rosa Lewis Tyner, and Ora Lewis Crawley.

Some of His Siblings Stayed Near His Parents

Getty(L-R) Freddie Lewis, John-Miles Lewis, Grant Lewis, Samuel Lewis, and Jerrick Lewis, family members of former US Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) attend a press conference on July 19, 2020 at Rep. Lewis’ home.

John Lewis’ parents were sharecroppers in Alabama, according to his bio. He and his siblings grew up on the family farm. His dad built the home his mom lived in for a long time, he shared in his memoir. The family built a new home for his mom, after his dad passed away, in 1996. Many members of his family stayed close, living near each other over the years.

Lewis also said in his memoir that his youngest brother, Sammy, and his brother Grant both lived within sight of his mom’s home. His brother Freddie lived in Detroit until he moved his wife and children back to their hometown because he felt they would have better influences there. His said Ora lived in Detroit, Ethel in Troy, and Rosa in Richmond, California.

In 2006, Ora Lewis Crawley — his oldest sibling — died in Detroit, Michigan at the age of 70. She had two children, five grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

His brother Adolph Lewis died when he was only 54 in 1997. He died of a heart attack in Florida and had worked for G&M Tile and Terrazzo Co. for 30 years. He had three daughters, two sons, 14 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Ethel Lewis Tyner, Henry Lewis, and Samuel Lewis were all interviewed in a recent documentary about John Lewis called John Lewis: Good Trouble. 

In 2012, when John Lewis received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, his brothers Samuel, Grant, and Freddie were with him, along with his son John Miles, and PR strategist Tom Houck, AJC reported.

His Youngest Brother Spoke for the Family

GettyGrant Lewis, brother of former US Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) speaks during a press conference on July 19, 2020 at Rep. Lewis’ home in Atlanta, Georgia.

After John Lewis’ death, his youngest brother Grant Lewis spoke for the family at a press conference on July 19. Henry Grant Lewis told the crowd: “He fought until the very end,” AJC reported. “That was my big brother. He was a fighter with a tenacious spirit. But he was always gracious and kindhearted. A great man and public servant. And even greater father, husband, brother and son.”

Henry Grant Lewis’ son, Jerrick Lewis, stood by his side during the press conference, along with brothers Freddie and Samuel Lewis and John Lewis’ son, John-Miles Lewis.

Henry also spoke during the “Boy from Troy” service in Alabama, CNN reported.  He said:

…The John Lewis that I want you to know about is the John Lewis that would gravitate towards the least of us, would drop by his 4-year-old nephew’s birthday party, feed the hungry and homeless on Thanksgiving Day, took the time to go by a young man’s house in Troy that had portrayed a young John Lewis in his Black history class, asking his young brothers to be part of his special guest list while receiving the Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama, making a surprise visit to his great-nephew’s fifth-grade class… He worked a lifetime to help others and made the world a better place in which to live.

On July 25 during the “Boy from Troy” service, CNN reported that his brother Freddie Lewis shared: “He was no John. He was just Robert. And I loved him.”

John Lewis’ brother Samuel Lewis said his mom sometimes would mistake him for John because they looked alike. He said, “John was different from the rest of the family, and he would have thoughts that all of the troubles he got himself into would change the world. I am so honored that John was my brother.”

His Sister Spoke at the ‘Boy from Troy’ Service Celebrating His Life

GettyEthel Mae Tyner, sister of John Lewis, speaks during “​The Boy from Troy”​ service celebrating the life of John Lewis.

On July 25, his sister Ethel Mae Tyner spoke at the “Boy from Troy” service in Alabama celebrating John Lewis’ life.  She spoke of his humble beginnings and his respect for others, CNN reported.

John Lewis’ sister Rosa Mae Tyner also spoke at the “Boy From Troy” service, praising his faith in God and his desire to serve others.

One of His Brothers Was Deaf

GettyRep. John Lewis is presented with the 2010 Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

In his memoir Walking with the Wind, Lewis said his brother, Edward, was deaf since he was born in 1938, but he was “one of the most expressive people I know, as well as one of the most self-reliant.” He lived in a trailer across from his mom’s house and spent most of his life with hands-on jobs like cutting timber or working machinery. He said that Edward looked after his mom after his dad’s death, but his mom was still pretty self-reliant even at 84.

In his memoir, Lewis said about his brother: “I’ve been listening to Edward’s voice my entire life, and like everyone else in my family, I have no problem understanding what to a stranger might sound like a series of grunts and moans.”

In 2012, Edward died in Troy, Alabama. He was two years older than John Lewis and had continued to live in rural Alabama for most of his life, AJC reported.  John Lewis said his brother spent most of his life working with his hands.

As a Child, John Lewis Sometimes Preached to His Siblings

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Lewis said that when he was growing up, he wanted to be a minister someday. So when he was a boy he’d preach to the chickens at his farm as a way of practicing, AJC reported. But the chickens weren’t his only audience.

He also loved preaching to his younger siblings and cousins, CNN reported. In fact, he got the nickname “Preacher” because of it.

John’s brothers, Freddie and Sam, told ABC 11 that one of John Lewis’ chores was to feed the chickens when they were growing up. His first nonviolent act was protesting when his parents wanted to have chicken for dinner, policy advisor Andrew Aydin told ABC 11.

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