Morgan Lewis, an American soldier, son of Francis Lewis, signer of the Declaration of Independence, born in New York, Oct. 16, 1754, died there, April 7, 1844. He graduated at Princeton college in 1773, and studied law in the office of John Jay. At the breaking out of the revolution he obtained a commission in the American service, and until the close of the war was actively employed, distinguishing himself at Saratoga, and in the operations undertaken by Gen. Clinton against Sir John Johnson in northern New York. He retired from the service with the rank of colonel, resumed the study of the law, became attorney general of the state of New York in 1791, judge of the supreme court in 1792, and in 1801 was appointed chief justice of the supreme court of New York, an office which he resigned in 1804 upon being elected governor of the state. In 1807 he resumed his practice, and upon the breaking out of the war with England in 1812 he was appointed quartermaster general in the United States army. In 1813 he was promoted to major general, and on April 27 of that year made a successful descent on the British side of the Niagara river. In 1814 he commanded the forces concentrated in New York for the defence of that city, then in daily expectation of attack.

In 1835 he became president of the New York historical society.