ARTHUR RIMMER LEWIS, M. D., has been a resident and has practiced medicine in the territory now included in Jefferson county since 1900. He had an office in the old community at Fleetwood, on Red river, for a time, was then located at Terrall and in 1903 came to the principal commercial center of this county, Ryan. His professional attainments and personal integrity have been such as to win the confidence of the people, and he has a strong following and is an influential citizen of the town and county. Officially he is local surgeon for the Rock Island Railroad, and is the county and city health officer.
     Mr. Lewis, who was born in Kosciusko county, Mississippi, May: 26, 1872, a son of a physician, completed his public school studies in Mexia, Texas, and then became a clerk in a drug store of that town. His work led him to study pharmacy, and in 1895 he graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. He pursued his studies further with the object of entering the profession of medicine, and in 1900 graduated from the Barnes Medical College of St. Louis. As a graduating thesis he chose the subject: "The chemical analysis of cotton seed oil," and its scientific discussion of a subject of much interest to Texas people was of such merit that the paper was published in the Dallas News, and secured a wide circulation over the state. Dr. Lewis came to Oklahoma very soon after his graduation. A Democrat in politics, he takes much interest in local affairs. He was married, February 12, 1903, at Terral, to Miss Nettie Roberts, daughter of George Roberts, a farmer who formerly resided at Corsicana.
     Dr. Lewis is a physician by right of inheritance as well as choice. His grandfather was Dr. Ozias Lewiswho was a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, of Scotch-Irish parentage, and passed his active life in Kosciusko. county, Mississippi. He opposed secession in 1860, and throughout the war remained a Union man. He married Emily Comfort, of Litchfield, Connecticut, and their children were: Harriet, wife of James Hammond, died in Kosciusko county; William, a dry-goods merchant of Flint, Michigan; John, a traveling salesman with residence in Cincinnati; one daughter deceased, who was the wife of J.M. Comfort; and Dr.J.M. The last named, who was the father of Dr. A. R, was a graduate from both the literary and medical departments of the University pf Michigan, and a lifelong scholar in various lines of knowledge. He often made addresses, and wrote a treatise of much value entitled "The home treatment of malarial diseases." He was actively engaged in the practice of his profession up to the close of his life on December 28, 1889. For many years he was local surgeon for the Houston and Texas Central Railway, and during the yellow fever epidemic of 1878 gained prominence as an assistant state and county health officer. Dr. J. M. Lewis married Sallie J. Rimmer. Her father, James Rimmer, a native of Connecticut, was a large planter and one of the wealthy residents of Attala county, Mississippi, owning many slaves and when the time came giving earnest support to the cause of the Confederacy. The children of J. M. Lewis and wife were: Dr. Arthur R.; James M., of Terral; Ozias, of Mexia, Texas; Louise, wife of John Davis, of Mexia; Esther, wife of G. A. Lyall, of Mexia; Mabel, who married W. C. Schutts, of Fort Worth; Mattie and John W., of Mexia.