Background
David Peter was born to Peter C. and Mary Smith Buster Lewis on January 1, 1820 in Charlotte County, Virginia. His parents later moved to Madison County, Alabama.
David Peter was born to Peter C. and Mary Smith Buster Lewis on January 1, 1820 in Charlotte County, Virginia. His parents later moved to Madison County, Alabama.
David was educated in Madison County, Alabama. He also studied law in Huntsville, Alabama.
From 1842 until 1861, David Lewis practiced law in Huntsville.
Although he voted against secession as a delegate to the convention, he signed the Alabama Secession Ordinance. As a member of the provisional Congress, he served on the Patents and Indian Affairs Committees. He resigned before the end of his term and retired to private life.
In 1863, Governor John Shorter named him judge of the Circuit Court of Alabama. A committed unionist, Lewis fled to Nashville before the war ended, but he did not cooperate with the Union forces. After the war, he returned to Alabama and his law practice.
Lewis was elected Republican governor of Alabama in 1873-1874, achieving a reputation as an excessive spender. At the end of Reconstruction, he was vilified by former Confederates and was forced to retire to private life.
Lewis, a Unionist, left the Democrats and joined the Republican party.
During Lewis's term unsuccessful attempts were made to pass civil rights legislation which would have barred discrimination on common carriers and in hotels, schools, and theaters.
David never married.