Women - Hunterdon County, New Jersey

PEGGY LEWIS
Baltimore-born Peggy Lewis has been influential in the art
and editorial world for four decades.
As a young bride she and her husband Michael moved to
New York where she did a short stint with Brand Names
Research Foundation. It was during that time that she planned
and wrote the comic strip Billy Brand, which was carried by 350
country newspapers.
While in New York, and with two little boys,
the Lewises began the Charles-Fourth gallery in their own home.
The gallery specialized in debut exhibitions for young artists.
After moving to New Hope they continued the gallery, giving
shows to a wider range of artists.
Mrs. Lewis joined the staff of Bucks County Life in 1960.
She initiated the book page and eventually became associate
editor.
The family, now numbering four children, father and mother, moved across the river
to Lambertville in 1967. Peggy had been writing for The Beacon, where she reported
the usual range of small-town news. While at The Beacon, she conceived the popular
column,
The Arts. For two years she wrote a weekly arts column for The Times - Advertiser of
Trenton.
As a freelance writer she contributed articles to art catalogues, as well as
magazines all over the state. Joining the staff of the New Jersey State Museum as
publications editor, she edited all Museum publications and wrote news media and
features.
In 1971 she joined the staff of the New Jersey Historical Commission as public
programs coordinator. While there, she was responsible for all programs of public
information and cultural activities. A major activity was coordination of activities for New
Jersey's part in the Bicentennial celebration. She became editor-in-chief for the
Commission's newsletter, which was published ten times annually.
Retiring from the Historical Commission in 1989, Peggy Lewis continues to maintain
her contacts in the Lambertville and New York art community. She and her daughter,
Nora, were instrumental in raising funds for a severely injured New York artist.
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