Meshach Lewelling moved his family from Randolph Co. North Carolina to Henry Co. Indiana sometime between 1820 and 1825. Some of the family, including 3 brothers Henderson, John and Seth moved to Iowa in 1840 about the time of Meshach's death.

These three brothers all went west. Henderson and Seth were pioneering nurserymen first in Milwaukie, Oregon and later California. They developed several new varieties of cherry including the Bing.

Henderson went to Milwaukie Oregon in 1847.
Seth and John went to California during the gold rush in 1850. They both went up to join Henderson in Oregon later that year.

After the coming of Henderson and John Lewelling to Iowa, other members of the family followed. An older brother, William, settled in Salem and engaged in teaching. He was a preacher among the Quakers and a public speaker of great merit. A nephew, Jehu Lewelling, and a niece, Jane Lewelling Votaw, also came to Salem. Jehu was a Baptist minister, and Jane Votaw was a preacher for the Quakers.

In 1852 or 3 John went back to Iowa to bring his wife and family (including Sarah and her husband Robert King and their oldest child LL King) to California via Panama and ship to SF and settled in San Lorenzo (Lewelling Blvd. is named after the family)

About the same time Henderson went back east to buy more plant material and to bring back a new wife (his 3rd at that point). Henderson then settled on 200+ acres of land that he bought along Sausal Creek in the east bay in California. Because of all the new orchards and fruit being produced, the area became know as Fruitvale (now a neighborhood in Oakland).

In 1864 John moved to St. Helena in the Napa Valley were he was a pioneering winegrower, establishing Lewelling Vineyards.

The Lewellings are related to Prince Llewellyn of Wales according to some accounts.

0. Thomas LEWALLEN (b: 28 DEC 1645 in Pembrey, Carmathian, Wales)
1. Jesse LEWALLEN (b: 1689 in Virginia or Wales)
. + Anne OWENS
. 2. William Lewelling (Luallen, Lewallen)
        (b. Abt. 1740, Anson Co., NC; d. Abt. 1799 in Randolph County, NC)
... + Mary Dawson
.... 3. Shadrack Lewelling (b. 18 JUL 1784)
.... 3. Meshack Lewelling (b. 29 Jan 1787, Randolph Co., NC; d. 30 Nov 1840 in Henry County, IN)
....... + Jane Brookshire (b. )
....... 4. Henry LEWELLING (b. 14 Oct 1807, Randolph, NC ; d. Abt 1850)
....... 4. Henderson Lewelling (b. 23 Apr. 1809, Randolph Co., NC; d. 1883, Oakland, CA)
......... + Elizabeth Presnell (b. 8 Apr 1815, Randolph, NC; m. Abt 1830 m. d. )
....... 4. John Lewelling (b. 16 Jan 1811, Randolph Co., NC; d. 25 Dec 1883, St. Helena, CA)
........ + Elvy Elliott (b. Abt 1816, Duck Creek Mm, Henry Co., Indiana
......... 5 Sarah Lewelling (b. 29 Jun. 1833, Henry Co., IN; d. 06 Sep. 1865, New Providence, IA)
............ + Robert King (b. 05 May 1828- Morgan Co.,Ohio; d. 16 Jan 1864- New Providence, IA)
......... 5 Harvey John Lewelling (b. February 14, 1855, Mission San Jose, CA; d. May 06, 1939, St. Helena, CA.)
........... + Annie Letetia Alstrom
......... See John's descendants for other children
....... 4. Mary LEWELLING (b. 11 May 1815, Randolph, NC)
....... 4. William LEWELLING (b. 28 Sep 1817)
....... 4. Seth LEWELLING (b. 6 Mar 1820, Randolph, NC; d. 1896 OR?)
....... 4. Jane LEWELLING (b. 21 Aug 1825, Henry, IN)
....... 4. Thomas LEWELLING (b. 29 Aug 1827, Henry, IN)
.... 3. Abendnego Lewelling (b. )

Note: Alternate spellings are LUELLING, LUALLEN, LEWALLEN.

See:
The Lewelling Family--Pioneers by O.A. Garretson

"The Lewellings: A Microhistory of family farming and agricultural development in California" by Sandra Leland Price

Information Sources.