Neil Elliott Lewis was born on the 27 Oct 1858 in Hobart, grandson of Richard Lewis and son of Neil Lewis, merchant and his wife Anne Maria, nee Cox. He was educated at the High School, Hobart and at Balliol College, Oxford. He was called to the English Bar in June 1883 and returned to Tasmania where he was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1885. In private practice he formed a partnership in 1888 with Tetley Gant that was expanded to Lewis, Gant & Hudspeth and in 1918 to Lewis, Hudspeth, Perkins & Dear. On the 15 Jan 1896 at Perth, Tasmania he married Lina Henrietta, the daughter of Sir James Youl. They had two sons Ardell Neil Lewis and Hubert Charles Lewis.;;He displayed an early interest in politics. He entered Parliament in 1886 as member for Richmond and retained that seat until 1903 during which time he served as Attorney-General (1892 - 4) and Leader of the Opposition (1894 - 7). He re-entered the House of Assembly as member for Denison in 1909 and represented that electorate until 1922. Premier and Attorney-General (1909 - 12), Treasurer and Minister for Mines (1922), his long and distinguished career culminated in his appointment in 1933 as Lieutenant-Governor of the State. He died 22 September 1935 at his home 'Werndee' - (now at 1 Mortimer Avenue, Mt Stuart 7000 near the suburb of Lenah Valley). He possessed great administrative flair and believed firmly in the patriarchal obligation to serve. Described by an opponent as 'the ideal of the cultured Christian gentleman, and political differences could not in any way affect the sweetness of his disposition', his career was free from enmity.;;Prominent in the Federal movement, he was elected one of the Tasmanian representatives at the Federal Conventions of the 1897 and 1898, represented Tasmania at the last meeting of the Federal Council of Australasia in 1899, and was appointed a member of the Federal Executive Council in 1901.;;In addition he was Chancellor of the University of Tasmania from 1924 to 1933 and President of the Southern Law Society of Tasmania for several years.