He was the son of William Lewelling, an abolitionist and Quaker minister[1] who died soon after making an impassioned speech in Indiana.

In 1872 he was made superintendent of the girls' department of the state reform school in Iowa, and his wife was appointed matron.

When Lewelling moved to Wichita, Kansas, he broke with the Republican party and was swept into office as a third-party candidate in the gubernatorial election of 1892.

Despite both groups meeting in the same chamber at different times, conflict occurred and led to the "Legislative War", until the Kansas Supreme Court decided in favor of the Republicans.

Lewelling died in Arkansas City, Kansas, and is interred at Maple Grove Cemetery in Wichita.