The mission of the Corps was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, establish trade and sovereignty over the natives near the Missouri River, and claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon territory for the United States before European nations. He was also a second cousin once removed of Washington's on his father's side. He was given a powerful position in the new territory he had helped to explore, but tragedy would soon strike. Lewis resided in the presidential mansion, and frequently conversed with various prominent figures in politics, the arts and other circles. There were songs and poems written about him. However, the subsequent inhabitants of the home have made so many changes that the structure does not really resemble the original house. Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 - October 11, 1809) Was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark. Gary Stella. Originally, he was to provide information on the politics of the United States Army, which had seen an influx of Federalist officers as a result of John Adams's "midnight appointments". Robert Lewis and 5 . One of his traveling companions, who arrived later, buried him nearby. Lewis then chose his friend William Clark as his second in command. Nothing is known of her childhood. Why is this image showing up as a background image ? These two Captains shared a common progenitor and were second cousins once removed. Marshall, Fielding, Merriweather, Daingerfield, Taliaferro and others. Besides being the mother of the famed explorer, she had medical skills and often rode throughout the county to treat the sick. It is known that he visited at least twice. Guice believes that bandits roaming the notoriously dangerous Natchez Trace killed Lewis. Patrick Gass, a carpenter and architect of wooden forts, and one of the 33 members of the Corps of Discovery. Jefferson selected Captain Meriwether Lewis to lead the proposed expedition, afterward known as the Corps of Discovery. His life and achievements were acknowledged and some in the audience shed tears as the tragedy of his death was noted. Theres a certain amount of stress to reentering the world. Lewis descendants suffer setback in ongoing bid to exhume body Lewis was a poor administrator, often quarreling with local political leaders and failing to keep in touch with his superiors in Washington. In 1792, after the death of his step-father the year before, he traveled to the Broad River community to accompany his mother and his two half-siblings, John and Mary, back to Locust Hill. The next morning, she sent for Lewis's servants, who found him weltering in his blood but alive for several hours. Ancestors of Meriwether Lewis Generation No. Meriwether Lewis died on his way to Washington, DC in October, 1809. Meriwether Lewis dies along the Natchez Trace, Tennessee On October 11, 1809, the famous explorer Meriwether Lewis dies under mysterious circumstances in the early hours of the morning after. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. Conflicting information from sources indicate he was either rather ill (speculation runs from alcoholism to syphilis or possible psychological issues) or had trouble with hypochondria, and visited his mother in hopes of some care. The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis. (Bakeless, 1947) A male acquaintance once described her as having a perfect person and complimented her on having "activity beyond her sex." Lewis died and was buried near the Grinder's Stand roadhouse (modern Hoenwald, Lewis Co., TN) on the Natchez Trace, October 11, 1809. After he excused himself from dinner, he went to his bedroom. IE 11 is not supported. William Lewis and 3. Meriwether Lewis Achievements - 1168 Words | Cram The relationship between Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea and her family was an example of respect between the two groups. His older brother Nicholas Lewis became his guardian. Meriwether Lewis, (born Aug. 18, 1774, near Charlottesville, Va. [U.S.]died Oct. 11, 1809, near Nashville, Tenn., U.S.), American explorer, who with William Clark led the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the uncharted American interior to the Pacific Northwest in 1804-06. But, in early October 1809, Meriwether Lewis was found shot in the head in a room of an inn on the old Natchez Trace near present-day Hohenwald, Tennessee. History is about finding the truth, he adds. He moved with his family to Georgia when he was ten. [3] When Jefferson began to formulate and to plan for an expedition across the continent, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. These sources are attached to each ancestor so that you can personally judge their reliability. Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) FamilySearch Death of Capt. He had an older sister, Jane, and later a little brother, Reuben, would be born into the family. They settled along the Broad River in the Goosepond Community within the Broad River Valley in Wilkes County (now Oglethorpe County). 44 in Albemarle, VA between 1796 and 1797. Their mission was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase, establish trade and sovereignty over the natives near the Missouri River, and claim the Pacific Northwest and Oregon Country for the United States before European nations. Captain Meriwether LewisWilliam Clark's expedition partner on the Corps of Discovery's historic trek to the Pacific, Thomas Jefferson's confidante, governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory. She gave the property to her daughter as a wedding gift. Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree In 1795, he joined the regular U.S. Army, as a Lieutenant, where he served until 1801, at one point in the detachment of William Clark, who would later become his companion in the Corps of Discovery. Was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark. The Tennessee State Commission charged with locating the grave and erecting the monument wrote in its official report that it was likely Lewis died at the hands of an assassin. Clark and Lewis were both relatively young and adventurous and had shared experience as woodsmen-frontiersmen and Army officers. The group he was with was called the Corps of Discovery. Even at his early age he was interested in natural history, which would develop into a lifelong passion. He is honored today by a memorial along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Garden of Praise: Meriwether Lewis Biography Clark graciously accepted, having remembered his time spent with Meriwether during their previous Army service.[5]. Among the families are direct descendants of William Clark and collateral descendants of Meriwether Lewis. Shaun proudly stood in front of his class at Candalaria Elementary School and offered a framed certificate to prove it. She started the Locust Hill Graveyard in 1810, probably on the hopes that she could have Meriwether's body re-interred there from Tennessee, and because her son-in-law Edmund Anderson and a neighbor died that year and needed to be buried. Purchased for $20 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Seaman accompanied Lewis during the expedition and afterward. He married Amanda Cosby on 15 December 1827. . Native America, Discovered and Conquered: Thomas Jefferson, Lewis & Clark, and Manifest Destiny. Lucy Meriwether gave birth to Jane Meriwether Anderson, Meriwether Lewis, Lucinda Lewis (who died in childhood) and Dr. Reuben Lewis while married to William Lewis and John Marks and Mary Garland Marks while married to Captain John Marks. It has absolutely rekindled interest in family history, said Carol Bronson, executive director of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation in Great Falls, Mont. Lewis was nominated and recommended to serve as the first Master of the proposed Lodge, which was warranted as Lodge No. Surprisingly, he may also have felt like something of a failure. They settled along the Broad River in the Goosepond Community within the Broad River Valley in Wilkes County (now Oglethorpe County). Lewis' descendants have asked the National Park Service to exhume the body for clues. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. Compare And Contrast Lewis And Clark | ipl.org The second oldest . If you click the change tab you can see that this is an excellent example of collaboration! It is recorded on the tombstone of Pioneer John that he furnished five sons for the Revolution. 111 on September 16, 1808. He and Meriwether Lewis set out on the adventure in May of 1804. He chose Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition, who in turn solicited the help of William Clark. . Explorer. Create a FREE Account. Their other children included Jane Meriwether (Lewis) Anderson (1770-1845), Reuben Lewis, and Lucinda Lewis (1772-) (who died as an infant). Theyve been coming out of the woodwork, Hargrove said. Library of Congress, http://rs5.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/028/028_0177_0182.pdf, Letter of Instructions to Meriwether Lewis from Thomas Jefferson, June 20, 1803 Meriwether Ball MSc, MA - President/CEO - LinkedIn [7], Meriwether needed someone else to help him lead the expedition. Meriwether Lewis was a soldier, public administrator, and famed explorer as co-leader of the Corps of Discovery, commonly referred to as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Lewis was nominated and recommended to serve as the first Master of the proposed Lodge, which was warranted as Lodge No. Privacy Policy | ContactMe 2010-2023 FamousKin.com. Lewis, Meriwether, 1774-1809 Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806) Clark, William, 1770-1838 Meriwether Lewis - Ancestry.com However Lewis died, his death had a considerable effect on the young country. About 1725, Jane married Robert Lewis (abt 1704-1765), son of Councilor John Lewis (1669-1725) of Warner Hall and his wife Elizabeth Warner (1672-1719) the daughter . She advocated an assassination theory in Meriwether Lewis: A Historic Crime Scene Investigation (co-authored with James E. Starrs), . His deathby a gunshot wound to the head and another to the abdomenis a mystery. Brother of Jane Meriwether Anderson; Lucinda McFarlane; Dr. Ruben Lewis and Lewis He is best known for his role as the co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a pioneering expedition that explored the western portion of the Louisiana Purchase in 1804-1806. Lewis was introverted and moody while Clark was extroverted, even-tempered, and gregarious. He and William Clark, born August 1, 1770, accompanied each other on a dangerous expedition. He was related to George Washington by marriage: his first cousin once removed was Fielding Lewis, Washington's brother-in-law. 44 in Albemarle, VA, between 1796 and 1797. Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 - October 11, 1809). She married William Lewis of Locust Hill; he died in 1779 and she married Captain John Marks six months later. People cant just call and say, Im a descendant, she said. Father of Joseph "De Smet" Lewis p. 108. Certificates are awarded only to families proving their lineage to one of 33 members of the expedition that traveled the full distance from what is now North Dakota to the coast and back, including the Shoshone Indian woman Sacagawea and the black slave York. It was during this time in the Army that he met William Clark (1770-1838) for the first time. The land is now the Meriwether Lewis State Park in Tennessee. After Jane's death in 1845, her son, Dr. Meriwether Lewis Anderson, inherited Locust Hill. He was the son of William Lewis, of Welsh ancestry, and Lucy Meriwether, of English ancestry. With Jefferson's consent, Lewis offered the post of co-captain of the expedition to William Clark. A day use campground at Gates of the Mountains Wilderness, north of Helena, Meriwether Picnic site. Descendents of the family point to this legend as a reason why Meriwether men take a long time to get married. FamilySearch Catalog: Lewis family tree : showing many of the CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Meriwether Lewis Family Tree (4953) - Famous Kin Meriwether Lewis' Mysterious Death - Smithsonian Magazine His wound hampered him for the rest of the journey. Although he died without legitimate heirs, he does have the putative DNA model haplotype for his paternal ancestor's lineage, which was that of the Warner Hall. He was the oldest of five children. The Natchez Trace was the old pioneer road between Natchez, Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriwether_Lewis. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. On August 11, 1806, near the end of the expedition, Lewis was shot in the left thigh by Pierre Cruzatte, a near-blind man under his command, while both were hunting for elk. (2006). Allrightsreserved. 1. Yet even now, precious little is known about the events of October 10, 1809, after Lewis armed with several pistols, a rifle and a tomahawk stopped at a log cabin lodging house known as Grinders Stand. For many years, Lewis' legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. Augustine Warner, Sr. (September 28th 1611 - December 24th, [1] 1674), was an English planter and politician. Descendents of the family point to this legend as a reason why Meriwether men take a long time to get married. Around the time that the expedition commenced, they had arrived at the point in the relationship where Lewis either had to marry Theodesia or find a respectable way to exit the relationship. The expedition was tasked with exploring the Missouri River and its tributaries, mapping the western territories, and making contact with Native American tribes. During a ceremony on Oct. 7, 2009, marking the 200th anniversary of his death, a bronze bust of Lewis will be dedicated to the Natchez Trace Parkway for a planned visitor center. As with any good genealogical research, if you discover a link to your own family tree, consider it a starting point for further research. Many people in Oregon say they inherited the adventurous spirit of the Lewis and Clark expedition, but third-grader Shaun Stice is a direct descendant. She returned to Albemarle for good, and Locust Hill became her property after Meriwether's mysterious death in 1809. Meriwether Lewis was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, in the present-day community of Ivy. The original house burned down but it was rebuilt in the same style as the original. His party affiliation didn't hurt, either. 3 Beds. Re: Meriwether Lewis/Woodson C - Genealogy.com At some point in the night she heard multiple gunshots, and what she believed was someone asking for help. According to K. Edward Lay, a professor in the Architecture School at the University of Virginia, the present-day structure was probably built around 1900, perhaps incorporating a stone chimney from 1825. 10664People12Records12Sources Meriwether Lewisfound in 40 treesView all Meriwether Lewisfrom tree Railey and Allied Families Record information. Meriwether Lewis Sr. (1802-1882) FamilySearch Capt. Meriwether Lewis (1774 - 1809) - Genealogy - geni family tree Miller, Robert J. She married William Lewis of Locust Hill; he died in 1779 and she married Captain John Marks six months later. It was there that he met Eric Parker, who was the first to introduce him to the idea of traveling. 200+ Years After He Died, Meriwether Lewis's Death May - BrainSharper In the 1990s, descendants of the explorer petitioned the government to exhume his body again from the national monument site now covering the property of Grinder's Stand. Record information. A cave, Lewis and Clark Caverns between Three Forks and Whitehall, Montana. He also initially made arrangements to publish the Corp of Discovery journals but for some unknown reason never hired an editor or provided any text for the promised publications. The intrigue surrounding the famous explorers untimely death has spawned a cottage industry of books and articles, with experts from a variety of fields, including forensics and mental health, weighing in. Nearby Recently Sold Homes. It covers the descendants of Robert Lewis (1607-ca.1645) and his wife, Elizabeth, who emigrated from Wales to Gloucester County, Virginia in 1635. Thomas Meriwether + Ann Minor - Our Family Tree She never explained why, at the time, she didn't investigate further concerning Lewis's condition or the source of the gunshots. Leave a message for others who see this profile. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. The US Navy Polaris nuclear submarine USS Lewis and Clark was named for him and William Clark. I fear the weight of his mind has overcome him, he wrote after receiving word of Lewiss fate. After he retired for the evening, Mrs. Grinder continued to hear him talking to himself. He died in 1862, leaving the home to his children Charles and Mary Anderson. The charges were dismissed since no evidence or motive existed against him. Augustine arrived in Virginia in 1628 at the . He was also related to Robert E. Lee and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, among others. They had nine children. He was never married, but family legend shares that he courted Theodesia Burr, the daughter of Aaron Burr. Nicholas Lewis, who inherited "The Farm" from his grandfather Nicholas Meriwether, married Lucy's first cousin, Mary Walker, daughter of Dr. Thomas Walker and Lucy's aunt, Mildred Thornton Of the remaining nine children, six of them married other Lewises. Lucy Meriwether gave birth to Jane Meriwether Anderson, Meriwether Lewis, Lucinda Lewis (who died in childhood) and Dr. Reuben Lewis while married to William Lewis and John Marks and Mary Garland Marks while married to Captain John Marks. 17912 MERIWETHER LEWIS ST, Ruther Glen, VA 22546 | MLS VACV2003024 She observed his face to flush as if it had come on him in a fit. Meriwether Lewis' Immediate Family and their Descendents Lucy Meriwether was born at Cloverfields on February 4, 1752. Lewis became intimately involved in planning the expedition and was sent by Jefferson to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for additional instruction in cartography and other skills for making scientific observations. They had 9 children: Anne Eliza, Meriwether Lewis Anderson and 7 other children. When Jefferson began to formulate and to plan for an expedition across the continent, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. [2] Their other children included Jane Meriwether (Lewis) Anderson (1770-1845), Reuben Lewis, and Lucinda Lewis (1772-) (who died as an infant). Her daughter and son-in-law put the house for sale on the market at $255,000 in 1982. Meriwether Lewis Suicide or Assassination | Omaha Magazine His friends assumed it was suicide. Maybe there is an answer beneath the monument to help us understand, says James Holmberg, curator of Special Collections at the Filson Historical Society in Louisville, Ky., who has published work on Lewiss life and death. Categories: This Day In History October 11 | This Day In History August 18 | Pioneer Cemetery, Hohenwald, Tennessee | Explorers | Whiskey Rebellion | American Heroes | Missouri Territory Governors | Namesakes US Counties | Example Profiles of the Week | Lewis and Clark Expedition | Albemarle County, Virginia | Virginia, Notables | Notables, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. Lucy Meriwether was well known in Albemarle County throughout her adult life. Descendants of Slaveholder . Mrs. Grinder, the tavern-keeper's wife, claimed Lewis acted strangely the night before his death. Their oldest, Jane Meriwether married Colonel Robert Lewis; they became Meriwether Lewis' paternal great-grandparents. Meriwether Lewis - First Baptist Church of Atlanta - OverDrive They said I could buy it at any store, Shaun said. Geographic names that honor him include Lewis County, Tennessee; Lewisburg, Tennessee; Lewiston, Idaho; Lewis County, Washington; the U.S. Army fort Fort Lewis, Washington, the home of the US Army 1st Corps (I Corps), and especially Lewis and Clark County, Montana, the home of the capital city, Helena. Though Lewiss mother is said to have believed he was murdered, that idea didnt have much traction until the 1840s, when a commission of Tennesseans set out to honor Lewis by erecting a marker over his grave. But rather than feeling alienated, he would have been busy enjoying a level of Buzz Aldrin-like celebrity. After returning from the expedition, Lewis received a reward of 1,400 acres (5.7 km) of land. As a young boy Meriwether enjoyed hunting in the woods . Family:Robert Lewis and Jane Meriwether (2) - Genealogy The alpine plant Lewisia (family Portulacaceae), popular in rock gardens, is named after Lewis, as is Lewis's Woodpecker. - If the inscription on the. The District of Columbia and governors of twenty states sent flags flown over state capital buildings to be carried to Lewis' grave by residents of the states associated with the Lewis and Clark Trail. [5] On August 2, 1808, Lewis and several of his acquaintances submitted a petition to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in which they requested a dispensation to establish a lodge in St. Louis. In 1801, he was appointed as an aide by President Thomas Jefferson, whom he knew personally through Virginia society in Albemarle County. Now in his new role, Governor Lewis was soon embroiled in quarrels with his territorial secretary Frederick Bates (1777-1825). On April 1, 1801, he was appointed as an aide by President Thomas Jefferson, whom he knew personally through Virginia society in Albemarle County. Sadly, William Lewis died of pneumonia when his son was five, and so Meriwether spent most of his formative years in Georgia with his mother Lucy and stepfather John Marks. He established roads and was a strong proponent of the fur trade. He moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia in May of 1780. He attempted marriage but never followed through, and started drinking excessively, which negatively affected his relationship with Jefferson. At some point in the night she heard multiple gunshots, and what she believed was someone asking for help. Death of Meriwether Lewis He was the governor of a huge territory. Meriwether Lewis, John Ordway, George Shannon, John Shields, Peter Weiser, Peter Willard, and Joseph Whitehouse. Parson Maury was a son of Charles Goodyear Maury who was Thomas Jefferson's teacher for two years. As governor, Meriwether was traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet with officials when he died in 1809. Just one grandparent can lead you to many That night, Mrs. Grinder, the innkeepers wife, heard several shots. Nearby homes similar to 7134 John Marshall Mews have recently sold between $252K to $396K at an average of $245 per square foot. Obviously, Theodesia's pleas fell on deaf ears. When explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark blazed a trail through the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific . They dropped the inquiry for lack of evidence or motive. Anchored in the East: Genealogy: Meriwethers - University of Virginia James Waddell, a blind parson, and Parson Matthew Maury. Due to his shy personality, Lewis never married. Lewis and Clark were accompanied on most of the trip by a young Shoshone woman named Sacagawea. Lewis was born in Albermale County, Virginia on August 18, 1774, to Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether. [9] These maladies delayed his arrival in St. Louis to take his position as Governor until a year after being named as such. Lewis suggested that the expedition would benefit from a co-commander and, with Jefferson's consent, offered the assignment to his friend and former commanding officer, William Clark. One of these was Parson Matthew Maury, an uncle of Matthew Fontaine Maury. . Descendants of Meriwether Lewis Launch 'Solve the Mystery' Web Site Even at his early age he was interested in natural history, which would develop into a lifelong passion. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Generation Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark's Exp. It is always preferable to locate primary records where possible. Sitemap; Home Dashboard; Records . Jane Brereton , Richard Cotton, Blanche de BRIENNE , Guillaume de FIENNES, Isabel PERT , Robert CONYERS. He would often venture out in the middle of the night in the dead of winter with only his dogs to go hunting. The Web site, www.SolvetheMystery.org , explains the Lewis family's more than decade-long quest to gain federal permission for the exhumation as well as a Christian reburial. Whether Lewis committed suicide or was murdered remains a mystery to this day. [3] Two hundred years later, debate continues over whether the famous explorer committed suicide or was murdered. There were five colonels in the RevolutionColonel Nicholas, Colonel Fielding, Colonel William, Colonel Charles and Colonel Joeland quite a number of majors and captains. Privacy Statement In the early 1790s, Lewis briefly served as President Washington's personal secretary and manager of Mount Vernon.