Meriwether moved to Georgia with his mother and her second husband, Capt. In later years a court of inquiry explored whether they could charge the tavern-keeper with Lewis' death. But exactly what transpired at a remote inn 200 years ago this Saturday? His opportunity for the graceful exit arrived when Jefferson asked Lewis to command an expedition to find an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean, and study the land along that route. A year after his death, John Grinder, in whose home Lewis died, was brought before a grand jury on a warrant of murder. The Charlottesville City Council convened on Wednesday to continue discussing plans for relocating the Lewis & Clark and Sacagawea statue.. Interestingly, John Guice, one of the most prominent critics of the suicide theory, uses a very different astronaut comparison. After William's death in 1781, Lucy remarried and moved the family to Georgia. This much we know: on September 4, 1809, Lewis, then governor of Louisiana Territory, left St. Louis for Washington, D.C., to take care of some personal and professional business. Lewis served as the co-leader of the expedition with William Clark and is credited with mapping much of the western United States and helping to open up the West for American settlement. When his father died in 1779, he inherited his Locust Hill estate. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Missouri governor and corps of discovery expedition leader, William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. 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. Lewis never married he killed himself in 1809, three years after the expedition ended . Some scholars arent so sure that an exhumation will clarify matters. It is recorded on the tombstone of Pioneer John that he furnished five sons for the Revolution. Lewis resided in the presidential mansion, and frequently conversed with various prominent figures in politics, the arts and other circles. Lewis had known president Jefferson since he was a boy, "he had grown up on a plantation in virginia a few miles from Monticello, and they had went on to make a relationship working together in the White House." The US Navy Polaris nuclear submarine USS Lewis and Clark was named for him and William Clark. Why was he chosen to lead the expedition? A deer however had been cornered onto the grounds of Locust Hill by the party hounds, and Mrs. Lewis-Marks shot it and turned it into a succulent dinner before the party even returned. Her family is said to be descendents of Sir Roland Crawford, the grandfather of Sir William Wallace (the subject of Mel Gibson's 1994 epic movie Braveheart.) 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. The men of the family from the time when they first settled in the colony, about the middle of the seventeenth century, have been men of action and distinction; they have won for themselves the most remarkable record as soldiers. His life and achievements were acknowledged and some in the audience shed tears as the tragedy of his death was noted. Brother of Jane Meriwether Anderson; Lucinda McFarlane; Dr. Ruben Lewis and Lewis He moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia in May of 1780. She claimed to be able to see Lewis through the slit in the door crawling back to his room. When Meriwether Lewis Sr. was born on 11 September 1802, in Buckingham, Virginia, United States, his father, Edward Lewis, was 31 and his mother, Mary Freeland, was 31. Lewis was a poor administrator, often quarreling with local political leaders and failing to keep in touch with his superiors in Washington. 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. 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. He also showed an interest in plant knowledge, and his mother, an herbalist, encouraged that interest. His mother taught him how to gather wild herbs for medicinal purposes. This page has been accessed 22,092 times. (He had had one brother who died while serving in the Confederate Army.) Meriwether Lewis at Natchez Trace Par Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, United States, American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, co-leader of Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark, whose mission was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase., explorer, BIRTH 18 Aug 1774, Ivy, Albemarle County, Virginia, USA, DEATH 11 Oct 1809 (aged 35), Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, USA, BURIAL Pioneer Cemetery, Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, USA Show Map. Robert Lewis and 5 . FORUM ARTICLES SEARCH. Gen. Lucian King Truscott, Jr.; married a Meriwether descendant. After returning from the expedition, Lewis received a reward of 1,400 acres (5.7 km) of land. Her daughter and son-in-law put the house for sale on the market at $255,000 in 1982. The expedition was the first point of Euro-American contact for several Native American tribes; through translators and sign language, Lewis conducted rudimentary ethnographic studies of the peoples he encountered, even as he laid the groundwork for a trade economy to ensure American hegemony over its vast new interior territory. But rather than feeling alienated, he would have been busy enjoying a level of Buzz Aldrin-like celebrity. Lewis was a Freemason, initiated, passed and raised in Door To Virtue Lodge No. On September 3, 1809, Lewis set out for Washington D.C. where he hoped to resolve issues regarding the denied payment of drafts he had drawn against the War Department while serving as the first American governor of the Louisiana Territory. Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer and military officer born on August 18, 1774, in Virginia. His older brother Nicholas Lewis became his guardian. He was the second child and first son of William Lewis (abt.1738-1779) and Lucy Meriwether (1752-1837). His party affiliation didn't hurt, either. However the two men were quite different in education and temperament. Login to find your connection. Clark graciously accepted, having remembered his time spent with Meriwether during their previous Army service.[5]. However Lewis died, his death had a considerable effect on the young country. During his time in Georgia, Lewis enhanced his skills as a hunter and outdoorsman. As governor, Meriwether was traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet with officials when he died in 1809. One of these was Parson Matthew Maury, an uncle of Matthew Fontaine Maury. The relationship between Lewis and Clark and Sacagawea and her family was an example of respect between the two groups. Thanks so much for sharing! Among the families are direct descendants of William Clark and collateral descendants of Meriwether Lewis. Meriwether Lewis became an American hero upon his return from his expedition across what is now the Northwestern half of the United States. Ministers . Born Meriwether LEWIS American explorer, soldier, and 2nd Governor of Louisiana Territory Born on August 18, 1774 in Ivy, Colony Of Virginia, USA , United States Died on October 11, 1809 in Hohenwald, Tennessee, USA Born on August 18 64 Deceased on October 11 39 Explorer - 19th century 31 Family tree Report an error Lewis John 1669 - 1725 Warner The verdict: Suicide. [8] However, his life degraded, as did his relationships. 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". The decision, backed by Department of the. He was the oldest of five children. His deathby a gunshot wound to the head and another to the abdomenis a mystery. The National Park Service has reversed a previous decision allowing Meriwether Lewis' body to be exhumed in an attempt to determining how he died. Lewis concluded 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. (Lay, 2002). The exact details of his death have never been learned because the early morning events were not directly witnessed by anyone. Mrs. Grinder's testimony is held as a point of contention from both sides of the murder-suicide debate. When Meriwether Lewis was born on 18 August 1774, in Charlottesville, Albemarle, Virginia, British Colonial America, his father, William Lewis, was 39 and his mother, Lucy Thornton Meriwether, was 22. Lewis was a Freemason, initiated, passed and raised in Door To Virtue Lodge No. Lewis was nominated and recommended to serve as the first Master of the proposed Lodge, which was warranted as Lodge No. | READ MORE, A frequent contributor to Smithsonian, Abigail Tucker is the author of The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World and Mom Genes: Inside the New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct. Create a FREE Account. Meriwether Lewis was a famous explorer who became famous as the co-leader of the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-06, which explored the territory of the Louisiana Purchase after the United States acquired it from France in 1803, as well as the Pacific Northwest.. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. He and William Clark, born August 1, 1770, accompanied each other on a dangerous expedition. After Jane's death in 1845, her son, Dr. Meriwether Lewis Anderson, inherited Locust Hill. As a nonprofit, we offer free help to those looking to learn the details of their family story. 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. Jefferson commissioned a two year expedition to explore these lands and chose Meriwether Lewis as the leader. On October 7, 2009, about 2,500 people (Park Service estimate) from more than twenty-five states met at Lewis' grave on the 200th anniversary of his death. Meriwether Lewis Pedigree Chart | Meriwether Lewis | Ahnentafel No: 1 (4953) Master Surname Index Home > Meriwether Lewis Genealogy > Pedigree Chart Ancestry of Meriwether Lewis Lewis and Clark Expedition Look Click or tap a name to see more details including sources or famous kin. She even scared away a crowd of rowdy British soldiers during the time that she lived at Locust Hill, her husband's family's home, with a rifle. John Lewis married Elizabeth Warner (GGGGG-granddaughter to King James IV Stewart of England). as much as you want to claim President George Washington as a "close family member" it is not, and never will, be proven true, no matter how many fake find a grave memorial you create, your Lewis line is not related in the slightest way to this family . The last item in the side bar to the left contains links to some that we have identified. Terms of Use The death of Meriwether Lewis in the fall of 1809 has long been a subject shrouded in mystery and controversy. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. For one thing, with mitochondrial DNA samples hes already taken from several of Lewis female descendants, scientists can confirm that the body really is Lewiss (corpses were not uncommon on the Natchez Trace). Lewis was born in Albermale County, Virginia on August 18, 1774, to Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether. In 1793, Lewis graduated from Liberty Hall (now Washington and Lee University), joined the Virginia militia, and in 1794 he was sent as part of a detachment involved in putting down the Whiskey Rebellion. 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. In the course of the journey, Lewis observed, collected, and described hundreds of plants and animal species previously unknown to science. The US Navy Polaris nuclear submarine USS Lewis and Clark was named for him and William Clark. However, the subsequent inhabitants of the home have made so many changes that the structure does not really resemble the original house. 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. (Davis, 1951). Meriwether Lewis was not known to have married (though he apparently considered it at one point). Lewis never married he killed himself in 1809, three years after the expedition ended so he has no known direct descendants. 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. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. HOHENWALD, Tenn.Collateral descendants of Meriwether Lewis have unveiled a Web site as part of their campaign to exhume and examine the American explorer's remains in hopes of determining conclusively how he died. And now Lewis, the consummate adventurer, suddenly found himself stuck in a desk job. Whether Lewis committed suicide or was murdered remains a mystery to this day. 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. Although he died without legitimate heirs, he does have the putative DNA model haplotype for his paternal ancestors' lineage, which was that of the Warner Hall. It is believed that he committed suicide. He then joined the regular army and achieved the rank of captain at the age of 23. She was instrumental to the success of their mission as her presence let the Native American tribes they met along the way know that their intentions were peaceful. Surprisingly, he may also have felt like something of a failure. Clark was more pragmatic and practical. Lewis, Meriwether, 1774-1809 Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806) Clark, William, 1770-1838 Due to her knowledge and hard work, the expedition was a success. 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. Lewis was introverted and moody while Clark was extroverted, even-tempered and gregarious. Lewis had reportedly attempted to take his own life several times a few weeks earlier and was known to suffer from what Jefferson called sensible depressions of mind. Clark had also observed his companions melancholy states. A broken column, symbol of a life cut short, marks his grave. Hundreds of people have traced their family ties to members of the Corps of Discovery, two centuries after the historic journey. There were five colonels in the RevolutionColonel Nicholas, Colonel Fielding, Colonel William, Colonel Charles and Colonel Joeland quite a number of majors and captains. Jane, Meriwether was born on month day 1770, at birth place, to William Lewis and Lucy Lewis. He was considered fiercely loyal, disciplined, and flexible, while also prone to being moody, speculative, and melancholic. Miller, Robert J. Jane (M128), born abt 1705 in New Kent County, is the eighth child and fourth daughter of Nicholas Meriwether II and Elizabeth Crafford/Crawford. The Natchez Trace was the old pioneer road between Natchez, Mississippi and Nashville, Tennessee. (Anderson, 1984) Together, they had nine children. In 1793, Lewis graduated from Liberty Hall (now Washington and Lee University), joined the Virginia militia, and in 1794 he was sent as part of a detachment involved in putting down the Whiskey Rebellion. Explorer and U.S. Army officer, Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) has been saluted as America's foremost explorer. He died just as the sun was rising. Lewis was buried there on the property. She gave the property to her daughter as a wedding gift. Most historians agree that he committed suicide; others are convinced he was murdered. William Lewis and 3. Enter a grandparent's name. What were his experiences? While modern historians generally accept his death as a suicide, there is some debate. He was also a second cousin once removed of Washington's on his father's side. John Lewis was grandfather to Richard Ashcraft and G-grandfather to Meriwether Lewis. "[12] This claim and another by a Joseph DeSmet descendant, Martin Charger, are explored in some detail on the Joseph DeSmet Lewis documents WikiTree page. The alpine plant Lewisia (family Portulacaceae), popular in rock gardens, is named after Lewis, as is Lewis's Woodpecker. He had an older sister, Jane, and later a little brother, Reuben, would be born into the family. John Marks, along with his brother Reuben, in 1784. Lewis died under mysterious circumstances of two gunshot wounds in 1809 at a tavern called Grinder's Stand, about 70 miles (110 km) from Nashville, Tennessee, on the Natchez Trace, while in route to Washington to answer complaints about his actions as governor. Record information. Lucy Meriwether. He died, apparently of bullet wounds to the head and abdomen, shortly before sunrise the next day. Meriwether Lewis died on his way to Washington, DC in October, 1809. She said that during dinner Lewis stood and paced about the room talking to himself in the way one would speak to a lawyer. South Dakotan says he is descendent of Meriwether Lewis South Dakotan says he is descendent of Meriwether Lewis The Associated Press Jul 13, 2003 0 LOWER BRULE, S.D. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. 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. Whether Lewis death was suicide, as was widely believed, or murder, as contended by his family, is still an open question. No completely satisfactory explanation for his death has ever been found. If you click the change tab you can see that this is an excellent example of collaboration! At the end of his life he was a horrible drunk, terribly depressed, who could never even finish his [expedition] journals, says Paul Douglas Newman, a professor of history who teaches Lewis and Clark and The Early American Republic at the University of Pittsburgh. We could do the DNA to find out the color of his hair.. Allrightsreserved. Obviously, Theodesia's pleas fell on deaf ears. In her will, she was careful to address the dispersion of the books among her offspring; appraisers valued the total collection at the modern equivalent of several hundred dollars. Jefferson had mentored Meriwether in his youth and was a friend, as well as appreciative of Meriwether's unique skills. In October of 1809, while en route to Washington, D.C., Lewis died of violence at a wayside inn called Grinder's Stand outside Nashville, Tennessee. The National Park Service is currently reviewing the exhumation request. He died shortly after sunrise. Letter Dated April 20 1803, Meriwether Lewis to Thomas Jefferson, Locust Hill, Ivy, Albemarle County, Colony of Virginia, Grinder's Stand, Lewis, Tennessee, United States, Meriwether Lewis in Indian Dress (Shoshone), Jane Meriwether (Lewis) Anderson (1770-1845), Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements & Rosters, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Meriwether-Lewis, http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/lewisandclark/biddle/biographies_html/lewis.html, Lewis & Clark - The Journey of the Corps of Discovery, Meriwether Lewis and His Son: The Claim of Joseph DeSomet Lewis and the Problem of History. 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. Even at his early age he was interested in natural history, which would develop into a lifelong passion. Mrs. John Grinder who served as his landlady on the last night of his life reported: heard the sound of a gunshot and then the sound of something heavy falling to the floor followed by the words, Oh Lord! heard the sound of another gunshot and in a few moments, Lewis voice Oh, Madame, give me some water and heal my wounds. [she] refused to leave the room where she had been sleeping she waited nearly two hours before [rousing] the servants. 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. The next morning, she sent for Lewis's servants, who found him weltering in his blood but alive for several hours. After returning from the expedition, Lewis received a reward of 1,600 acres of land. In addition to his role as naturalist, Meriwether also served to represent the new government, which had purchased the area, to the native peoples living there. Meriwether Lewis Gov. If so, login to add it. His father was of Welsh descent and his mother was of . Augustine arrived in Virginia in 1628 at the . He attempted marriage but never followed through, and started drinking excessively, which negatively affected his relationship with Jefferson. Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia, in the Lewis family estate in Locust Hill to Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether Lewis as their first son and second child. Meriwether was drawn to army life and at the age of 20, he joined the Virginia Militia to help defeat the Whiskey Rebellion which began in Western Pennsylvania but spread through other western states. 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. His father served in the Continental Army as a lieutenant and died of pneumonia in November 1779 while his mother was a famous herb doctor. More than 400 descendants have been documented so far, and about 100 have applications pending. Thomas Meriwether, b.24 APR 1763, St James Northam Parish, Goochland Co, VA, son of Nicholas Meriwether + Margaret Douglas; + Ann Minor, b.abt 1771, Louisa Co, VA . 10664People12Records12Sources Meriwether Lewisfound in 40 treesView all Meriwether Lewisfrom tree Railey and Allied Families Record information. Complex and often contradictory, the incarnations of Meriwether Lewis provide insight into the man behind the titles. . Lucy Meriwether was well known in Albemarle County throughout her adult life. He was the son of Lt. William Lewis of Locust Hill (1733 November 17, 1779), who was of Welsh ancestry, and Lucy Meriwether (February 4, 1752 September 8, 1837), daughter of Thomas Meriwether and Elizabeth Thornton who were both of English ancestry.