Four years after Lewis' death, Thomas Jefferson wrote: The alpine plant Lewisia (family Portulacaceae), popular in rock gardens, is named after Lewis, as is Lewis's Woodpecker. 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. After the expedition, Lewis served as governor of the Louisiana Territory and as a commander of Fort Pickering in Tennessee. Single Family Residence - Monroe, NC 3004 Meriwether Lewis Trail, Monroe, NC 28110 This lovely single-story home features 3 spacious bedrooms and 2 modern bathrooms. The trip had many perilous moments for Meriwether; who managed to survive falls, gun shot wounds, and accidental poisoning. The alpine plant Lewisia (family Portulacaceae), popular in rock gardens, is named after Lewis, as is Lewis's Woodpecker. [2] 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." However, when a Yankton (or possibly Teton) Sioux man and his family presented themselves for baptism on June 18, 1872, Joseph DeSmet Lewis (abt.1805-abt.1889) age 68, gave as his place of birth Yankton Agency, his father's name as "Capt. He moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia in May of 1780. When Jefferson began to formulate and to plan for an expedition across the continent, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. Meriwether Lewis Clark, Sr. (January 10, 1809 - October 28, 1881) was an architect, civil engineer, politician, and a general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Library of Congress, http://international.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/028/028_0636_0639.pdf, Letter to Thomas Jefferson, Oct 3, 1803, After William's death in 1781, Lucy remarried and moved the family to Georgia. 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. Geni requires JavaScript! Advertising Notice He was considered fiercely loyal, disciplined, and flexible, while also prone to being moody, speculative, and melancholic. In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson acquired from France's Napoleon Bonaparte territory that became known as the Louisiana Purchase. Record information. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition. He and William Clark, born August 1, 1770, accompanied each other on a dangerous expedition. 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. 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. Lewis was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, to Lt. William Lewis of Locust Hill (1733 November 17, 1779),[1] who was of Welsh ancestry, and Lucy Meriwether (February 4, 1752 September 8, 1837), daughter of Thomas Meriwether and wife Elizabeth Thornton, in turn daughter of Francis Thornton and wife Mary Taliaferro. Ministers . discoveries. She is reported to have notable culinary and intellectual skills as well. )," and his mother's name as "Winona. At home in Albemarle County, he pursued his studies with Dr. Charles Everitt, a physician, and then Rev. Lewis never married he killed himself in 1809, three years after the expedition ended . In 1795 he joined the 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. 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. The expedition was tasked with exploring the Missouri River and its tributaries, mapping the western territories, and making contact with Native American tribes. It was in Georgia that he met Eric Parker, who was the first to introduce him to the idea of traveling. Lewis departed St. Louis for the Louisiana Purchasevia the Ohio River in the summer of 1803, gathering supplies, equipment, and personnel along the way. One visit to Georgia occurred in the summer of 1789 but Meriwether returned to his schooling in the fall. 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. Whether Lewis committed suicide or was murdered remains a mystery to this day. He would often venture out in the middle of the night in the dead of winter with only his dogs to go hunting. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. He died shortly after sunrise. 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. For many years, Lewis's legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. However Lewis died, his death had a considerable effect on the young country. []http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriwether_Lewis Wikipedia article on Meriwether Lewis]. You try to reach out but you can never get a hold of it. Even minor features of the story fluctuate. 44 in Albemarle, VA, between 1796 and 1797. Famous Connections The Meriwether family has intertwined with many of the most prominent families of America, especially in the early South. Several years after his biggest accomplishment, Lewis was dead. The original house burned down but it was rebuilt in the same style as the original. After his father died of pneumonia in November 1779, he moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia. The Meriwether Lewis Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation will host the event, called Courage UndauntedThe Final Journey., On June 4, 2009, collateral descendants of Lewis launched a Web site aimed at garnering public support for exhumation and scientific study of the explorer's remains to determineonce and for allthe cause of his death. The land is now the Meriwether Lewis State Park in Tennessee. Reenactors who participated in the official bicentennial marched to Lewis' grave in period uniform accompanied by drum and fife. It was also in the Broad River Valley that Lewis first dealt with a native Indian group. Nearby homes similar to 7134 John Marshall Mews have recently sold between $252K to $396K at an average of $245 per square foot. And now Lewis, the consummate adventurer, suddenly found himself stuck in a desk job. 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. The last item in the side bar to the left contains links to some that we have identified. After returning from the expedition, Lewis received a reward of 1,400 acres (5.7 km) of land. Thomas Jefferson is credited with the inscription on Lewis' tombstone: Immaturus obi: sed tu felicior annos Vive meos, Bona Republica! Meriwether Lewis was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, in the present-day community of Ivy. A year and a half after the shooting, ornithologist Alexander Wilson, a friend of Lewiss, interviewed Mrs. Grinder, becoming one of the first among many people who have investigated the case. This was the apex of a heros career. Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark's Exp. He died just as the sun was rising. Lewis was buried there on the property. 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. He moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia in May of 1780. To resolve these issues, Lewis began a trip to Washington City to plead his case to the administration in person. These sources are attached to each ancestor so that you can personally judge their reliability. While modern historians generally accept his death as a suicide, there is some debate. He also showed an interest in plant knowledge, and his mother, an herbalist, encouraged that interest. The exact details of his death have never been learned because the early morning events were not directly witnessed by anyone. [8] However, his life degraded, as did his relationships. Lewis then chose his friend William Clark as his second in command. When Jefferson began to formulate and to plan for an expedition across the continent, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. HOHENWALD, Tenn.Meriwether Lewis conquered rivers, mountains and bears leading the Lewis and Clark Expedition across 8,000 miles of wilderness from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back. He would often venture out in the middle of the night in the dead of winter with only his dogs to go hunting. The bicentennial celebration of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean has spurred interest in the descendant project, which was launched in 1999. He died shortly after sunrise. Geographic names that honor him include Lewis County, Idaho, 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. 44 in Albemarle, VA between 1796 and 1797. 2 Baths. Due to her knowledge and hard work, the expedition was a success. They dropped the inquiry for lack of evidence or motive. However the two men were quite different in education and temperament. One of his traveling companions, who arrived later, buried him nearby. FORUM ARTICLES SEARCH. Just one grandparent can lead you to many SOLD JUN 15, 2022. Lewis started out with the intention of traveling to Washington by ship from New Orleans but changed his plans while en route down the Mississippi and decided to make an overland journey via the Natchez Trace instead. http://rs5.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/028/028_0177_0182.pdf, http://international.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/028/028_0636_0639.pdf, https://memory.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/029/029_0175_0184.pdf. People want ownership of the story, and then they feel a part of it.. Privacy Statement Among the families are direct descendants of William Clark and collateral descendants of Meriwether Lewis. He was also a second cousin once removed of Washington's on his father's side. The Lewis and Clark families, along with representatives of St. Louis Lodge #1, past presidents of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, and the Daughters of the American Revolution carried wreaths and led a formal procession to Lewis' grave. p. 108. It was during this time in the Army that he met William Clark (1770-1838) for the first time. They had nine children. On September 3, 1809, Lewis set out for Washington D.C. to answer complaints about his actions as governor. (Lay, 2002). Lewis also had the responsibility for making arrangements to publish the Corps of Discovery journals, but had difficulty completing his writing. They settled along the Broad River in the Goosepond Community within the Broad River Valley in Wilkes County (now Oglethorpe County). The Cherokee lived in antagonistic proximity to the white settlers, but Lewis seems to have been a champion for them amongst his own people. The US Navy Polaris nuclear submarine USS Lewis and Clark was named for him and William Clark. Lewis requested a glass of whiskey almost as soon as he climbed down from his horse. 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. "[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. He was the governor of a huge territory. {Benson}) They settled in the Goose Pond community in the Broad River area of northeast Georgia, where the boys enjoyed plentiful hunting and fishing. Descendents of the family point to this legend as a reason why Meriwether men take a long time to get married. Shaun proudly stood in front of his class at Candalaria Elementary School and offered a framed certificate to prove it. (804) 448-4664. They also collected scientific data and information on indigenous nations. Obviously, Theodesia's pleas fell on deaf ears. 10664People12Records12Sources Meriwether Lewisfound in 40 treesView all Meriwether Lewisfrom tree Railey and Allied Families Record information. The progenitor of a prominent colonial family, and great-great grandfather of President George Washington, he was born in Norwich, Norfolk, the son of Thomas Warner and Elizabeth Sotherton. 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. His mother, Lucy Meriwether was his father's cousin. He kept in touch with his mother and family through long, chatty letters (Anderson, p. 501, Bakeless). 2 2.William Lewis, born 1733; died November 17, 1781.He was the son of 4. It is generally reckoned as one of the most successful and significant expeditions of its kind in modern history, and Lewis has . His position was to protect the western lands from encroachers which was not favorable to the rush of settlers looking to open new lands for settlements. The State of Tennessee erected a monument over his grave in 1848. He registered for military service in 1861. Meriwether Lewis was born August 18, 1774, on Locust Hill Plantation in Albemarle County, Colony of Virginia, in the present-day community of Ivy. Lewis was nominated and recommended to serve as the first Master of the proposed Lodge, which was warranted as Lodge No. Jane had 4 siblings: Lucinda McFarlane and 3 other siblings. The expedition also collected scientific data, and information on indigenous nations. But the science of autopsies has come a long way since then, says James Starrs, a George Washington University Law School professor and forensics expert who is pressing for an exhumation. 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. Jefferson selected Captain Meriwether Lewis to lead the proposed expedition, afterwards known as the Corps of Discovery. 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. [9], During the first half of the journey east, it is reported that on the riverboat he twice attempted to take his own life before becoming the victim of gunshot wounds, at a Natchez Trace inn, in what was either a murder or suicide. Mrs. Grinder's testimony is held as a point of contention from both sides of the murder-suicide debate. After returning from the expedition, Lewis's life had the potential to become that of a politician and stateman, and in 1807 President Jefferson appointed him as Governor of the Louisiana Territory. Black powder pistols have been test-fired, forgeries claimed and mitochondrial DNA extracted from living relatives. Lewis and Clark were accompanied on most of the trip by a young Shoshone woman named Sacagawea. After Jane's death in 1845, her son, Dr. Meriwether Lewis Anderson, inherited Locust Hill. Besides being the mother of the famed . 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. Why was he chosen to lead the expedition? He died in 1862, leaving the home to his children Charles and Mary Anderson. 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. Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774-October 11, 1809) was a soldier, an explorer, and a personal secretary to Thomas Jefferson. Geographic names that honor him include Lewis County, Idaho, Lewis County, Kentucky; 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. The next morning, she sent for Lewis's servants, who found him weltering in his blood but alive for several hours. Cookie Settings, Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars. Lewis resided in the presidential mansion, and frequently conversed with various prominent figures in politics, the arts and other circles. Because of bureaucratic delays in the U.S. Army, Clark officially only held the rank of Second Lieutenant at the time, but Lewis concealed this from expedition members and shared the leadership of the expedition, always referring to Clark as "Captain".[4]. In other accounts, the dog was never there at all. There, reflecting on the adventure-loving young man who had mapped the gloomy and savage wilderness which I was just entering alone, Wilson broke down and wept. 44 in Albemarle, Virginia, between 1796 and 1797. By some accounts, Lewis arrived at the inn with servants; by others, he arrived alone. For many years, Lewis' legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. Lewis and Clark descendants and family members, along with representatives of St. Louis Lodge . 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. Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Paul Allen with a biography of Meriwether Lewis, 1813The explorer was buried near present day Hohenwald, Tennessee, near his place of death. (He had had one brother who died while serving in the Confederate Army. She could not afford many books, but collected a small library throughout her life. 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." Meriwether Lewis, in addition to being a great explorer and trailblazer, was the Governor of Louisiana. John Lewis married Elizabeth Warner (GGGGG-granddaughter to King James IV Stewart of England). Marks raised Meriwether and his two siblings along with his own two children with Lucy, John Hastings Marks and Mary Garland (Marks) Moore (1787-1864). 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. Lewis departed Pittsburgh for St. Louisthe capital of the new Louisiana Territoryvia the Ohio River in the summer of 1803, gathering supplies, equipment, and personnel along the way. The year after his wife's death in 1820, Clark married Harriet Kennerly Radford, a widow with three children, and . . 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Generation Meriwether Lewis was involved in the westward expansion of the USA. About the age of 13 he returned to Virginia and to the household of his uncle Nicholas Lewis, his formal education beginning at this time. In 1801, he was appointed as an aide by President Thomas Jefferson, whom he knew personally through Virginia society in Albemarle County. Capt. 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. James Waddell, a blind parson, and Parson Matthew Maury. More Replies: Re: Meriwether Lewis/Woodson Connection. Their oldest, Jane Meriwether married Colonel Robert Lewis; they became Meriwether Lewis' paternal great-grandparents. Yet his contributions to science, the exploration of the Western U.S., and the lore of great world explorers are considered incalculable. . (Thornton was the daughter of Francis Thornton and Mary Taliaferro). 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. After crossing the Rocky Mountains, the expedition reached the Pacific Ocean in the area of present-day Oregon (which lay beyond the nation's new boundaries) in November 1805. Lewis was indeed like a man coming back from the moon, Guice notes. Why Did Meriwether Lewis Die. Clark was a devoted family man and a valued friend. Meriwether Lewis, born August 18, 1774, was an American explorer. Son of Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Lewis An American icon, Lewis was also a human being, and the expedition was the pinnacle of Lewiss life, Newman says. Examples of plants Lewis discovered on the expedition were also brought from the Trail states and laid on his grave to honor him. View entire list of famous kin for Meriwether Lewis. The National Park Service is currently reviewing the exhumation request. 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 . Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer and military officer born on August 18, 1774, in Virginia. In later years a court of inquiry explored whether they could charge the husband of the tavern-keeper with Lewis' death. So Richard Ashcraft's mother was a Great aunt to Meriwether Lewis. Servants found Lewis badly injured from multiple gunshot wounds. His father fought in the Revolutionary War and died when Meriwether was only five years old. 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. Controversy surrounded the circumstances of his sudden death along the Natchez Trace in Tennessee a controversy that continues to this day. John Marks, along with his brother Reuben, in 1784. Explorer and U.S. Army officer, Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) has been saluted as America's foremost explorer. He served until 1801 achieving the rank of captain. Lewis also brought along a Newfoundland dog named Seaman. We could do the DNA to find out the color of his hair.. His older brother Nicholas Lewis became his guardian. Historians still dispute whether the explorer and then-governor of Louisiana committed suicide or was murdered. 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. Even at his early age he was interested in natural history, which would develop into a lifelong passion. The journey from St. Louis to the Pacific and back again, lasting from May 1804 to September 1806, is of . She observed his face to flush as if it had come on him in a fit. 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. 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. On April 1, 1801, he was appointed as an aide by President Thomas Jefferson, whom he knew personally through Virginia society in Albemarle County. 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. Patrick Gass, a carpenter and architect of wooden forts, and one of the 33 members of the Corps of Discovery. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. Jane married Edmund Anderson in 1785, at age 14 at marriage place, Virginia. She returned to Albemarle for good, and Locust Hill became her property after Meriwether's mysterious death in 1809. Viva tuos (I died young: but thou, O Good Republic, live out my years for me with better fortune.) 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. Guice believes that bandits roaming the notoriously dangerous Natchez Trace killed Lewis. Cookie Policy At first, Pierre blamed Blackfeet Indians for the injury, but after the Corps found no sign of Indians, he admitted the accident. American politician, Explorer - 19th century, 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, This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Meriwether LEWIS (1774), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0.