Meriwether Lewis's death has been a source of speculation for many years, often with the mistaken notion that "great men" do not take their own lives, and that suicide blights the memory of a great life. (Lay, 2002). While modern historians generally accept his death as a suicide, there is some debate. Obviously, Theodesia's pleas fell on deaf ears. Meriwether Lewis was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, in the present-day community of Ivy. 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.) 111 on September 16, 1808. Privacy Statement Descendents of the family point to this legend as a reason why Meriwether men take a long time to get married. Retail Stores ; Book Vault ; Merchandise ; Login; $0.00 (0 Items) View Cart. As documented by the Descendants Project this group produced 58 . It was like coming back from the moon.. He and Meriwether Lewis set out on the adventure in May of 1804. President Thomas Jefferson appointed Lewis and Clark to explore the territory that was acquired in the "Louisiana Purchase". 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. Leave a message for others who see this profile. The deadline for applications is Dec. 31. 44 in Albemarle, Virginia, between 1796 and 1797. In 1793, Lewis graduated from Liberty Hall (now Washington and Lee University). The U.S. Army was also present through the 101st Airborne Infantry Band and its Army chaplain. Meriwether Lewis was born August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Read more on Genealogy.com! 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. [2] Our Family Tree: Branch: Ray's Extended Family Tree : View. It was also in the Broad River Valley that Lewis first dealt with a native Indian group. 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. An error has occured while loading the map. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. Some scholars arent so sure that an exhumation will clarify matters. Lewis was a Freemason, initiated, passed and raised in Door To Virtue Lodge No. 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. By some accounts, Lewis arrived at the inn with servants; by others, he arrived alone. Indeed, the 200-year commemoration has led to a broader interest in genealogy among Americans. 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 . Jane had 4 siblings: Lucinda McFarlane and 3 other siblings. [9] He was related to George Washington by marriage: his first cousin once removed was Fielding Lewis, Washington's brother-in-law. (Thornton was the daughter of Francis Thornton and Mary Taliaferro). Anyone closer than 14 degrees from Meriwether Lewis? Nearby Recently Sold Homes. People who think the Lewis and Clark expedition was a family affair research through birth, death and marriage certificates, census, probate and Bible records, wills, deeds, diaries and old letters. He withdrew from public circles for several months, staying with his mother in Albemarle County, where he was probably treated by her and his physician [sic] brother Reuben. (Dary, p. 80) By March 1808, he had arrived in St. Louis to assume his duties as governor of the Louisiana Territory. The next morning, she sent for Lewis's servants, who found him weltering in his blood but alive for several hours. The expedition was tasked with exploring the Missouri River and its tributaries, mapping the western territories, and making contact with Native American tribes. [3], The new family soon moved to Georgia and Meriwether spent his time learning outdoorsman skills. Lewis and Clark descendants and family members, along with representatives of St. Louis Lodge . Due to her knowledge and hard work, the expedition was a success. Why Did Meriwether Lewis Die. [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. After he retired for the evening, Mrs. Grinder continued to hear him talking to himself. . Home > Forum > Surnames > Woodson. 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] These maladies delayed his arrival in St. Louis to take his position as Governor until a year after being named as such. 15th cousin 6 times removed via Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 13th cousin 6 times removed via Katherine Pabenham, 13th cousin 7 times removed via Sir Reynold de Grey, 11th cousin 6 times removed via Sir Henry Percy, 12th cousin 6 times removed via Sir Reynold Grey, 16th cousin 5 times removed via Margaret of France, 15th cousin 5 times removed via Sir Robert de Holland, 14th cousin 7 times removed via Sir Maurice de Berkeley, 12th cousin 5 times removed via Sir Humphrey Stafford, 12th cousin 5 times removed via Sir Reynold Grey, 13th cousin 6 times removed via Sir Richard FitzAlan, 10th cousin 7 times removed via Sir Lionel de Welles, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Henry I, King of England, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Muitchertach O'Toole, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Enna MacMurrough, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Sir Robert de Beaumont, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Richard Fitzgilbert, 10th cousin 2 times removed via Sir Reynold Grey, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Simon I de St. Liz, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Robert FitzHamon, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Ranulf de Briquessart, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Ralph de Gael, 17th cousin 1 time removed via Alan of Galloway, 20th cousin 1 time removed via Walter of Salisbury, 20th cousin 1 time removed via William Talvas III. Lewis resided in the White House, and frequently conversed with various prominent figures in politics, the arts, and other circles. 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. 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 His friends assumed it was suicide. He died just as the sun was rising. Lewis was buried there on the property. Meriwether moved to Georgia with his mother and her second husband, Capt. 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. He came back from this trip with new knowledge of the Louisiana Territory proving that the Louisiana Purchase benefitted the whole country. The National Park Service, which controls the land where Lewis is buried, repeatedly has stalled the Lewis family's efforts to exhume the remains for scientific examination and to provide a proper Christian reburial. His father became a Revolutionary War officer and died when Meriwether was 5. John and Elizabeth Lewis were parents of Elizabeth (mother of Captain Richard Ashcraft) and Colonel Robert (father of Captain William Lewis who fathered Meriwether Lewis). The Lewis and Clark expedition is often called America's national epic of exploration. Following his return from the West, he visited President Jefferson at the White House where he became ill probably in late 1807. 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. They could also potentially learn about his nutritional health, what drugs he was using and if he was suffering from syphilis. People cant just call and say, Im a descendant, she said. Lewis, who had a better education, possessed a philosophical and speculative outlook and was at home with abstract ideas. 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. 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. Jefferson selected Captain Meriwether Lewis to lead the proposed expedition, afterwards known as the Corps of Discovery. John Lewis married Elizabeth Warner (GGGGG-granddaughter to King James IV Stewart of England). 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. He would often venture out in the middle of the night in the dead of winter with only his dogs to go hunting. 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. 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. Other murder theories range from the scandalous (the innkeeper discovered Lewis in flagrante with Mrs. Grinder) to the conspiratorial (a corrupt Army general named James Wilkinson hatched an assassination plot.). Meriwether Lewis was born in Albemarle County, Virginia, in the present-day community of Ivy. He had at least 1 son with Ikpasarewin Sara Windwalker. Virginia gentleman: Born in 1774, in Albemarle County, Virginia, Meriwether Lewis was the first child of Lucy Meriwether and William Lewis. Explorer and U.S. Army officer, Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) has been saluted as America's foremost explorer. {Benson}) They settled in the Goose Pond community in the Broad River area of northeast Georgia, where the boys enjoyed plentiful hunting and fishing. A cave, Lewis and Clark Caverns between Three Forks and Whitehall, Montana. In June 1803, Jefferson provided Lewis with basic objectives for the mission, focusing on the exploration of the Missouri river and any related streams which might provide access to the Pacific Ocean. The death of Meriwether Lewis in the fall of 1809 has long been a subject shrouded in mystery and controversy. IE 11 is not supported. It covers the descendants of Robert Lewis (1607-ca.1645) and his wife, Elizabeth, who emigrated from Wales to Gloucester County, Virginia in 1635. [3] When Jefferson began to formulate and to plan for an expedition across the continent, he chose Lewis to lead the expedition. The 14 different profiles you use on Facebook all sound like royal linage societies, but anyone can see that is all the same person ,Janice Lynn Lewis, selling the same false narrative .please don't do that here. William Lewis and 3. Among the families are direct descendants of William Clark and collateral descendants of Meriwether Lewis. Half brother of Dr. John Hastings Marks and Mary Garland Moore, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/623/meriwether-lewis. 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. 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. Death of Capt. 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. 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. After he excused himself from dinner, he went to his bedroom. After he excused himself from dinner, he went to his bedroom. She claimed to be able to see Lewis through the slit in the door crawling back to his room. Lewis's record as an administrator is mixed. After he retired for the evening, Mrs. Grinder continued to hear him talking to himself. The expedition started in St. Charles, Missouri. A day use campground at Gates of the Mountains Wilderness, north of Helena, Meriwether Picnic site. William Lewis and 3. One of these was Parson Matthew Maury, an uncle of Matthew Fontaine Maury. What were his experiences? 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. 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). Between 1804 and 1806, the Corps of Discovery explored thousands of miles of the Missouri and Columbia River watersheds, searching for an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. After his father died of pneumonia, he moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia in May 1780. Gen. Lucian King Truscott, Jr.; married a Meriwether descendant. Connect to the World Family Tree to find out, Aug 18 1774 - Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Virgina, Oct 14 1809 - Natchez Trace, Breton County, Tennessee, Aug 18 1774 - Locust Hill, Ivy, Albemarle County, Colony of Virginia, Oct 11 1809 - Grinder's Stand, Lewis, Tennesssee, United States, Jane Meriwether Anderson, Lucinda Lewis, Reuben Lewis, Aug 18 1774 - Locust Hill, Charlottesville, Albemarle, Colony of Virginia, British Colonial America, Oct 11 1809 - Grinder's Stand, Natchez Trace, Lewis, Tennessee, United States, riwether Lewis, Jane Meriwether Anderson (born Lewis), Lucinda Lewis, Dr. Reuben Lewis, John Hastings Marks, Mary Garland Moore (born Marks), Aug 18 1774 - Locust Hill, Ivy, Albemarle, Virginia, United States, Aug 18 1774 - Locust Hill, Albemarle, VA, USA, Oct 11 1809 - Natchez Trace, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee, United States, Aug 18 1774 - Albemarle County, Virginia, Verenigde Staten, Oct 11 1809 - Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, USA, Aug 18 1774 - Locust Hill,Near Charlottesville,Virginia, Oct 11 1809 - At Grinder's Inn in Lewis County,Tennessee, Aug 18 1774 - Charlottesville, United States, Oct 11 1809 - Natchez Trace, Tennessee-Murder Or Suicide, Locust Hill Plantation, Albemarle County, Virginia, British Colonial America, Natchez Trace Parkway, Mile Post 385.9, Lewis County, Tennessee, United States, Pioneer Cemetery, Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, United States, Navigation-Navigators/the Science of Navigation, http://lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=2295. Governor Meriwether Lewis was on his way from St. Louis to Washington in September, 1809 to protest the federal government's refusal to reimburse him for expenses. Clark was more pragmatic and practical. The alpine plant Lewisia (family Portulacaceae), popular in rock gardens, is named after Lewis, as is Lewis's Woodpecker. In April 1801, he was appointed personal secretary to President Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826). Born on a plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia, he and his family moved to Georgia when he was ten but by thirteen he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. Besides being the mother of the famed explorer, she had medical skills and often rode throughout the county to treat the sick. These two Captains shared a common progenitor and were second cousins once removed. But due to quarreling with local political leaders, approval of trading licenses, land grant politics, Indian depredations, excessive drinking and a slow-moving mail system, it appeared that Lewis was a poor administrator who failed to keep in touch with his superiors in Washington. We could do the DNA to find out the color of his hair.. She is reported to have notable culinary and intellectual skills as well. Whether Lewis death was suicide, as was widely believed, or murder, as contended by his family, is still an open question. PORTSMOUTH, Va - Puller Chronicles Volume 1, Second Edition, by Meriwether Ball, is a fascinating look at LtGen Lewis B. Puller's family and faith which made him an American and Marine Corps icon. ), In 1882, the house was sold to Mrs. Bearley, releasing the house from Lewis family descendents for the first time. More information is available at her website: abigailtucker.com, 2023 Smithsonian Magazine He lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia and also owned a plantation in Spotsylvania County, which later became known as Kenmore. 111 on September 16, 1808. On April 1, 1801, he was appointed as an aide by President Thomas Jefferson, whom he knew personally through Virginia society in Albemarle County. And now Lewis, the consummate adventurer, suddenly found himself stuck in a desk job. Scholars have reconstructed lunar cycles to prove that the innkeepers wife couldnt have seen what she said she saw that moonless night. He married Amanda Cosby on 15 December 1827. . Meriwether Lewis Gov. Between 1804 and 1806, the Corp of Discovery explored thousands of miles of the Missouri and Columbia River watersheds, searching for an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. ISBN 978-0275990114. Jefferson selected Captain Meriwether Lewis to lead the proposed expedition, afterward known as the Corps of Discovery. Besides being the mother of the famed . When explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark blazed a trail through the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific . He died shortly after sunrise. Yet his contributions to science, the exploration of the Western U.S., and the lore of great world explorers, are considered incalculable.[3]. 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. 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. 915 Words4 Pages. The Lewis family of Virginia is one of the most distinguished families in the State. 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. [7], At the time, Meriwether Lewis was described as a lean man of six feet in stature. Meriwether Lewis became an American hero upon his return from his expedition across what is now the Northwestern half of the United States. For many years, Lewis' legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. He chose Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition, who in turn solicited the help of William Clark. Both Reuben and John (II) grew up to become doctors, taking after their mother's medicinal abilities. 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. Descendants and relatives lived in Virginia and elsewhere. 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.
(Henley, 2002) She lived there until her death in 1837 with her widowed daughter Jane Meriwether Anderson. 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. The National Park Service has reversed a previous decision allowing Meriwether Lewis' body to be exhumed in an attempt to determining how he died. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Generation They settled along the Broad River in the Goosepond Community within the Broad River Valley in Wilkes County (now Oglethorpe County). Lewis was indeed like a man coming back from the moon, Guice notes. After returning from the expedition, Lewis received a reward of 1,600 acres of land. 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. Includes index of interrelated names at bottom of pedigree chart. I am so glad you like it. Lewis and Clark were respectful . (He had had one brother who died while serving in the Confederate Army. Meriwether Lewis never married and never had any children. 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." He moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia in May of 1780. When Clark and Jefferson were informed of Lewis' death, both accepted it as suicide, but his family contended it was murder. Hundreds of people have traced their family ties to members of the Corps of Discovery, two centuries after the historic journey. Without her help, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark might not have been successful on their expedition. Username and password are case sensitive. Her daughter and son-in-law put the house for sale on the market at $255,000 in 1982. They would get to the Pacific Ocea. It was in Georgia that he met Eric Parker, who was the first to introduce him to the idea of traveling. Jane (M128), born abt 1705 in New Kent County, is the eighth child and fourth daughter of Nicholas Meriwether II and Elizabeth Crafford/Crawford. Lucy Meriwether. 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. He was related to George Washington by marriage: his first cousin once removed was Fielding Lewis, Washington's brother-in-law. Native America, Discovered and Conquered: Thomas Jefferson, Lewis & Clark, and Manifest Destiny. Ex-partner of Ikpsapewin "Winona" 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. On September 3, 1809, Lewis set out for Washington D.C. to answer complaints about his actions as governor. Generally sharing leadership responsibilities with William Clark, although technically the leader, Lewis led the expedition safely across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific and back, with the loss of just one man, Charles Floyd, who died of apparent appendicitis. Lewis was nominated and recommended to serve as the first Master of the proposed Lodge, which was warranted as Lodge No. 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, whose mission was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase. His deathby a gunshot wound to the head and another to the abdomenis a mystery. She said that during dinner Lewis stood and paced about the room talking to himself in the way one would speak to a lawyer. [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. 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. )," and his mother's name as "Winona. . . He died on October 11, 1809, at the age of 35, under mysterious circumstances that have been the subject of much speculation and debate. Lucy Meriwether was well known in Albemarle County throughout her adult life. The group he was with was called the Corps of Discovery. Descendents of the family point to this legend as a reason why Meriwether men take a long time to get married. [citation needed] Yet his contributions to science, the exploration of the Western U.S., and the lore of great world explorers, are considered incalculable. Parson Maury was a son of Charles Goodyear Maury who was Thomas Jefferson's teacher for two years. Ancestors of Meriwether Lewis Generation No. 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. 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. 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 1 1.Meriwether Lewis, born August 18, 1774; died October 17, 1809 in Lewis County, Tennesse.He was the son of 2. They came inside and found Lewis on his pallet He had been [shot] in the side and once in the head. His wound hampered him for the rest of the journey. Ministers . | 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. You try to reach out but you can never get a hold of it. Even minor features of the story fluctuate. On the mission it was how do we stay alive and collect information? Then suddenly youre heroes. A year after his death, John Grinder, in whose home Lewis died, was brought before a grand jury on a warrant of murder. Lewis was born in Albermale County, Virginia on August 18, 1774, to Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether. He died in 1862, leaving the home to his children Charles and Mary Anderson. Born 18 August 1774 - Albemarle Co., VA Deceased 11 October 1809 - Hohenwald, Lewis Co., TN,aged 35 years old Explorer 2 files available Parents William Lewis, Lt. 1733-1779 Lucy Meriwether 1752-1837 Paternal grand-parents, uncles and aunts Robert Lewis, Col. 1701..1702-1765 Jane Meriwether 1705-1755 Now in his new role, Governor Lewis was soon embroiled in quarrels with his territorial secretary Frederick Bates (1777-1825). 2 Baths. There are many more. 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. Most historians agree that he committed suicide; others are convinced he was murdered. . As with any good genealogical research, if you discover a link to your own family tree, consider it a starting point for further research. There were songs and poems written about him. This wasnt just anybody who kicked the bucket. Besides, how could an expert marksman botch his own suicide and be forced to shoot himself twice? Meriwether Lewis was born August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia. He was related to George Washington by marriage: his first cousin once removed was Fielding Lewis, Washington's brother-in-law. Not so, says Sandra Hargrove, a member of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery Descendant Certificate Project. After his father died of pneumonia in November 1779, he moved with his mother and stepfather Captain John Marks to Georgia. His mother taught him how to gather wild herbs for medicinal purposes. It was during this time in the Army that he met William Clark (1770-1838) for the first time. Please try again. At thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia for education by private tutors. He was also a second cousin once removed of Washington's on his father's side. Lewis never married. Jane Brereton , Richard Cotton, Blanche de BRIENNE , Guillaume de FIENNES, Isabel PERT , Robert CONYERS. She gave the property to her daughter as a wedding gift. In 1801, Meriwether Lewis left the army due to an invitation to serve as Thomas Jefferson's secretary while Jefferson was in office. (Thornton was the daughter of Francis Thornton and Mary Taliaferro). For many years, Lewis' legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide.