MERIWETHER Nicholas, Sr.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Legal clerk, legal representative, planter, Justice
• Immigration: 1652
• Alt. Death: 15 Dec 1678, Lynnhaven Parish, Prince William, Virginia
• Alt. Death: 17 Dec 1678, New Kent County, VA

Notes:

When Nicholas Meriwether was born in 1631 in Bramber, Sussex, his father, Francis, was 27 and his mother, Alice, was 46. He was married in 1655 in Virginia. He died on December 15, 1678, in Prince William County, Virginia, at the age of 47.

Nicholas Meriwether arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, probably about 1650. The first confirmation of his existence there was 4 July 1653 when he patented 300 acres of land in Lancaster County. From at least 13 Oct 1653 until 13 Dec 1656, Nicholas served as a clerk of the Quarter Court and Governor's Council for the Colony in Jamestown. Although many researchers state he was clerk of Surry County, there is no evidence that he was. About 1661, he bought "The Island House" from Elizabeth Kingsmill & her husband Nathaniel Bacon, a relative of the Bacon who started "Bacon's Rebellion"; a marker on Jamestown Island identifies the "Island House" location today.
Sometime in the 1660's, after the English monarchy was reestablished, Nicholas bought "Indian Springs" in Surry County and seems to have retired from public office to pursue land speculation and tobacco production and shipping. Since his entire government career was during the reign of Cromwell and he ceased upon restoration of the throne, this seems to contradict those who claim Nicholas was one of the "Cavaliers", supporters of the Crown who came to the Colony to escape persecution.
Recent research has tried, without success, to determine if Nicholas came to Virginia in 1652 as part of the Parliamentary fleet that sought the surrender of Virginia to the Cromwellian government. This would certainly explain his appearance in 1653 as a clerk of the Quarter Court and subsequent years working for the colonial government.
The birth date of Nicholas was derived from an affidavit in which he stated his age. His death date was supposedly found in the bible of Nicholas Meriwether II, in possession of descendants in Louisville, Ky, in the late 1800's. Efforts to locate this bible in the late 1900's have failed. Documents created in the mid 1800's, 200 years after Nicholas was in the Colonies, refer to him, or possibly his son, Nicholas II, as "The Welshman". No evidence has been found to indicate that he was from Wales, however. Nothing has been found to track him to a particular location in England, either; efforts to locate Nicholas in Kent or Wiltshire, where many English Meriwether families are found, have not been successful.
A Thomas Meriwether, merchant, of Bristol & London, had business dealings with Nicholas and it was at one time believed he could be a brother or uncle. Evidence found in 2004 no longer supports this.

Children
Elizabeth MERIWETHER b: ABT 1662 in Virginia
Nicholas MERIWETHER b: 26 OCT 1665 in Virginia
Francis MERIWETHER b: ABT 1670 in Virginia
Jane MERIWETHER b: ABT 1675 in Virginia
Thomas MERIWETHER b: ABT 1677 in Virginia
William MERIWETHER b: AFT 17 JUN 1678 in Virginia

The Meriwether Family
were the men that settled central and southwestern Virginia? They were few in number, and their families rose to prominence throughout the formative years of the United States of America. One of these men, Nicholas Meriwether I, came to the shores of Virginia in 1652 to claim a large tract of land in Northrern Neck and Surry Counties. Supposedly, there is a record "in Virginia land registry office between 1652 and 1669 of patents to the extent of 5,250 acres in Westmoreland Co. done by Nicholas Meriwether." (Anderson, 1984) The family, so-called because they were happy all the time, hailed from either Wales or England (this is still in dispute.). The name was originally spelled Merryweather.) Nicholas I married Elizabeth Woodhouse, who gave birth to seven children. They were Nicholas, Jane, Elizabeth, Francis, Thomas, William and David. (Minor, 1892)
Nicholas II was the only one to extend the family name. He lived on a land grant which he secured from King George II in 1727 at the base of the Southwest Mountains. This 13,762-acre tract of land grew another 3,000 acres in 1730. In 1735, he added another 1,190 acres to his holdings, on which he built "The Farm." Charlottesville now lies over the land on which "The Farm" existed. (Minor, 1892) It all exists in what is currently Albemarle county, and history sometimes refers to Nicholas as "the Father of Albemarle." Albemarle County was carved out of Goochland County in 1744, the year of Nicholas' death.
Nicholas Meriwether (II) met and married Elizabeth Crawford. 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.) (Anderson, 1984) Together, they had nine children. Their oldest, Jane Meriwether married Colonel Robert Lewis; they became Meriwether Lewis' paternal great-grandparents. The second oldest, Nicholas Meriwether III married Mildred Thornton. The other children were William, Thomas, Colonel David Meriwether, Elizabeth, Ann, Sarah, and Mary.

Alt. Death:
15 Dec 1678 • Lynnhaven Parish, Prince William, Virginia Colony, America

Nicholas married WOODHOUSE Elizabeth about 1664 in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA. Elizabeth was born about 1638; died about 21 Apr 1695 in Dendron, Surry, Virginia, United States; was buried in Surry County, VA ("Four Mile Tree"). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Nicholas married MERIWETHER Mrs. --FNU-- --LNU-- in 1661 in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA. Mrs. and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: Farmer/Planter, land speculator; Attorney
• Residence: 1729, Cismont, Albemarle County, VA; Cloverfields plantation
• Residence: 1735, Goochland County, VA

Notes:

Nicholas Meriwether was born on October 26, 1665, in Iceland, the child of Nicholas Meriwether to Elizabeth Woodhouse, age 32, and Nicholas Meriwether, age 34. He married Elizabeth Crawford in 1687 in Buckingham County, Virginia. They had eight children in 17 years. He died in November 1744 in Virginia, having lived a long life of 79 years.

Col. Nicholas Meriwether II
Col. Nicholas Meriwether II amassed a large quantity of land, at one point owning about 33,000 acres. His will, one of the longest recorded in Virginia, was witnessed by Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson.
Buried: East bank of Rivanna River, near present day Charlottesville. Actual site has been lost.

Children
William MERIWETHER b: ABT 1688 in James City County, Virginia
David MERIWETHER b: ABT 1690 in James City County, Virginia
Thomas MERIWETHER b: ABT 1691 in Virginia
Anne MERIWETHER b: ABT 1694 in Virginia
Sarah MERIWETHER b: 1697 in Virginia
Nicholas MERIWETHER b: 11 JUL 1699 in Virginia
Elizabeth MERIWETHER b: 20 JUN 1703 in Virginia
Jane MERIWETHER b: ABT 1705 in Virginia
Mary MERIWETHER b: ABT 1707 in Virginia

Lake Meriweather is located there and poss named after him

Historical Background The first plantation house was built by Nicholas Meriwether about 1735 where he died in 1744. Sometime before the Revolutionary War, the house burned and Col. Nicholas Lewis, grandson and heir of Meriwether, built a second main house which has since disappeared. Colonel Nicholas Lewis (1728-1807) (uncle of the famous explorer Meriwether Lewis) was a surveyor who served in several public roles including sheriff, surveyor and magistrate.[4] The 1782 tax records indicate he owned 33 slaves, 80 cattle and 17 horses.[5] His neighbor and friend Thomas Jefferson paid tribute to him in his writings for bravery in fighting the Cherokee Indians in 1776:[6]

Residence:
Cloverfields Plantation: The Cloverfields plantation, which the Meriwether family first acquired as part of the 3,000 acre grant to Nicholas Meriwether II in 1729. No one called it"cloverfields"until at least 1760, when Nicholas Meriwether II and his wife, Margaret Douglas built the first dwelling on the property. At the present time, there are several buildings in which people live. The original chimney from the kitchen still stands on the property, as well as the original smokehouse. The other buildings have been updated and/or rebuilt since the Meriwether's lived there. One of the buildings was added to the property in order to keep it from being destroyed. Developers were building on the land where the building originally stood. The graveyard is, of course, also in its original spot and condition. Edward C. Mead wrote in 1899"Here sleep undisturbed on their native ground those noble men and women who lived in the exciting times of the Revolution and saw the wild country emerge into a'new nation.'"Many of the people who lived at the plantation were originally buried in the family plot, but have since been moved to Grace Church in Cismont. Many people interred in the graveyard lie in unmarked tombs. The most well-known burial there is William Lewis, Meriwether's father. While on leave from the Continental Army to visit his wife and children at Locust Hill, he crossed the Rivanna River in a flood. His horse drowned and he caught pneumonia. Cloverfields, his wife Lucy's childhood home was much closer, so he went there to recouperate. Instead, he died there, and his body was never moved. Cloverfields is still a private property owned by the descendants of the Meriwether family."Cloverfields Cemetery."Write-up by Douglas Valentine. April 1998 and Barnes, Sara Lee. Live Interview at Cloverfields. 2 December 2002.

Source: http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/encounter/projects/homesteads/map/farm.html The farm was the 1020 acre plantation of Colonel Nicholas Meriweather, a contemporary of Thomas Jefferson's father, where he build his home in 1735. This stretch of land lies in the river flats between Moore's Creek and Meadow Creek. Its simple name comes from it being the earliest cleared loaction West of the Rivanna River and as such became a conspicuous landmark in the area. It was on this site with a view of Monticello that Nicholas Meriweather lived the rest of his life and was buried nearby. His grandson Colonel Nicholas LEWIS, a Revolutionary Officer uinherited the property.

Residence:
The Farm: Col. Nicholas Meriwether II amassed a large quantity of land, at one point owning about 33,000 acres. In 1735 he built his plantation, [which became] "The Farm", in Goochland (now Albemarle) County, the site of which is now the city of Charlottesville, Virginia. His will, one of the longest recorded in Virginia, was witnessed by Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson.

Descendants of Nicholas Meriwether II & Elizabeth Crawford are eligible for membership in the Magna Charta Dames or to the Barons of Runnymede (NHM p. 174).
02 May 2013 • F

Buried:
The Cloverfields plantation, which the Meriwether family first acquired as part of the 3,000 acre grant to Nicholas Meriwether II in 1729. No one called it"cloverfields"until at least 1760, when Nicholas Meriwether II and his wife, Margaret Douglas built the first dwelling on the property. At the present time, there are several buildings in which people live. The original chimney from the kitchen still stands on the property, as well as the original smokehouse. The other buildings have been updated and/or rebuilt since the Meriwether's lived there. One of the buildings was added to the property in order to keep it from being destroyed. Developers were building on the land where the building originally stood. The graveyard is, of course, also in its original spot and condition. Edward C. Mead wrote in 1899"Here sleep undisturbed on their native ground those noble men and women who lived in the exciting times of the REvolution and saw the wild country emerge into a'new nation.'"Many of the people who lived at the plantation were originally buried in the family plot, but have since been moved to Grace Church in Cismont. Many people interred in the graveyard lie in unmarked tombs. The most well-known burial there is William Lewis, Meriwether's father. While on leave from the Continental Army to visit his wife and children at Locust Hill, he crossed the Rivanna River in a flood. His horse drowned and he caught pneumonia. Cloverfields, his wife Lucy's childhood home was much closer, so he went there to recouperate. Instead, he died there, and his body was never moved. Cloverfields is still a private property owned by the descendants of the Meriwether family."Cloverfields Cemetery."Write-up by Douglas Valentine. April 1998 and Barnes, Sara Lee. Live Interview at Cloverfields. 2 December 2002.

Charlottesville
Albemarle County
Virginia USA
Cemetery notes and/or description:
THE OLD FAMILY GRAVEYARD, A DISGRACE TO ALL THE DESCENDANTS

Following the county road already described, starting at Charlottesville and as soon as you cross the Country Bridge over the Rivanna River, you are upon the plantation left by the will of Nicholas (2) "to my grandson Nicholas Lewis the son of Mr. Robt. Lewis, my plantation and land whereon I now live, containing by Patent One Thousand and Twenty acres, together with One Hundred and nineteen acres part of a greater tract bought of Thomas Graves…"

The county road begins to climb the side of the mountain as soon as it leaves the bridge. Off to the left a short distance, and facing the river, is the present Mansion, but upon the right of the road and facing more towards "Monticello", and the bend of the river, stood the old home of Nicholas (2) Meriwether and wife Elizabeth (Crafford). This was the house in which he died, and it was a beautiful site for a home. On the same first ridge of the mountain, but about 150 yards to the right of the present county road, and perhaps 200 yards from the bridge, was the old Meriwether family graveyard in which were buried Nicholas, Col. David, and many of the family.

At the time of the writer's visit the entire field where stood the old house and where is located the old graveyard, was planted in corn. Not even a mound marks a grave, and it seems to him a disgrace to every descendant of the family. Cannot this be rectified? The cost would be very small divided among so many

Nicholas married CRAWFORD Elizabeth on 26 Oct 1665 in New Kent County, VA (Saint Peter's Parish). Elizabeth (daughter of CRAWFORD David, Esq. and CRAWFORD Jane --?--) was born about 1672 in New Kent County, VA ("Assasquin"); died before 11 May 1762 in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA; was buried in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Nicholas married CRAWFORD Elizabeth in 1687 in Buckingham, Buckingham, Virginia, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of CRAWFORD David, Esq. and CRAWFORD Jane --?--) was born about 1672 in New Kent County, VA ("Assasquin"); died before 11 May 1762 in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA; was buried in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Nicholas married THORNTON Mildred in 1738. Mildred was born in 1721; died in 1778. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jane married Col. LEWIS Robert, III in 1725 in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA. Robert (son of LEWIS John, II and WARNER Elizabeth) was born about 1701-1704 in Gloucester County, VA ("Warner Hall"); was christened in Aug 1704 in Abingdon, Washington, Virginia, USA; died before Dec 1765 in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA; was buried in Cismont, Albemarle County, VA ("Belvoir"). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

When David Meriwether was born in 1690 in Goochland, Virginia, his father, Nicholas, was 25 and his mother, Elizabeth, was 24. He married his first wife in 1711 in New Kent, Virginia. In 1713 he married his second wife in Virginia. He died on December 25, 1744, in Louisa, Virginia, at the age of 54.

Birth: Probably James City County, maybe Surry County
Burial: Buried beside his father on the east side of the Rivanna River. Site has been lost.


Children
Thomas MERIWETHER b: ABT 1713 in New Kent County, Virginia
David MERIWETHER b: 5 OCT 1716 in Hanover County, Virginia
Nicholas MERIWETHER b: 11 Feb 1719/20 in New Kent County, Virginia
Anne MERIWETHER b: 11 NOV 1721 in Hanover County, Virginia
Sarah MERIWETHER b: 12 Feb 1724/5 in Hanover County, Virginia
Francis MERIWETHER b: ABT 1726 in Virginia
James MERIWETHER b: 1 JUN 1729 in Hanover County, Virginia
William MERIWETHER b: 25 DEC 1730 in Goochland County, Virginia

Col. David Meriwether married Ann Holmes and had a son, Thomas. This Thomas Meriwether married Elizabeth Thornton, and had 11 children, including Lucy Meriwether , the mother of Meriwether Lewis. Ann also gave birth to Colonel Nicholas Meriwether (the first Meriwether to live at Cloverfields with his wife, Margaret Douglas) (Anderson, 1984) , Francis, David, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Ann, Mildred, Thomas, and Jane. You will notice by now that the Meriwether family tended to recycle the same name every generation, and occasionally more than once a generation. This has become very confusing to genealogists. Many have confused which Nicholas married who, and who exactly was Meriwether Lewis' grandfather. This presentation streamlines the family to list those who directly pertain to the explorers to clarify the connections.

David married HOLMES Anne in 1713 in New Kent County, VA. Anne (daughter of HOLMES George, Esq.) was born on 19 Dec 1695 in King and Queen Court House, King and Queen, Virginia, USA; died on 11 Mar 1735 in Gwathmey, Hanover, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Anne married LEWIS John about 1745 in Greenville, Augusta, Virginia, USA. John was born on 19 Oct 1729 in Spotsylvania County, VA; was christened on 23 Nov 1729; died on 12 Sep 1780. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military: Revolutionary War

Notes:

William Lewis was born about 1735, in Albemarle County, Virginia, the child of Robert and Jane. He married Lucy Meriwether about 1769. They had one child during their marriage. He died on November 17, 1779, in Albemarle County, Virginia, at the age of 44.

Clover Fields Cemetery Albemarle Co., VA
Lieut William Lewis Birth: 1748 VA Death: Nov. 14, 1779 Albemarle Co., VA William Lewis was the father of Capt. Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. NOTE: The dates on his gravestone, erected by the DAR many years after his burial, are questionable. He probably was born between 1734 and 1738. His wife Lucy (Meriwether) stated that he died in 14 Nov 1779 and she remarried in 1780. The existence of the 1780 inventory of his estate, tends to confirm the 1779 [death] date. Family links: Parents: Robert Lewis (1702 - 1765) Jane Meriwether Lewis (1705 - 1757) Spouse: Lucy Meriwether Marks (1752 - 1837)* Children: Jane Meriwether Lewis Anderson (1770 - 1845)* Lucinda Lewis (1772 - ____)* Meriwether Lewis (1774 - 1809)* Reuben Lewis (1777 - 1844)* Siblings: Anne Lewis* Nicholas Lewis (1734 - 1808)* Mary Lewis (Cobbs) Thomson (1735 - 1812)* William Lewis (1748 - 1779) William Lewis (1748 - 1779)* *Calculated relationship Note: TMSI [659] Burial: Clover Fields Cemetery Albemarle Co., VA Maintained by: The Meriwether Society, ... Originally Created by: Sharon Sabel Pike Record added: Feb 15, 2003 Find A Grave Memorial# 7188221 NOTE INCORRECT DATES ON GRAVESTONE SOURCE: Online @http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi

(Medical):In November of 1779, William Lewis died of Pneumonia.

Military:
Lt.

Family/Spouse: MERIWETHER Lucy. Lucy (daughter of MERIWETHER Thomas and THORNTON Elizabeth) was born on 4 Feb 1752 in North Garden, Albemarle, Virginia, USA; died in 1837 in North Garden, Albemarle, Virginia, USA; was buried in North Garden, Albemarle, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

I am looking over some of the documents I have on my ancestors, who served in the Revolutionary War, and took note of the signatures. For some reason they just jumped out at me, and I thought they would be of interest to the list.

The Document I have is from Ambrose Lewis, who is the brother of my direct ancestor Charles Lewis. Ambrose and Charles served in the Revolutionary War as Seamen and Foot Soldiers. The document I have is a certification that Ambrose Lewis, is entitled to the proportion of land allowed a Sailor of the State Navy for three years service, and it is signed (it looks like December, or September), 21st 1783. There are two signatures, one is Thomas Meriwether, and the other is Benjamin Harrison. I believe this is the Thomas Meriwether who married his cousin Jane Meriwether.

Benjamin Harrison was the governor of Virginia at that time. Ambrose Lewis went to Washington DC after his pension was suspended. It was there that he petitioned the senate to have his military service at the Battle of Camden SC added to the record. He finally won, but his land bounty certificate was used by his heirs.

This short document has quite a bit of historical information on it.

Anita


Col. David Meriwether married Ann Holmes and had a son, Thomas. This Thomas Meriwether married Elizabeth Thornton, and had 11 children, including Lucy Meriwether , the mother of Meriwether Lewis. Ann also gave birth to Colonel Nicholas Meriwether (the first Meriwether to live at Cloverfields with his wife, Margaret Douglas) (Anderson, 1984) , Francis, David, Mary, Elizabeth, Sarah, Ann, Mildred, Thomas, and Jane. You will notice by now that the Meriwether family tended to recycle the same name every generation, and occasionally more than once a generation. This has become very confusing to genealogists. Many have confused which Nicholas married who, and who exactly was Meriwether Lewis' grandfather. This presentation streamlines the family to list those who directly pertain to the explorers to clarify the connections.

Family/Spouse: THORNTON Elizabeth. Elizabeth and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Nickname: Frank
• Occupation: Indications he was a mill owner and planter
• Marriage Contract: 1749, Spotsylvania County, VA
• Alt. Death: 7 Jun 1793, Greenwood, Abbeville County, Sc

Notes:

Children
John MERIWETHER b: 12 Mar 1751/2 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Zachary MERIWETHER b: 4 MAY 1754 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Nicholas MERIWETHER b: ABT 1755 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Ann MERIWETHER b: in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Elizabeth MERIWETHER b: 1760 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Joseph MERIWETHER b: ABT 1762 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia
Mary MERIWETHER b: in Spotsylvania County, Virginia


Publication: The Meriwether Society, Inc.
URL: http://MeriwetherSociety.org
Text: Information about this individual has been collected by The Meriweither Society from many sources. As the Society is in the process of verifying the information, it should be treated as unconfirmed at this time. Please do not assume the information is correct.
If you have information about this individual, please contact the Society. PLEASE DO NOT USE THE INFORMATION SHOWN WITHOUT VERIFYING IT YOURSELF!
Type: Book
Periodical: The Meriwethers and Their Connections
Author: Nelson Heath Meriwether
Publication: Artcraft Press
Date: 1964
Detail: Reprinted in 1991 by The Meriwether Society, Gateway Press
Type: Periodical
Detail: The Meriwether Society Source: S309
Type: Book
Detail: The Meriwether Society Source: S316
Type: Gedcom File
Detail: The Meriwether Society Source: S88
Type: Web Site
URL: http://www.payne.org/surnames.shtml
Type: Periodical
Detail: The Meriwether Society Source: S223
Text: p. 296
Type: Periodical
Detail: The Meriwether Society Source: S311
Text: p. 199

Francis married LEWIS Mary Waller on 16 Jan 1749 in Spotsylvania County, VA. Mary (daughter of LEWIS Zachary, Jr. and WALLER Mary) was born on 30 Jan 1727 in Spotsylvania County, VA; was christened on 29 Feb 1728; died on 19 Jun 1807 in Greenwood, Abbeville County, Sc; was buried in Jun 1807 in Greenwood, Abbeville County, Sc. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]