Colonial Meriwether Families Tree - Person Sheet
Colonial Meriwether Families Tree - Person Sheet
Birthabt 1719, Spotsylvania County, Virginia
MemoSnow Creek Plantation
Deathbef Oct 1774, Albemarle County, Virginia
BurialAlbemarle County, Virginia69
Will ProbateOct 1774, Albemarle County, Virginia
OccupationHomemaker
FatherCol. Francis Thornton Jr. , M (1682-1739)
MotherMary Taliaferro , F (~1685-1741)
Spouses
Birthabt 1713, New Kent County, Virginia
Deathabt Dec 1756, Louisa County, Virginia65
BurialMeriwether Burial Ground, Albemarle County, Virginia66
FatherDavid Meriwether , M (~1690-1744)
MotherAnne Holmes , F (1695-1736)
Marriageabt 1735, Virginia
ChildrenNicholas , M (1736-1772)
Francis , M (1737-1803)
David , M (1739-<1806)
Mary , F (1742-~1805)
Elizabeth , F (1744-<1812)
Sarah , F (1746-)
Anne , F (1750-1782)
Lucy , F (1752-1837)
Mildred , F (1753-1826)
Thomas (Died as Infant), M (1755-1755)
Jane , F (1757-1833)
Birthabt 1704, “Warner Hall”, Naxera, Gloucester County, Virginia
BurialAlbemarle County, Virginia84
FatherCol. John Lewis III , M (1669-1725)
MotherElizabeth Warner , F (1672-1720)
Marriageaft 4 Oct 1759, Virginia85
No Children
Biography notes for Elizabeth Thornton
Elizabeth (Thornton) Meriwether Lewis
© The Meriwether Society, Inc.
Elizabeth was born about 1719 on the Thornton plantation “Snow Creek’ in Spotsylvania County, the daughter of Francis Thornton and Mary Taliaferro. She married Thomas Meriwether about 1735; they were the parents of 11 children. After the death of Thomas, she married his uncle, Robert Lewis, whose first wife was Jane Meriwether. Elizabeth’s sister, Mildred, married, first, Nicholas Meriwether, a first cousin of Thomas, and second, Dr. Thomas Walker.
As noted by Heath Meriwether: “[Elizabeth Thornton] was descended from one of the old families of England whose ancestry was well established in 1363. On her mother’s side Elizabeth Thornton had ancestors who were among the most ancient in Europe. This was the Taliaferro family of Tuscany, Italy, one of whose members is said to have migrated to Normandy in the year 868, and whose descendant—a Taliaferro—was “among those present” when William the Conqueror successfully invaded Saxon England on Christmas Day, 1066.”
© The Meriwether Society, Inc.
Elizabeth was born about 1719 on the Thornton plantation “Snow Creek’ in Spotsylvania County, the daughter of Francis Thornton and Mary Taliaferro. She married Thomas Meriwether about 1735; they were the parents of 11 children. After the death of Thomas, she married his uncle, Robert Lewis, whose first wife was Jane Meriwether. Elizabeth’s sister, Mildred, married, first, Nicholas Meriwether, a first cousin of Thomas, and second, Dr. Thomas Walker.
As noted by Heath Meriwether: “[Elizabeth Thornton] was descended from one of the old families of England whose ancestry was well established in 1363. On her mother’s side Elizabeth Thornton had ancestors who were among the most ancient in Europe. This was the Taliaferro family of Tuscany, Italy, one of whose members is said to have migrated to Normandy in the year 868, and whose descendant—a Taliaferro—was “among those present” when William the Conqueror successfully invaded Saxon England on Christmas Day, 1066.”
Other Marriage notes for Elizabeth Thornton
After the death of Thomas Meriwether, Elizabeth married Col. Robert Lewis, the widower of Jane Meriwether. They had no children.
Will notes for Elizabeth Thornton
Will of Elizabeth (Thornton) Meriwether Lewis
The following summarizes the contents of her Will:
Date signed: Not known.
Witnesses: Charles Lewis, Robert Cobbs, Wm Lewis, John Wood, John Gilmer.
Executors: Francis and David Meriwether, sons; Thomas Johnson, son-in-law.
Beneficiary: Jane Merewether, daughter.
The following summarizes the contents of her Will:
Date signed: Not known.
Witnesses: Charles Lewis, Robert Cobbs, Wm Lewis, John Wood, John Gilmer.
Executors: Francis and David Meriwether, sons; Thomas Johnson, son-in-law.
Beneficiary: Jane Merewether, daughter.
Notes for Thomas & Elizabeth (Family)
Thomas Meriwether & Elizabeth Thornton 70
Nelson Heath Meriwether
The marriage of Thomas Meriwether and Elizabeth Thornton brought together two families who were well established in the political and governing groups in Virginia from 1699 to 1744, and both families held great tracts of land, and from 1744 until after the Revolution several counties were largely populated by these two families. Their close ties with many of the famous names of the Revolution gave them a secure position for many years in the political, economic and social life in Virginia. All of these families and their allied lines were not only landowners who saw to the management of their plantations with its myriad details of management and marketing, but whose duties, both husband and wife, was equally to supervise their slaves as well as look to their general well-being. It has been the custom of many to regard the planter class as one who had no duties other than to live graciously and entertain on a lavish scale. Only a little cursory reading of old letters and historical accounts of the work- a-day world of the owner and his wife on these plantations reveal that the mistress of such an establishment was the first to arise and the last to retire; she it was who carried the keys to the larder and who delegated the tasks of the day for the immediate household. It might be the duty of their slaves to do the actual work of cooking, washing, cleaning, but always there was the guiding hand for direction and ad- vice and the settlement of the jealousies that arose between the cook and other domestics.
The master of such a plantation, to be successful, might have the advantage of an overseer; but the management of the land, what crops to be planted and when, tending and harvesting the crops, all found their way to the plantation owner, to say nothing of his decisions as affecting the placement of his slaves to various duties on the plantation—which above the regular agricultural pursuits-had a carpenter and blacksmith shop. There was never a successful operation of these landed estates that did not have a knowledgeable and hard-working owner at its head.
The Thomas Meriwether operation was such a one as has been described. As his family increased and grew to maturity the sons were trained for managerial duties at home, as were their sisters, to assume their duties in the management of a home. Because of Thomas's large holding he was able to provide all of his sons with great plantations when they married, which was usually at an early age. Thomas also gave several of his daughters plantations at the time of their marriages. He had about 9,000 acres in his several estates. By the time of his death in 1756 this holding had dwindled to 3,000 acres through his gifts of land to his children.
Nelson Heath Meriwether
The marriage of Thomas Meriwether and Elizabeth Thornton brought together two families who were well established in the political and governing groups in Virginia from 1699 to 1744, and both families held great tracts of land, and from 1744 until after the Revolution several counties were largely populated by these two families. Their close ties with many of the famous names of the Revolution gave them a secure position for many years in the political, economic and social life in Virginia. All of these families and their allied lines were not only landowners who saw to the management of their plantations with its myriad details of management and marketing, but whose duties, both husband and wife, was equally to supervise their slaves as well as look to their general well-being. It has been the custom of many to regard the planter class as one who had no duties other than to live graciously and entertain on a lavish scale. Only a little cursory reading of old letters and historical accounts of the work- a-day world of the owner and his wife on these plantations reveal that the mistress of such an establishment was the first to arise and the last to retire; she it was who carried the keys to the larder and who delegated the tasks of the day for the immediate household. It might be the duty of their slaves to do the actual work of cooking, washing, cleaning, but always there was the guiding hand for direction and ad- vice and the settlement of the jealousies that arose between the cook and other domestics.
The master of such a plantation, to be successful, might have the advantage of an overseer; but the management of the land, what crops to be planted and when, tending and harvesting the crops, all found their way to the plantation owner, to say nothing of his decisions as affecting the placement of his slaves to various duties on the plantation—which above the regular agricultural pursuits-had a carpenter and blacksmith shop. There was never a successful operation of these landed estates that did not have a knowledgeable and hard-working owner at its head.
The Thomas Meriwether operation was such a one as has been described. As his family increased and grew to maturity the sons were trained for managerial duties at home, as were their sisters, to assume their duties in the management of a home. Because of Thomas's large holding he was able to provide all of his sons with great plantations when they married, which was usually at an early age. Thomas also gave several of his daughters plantations at the time of their marriages. He had about 9,000 acres in his several estates. By the time of his death in 1756 this holding had dwindled to 3,000 acres through his gifts of land to his children.
Notes for Robert & Elizabeth (Family)
Robert and Elizabeth signed a prenuptial agreement 4 October 1759, which was subsequently recorded in Louisa County on 26 May 1761.