SACRED
to the memory of
Mrs. LUCY MARKS
who departed this life
September 8th, 1837;
in the 86th year of her age.

“Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.”

NAME: Several sources state name was Lucy Thornton Meriwether; need verification.

EXPLORER’S MOTHER TELLS LIFE STORY
Alice Perry Linker, staff reporter

Few of the women behind the men of the Corps of Discovery have been remembered by history. One, Lucy Meriwether Marks, Meriwether Lewis’s mother, has not only been remembered, her life has been re-created by Merna DeBolt of Carson. DeBolt will bring Lucy Marks to Ridgefield for a performance to benefit the Ridgefield Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Committee. The performance will begin Fri., Oct. 7, 7 p.m. at the Liberty Theater. Donations will be accepted, but the performance is free.

DeBolt, 76, retired as a library aide in Skamamia County about 10 years ago. At the same time the Columbia Gorge Interpretative Center was opening near Skamamia Lodge. DeBolt volunteered.

"They were looking for people to portray historical characters to school groups,” DeBolt said. "I decided to be Lucy Marks. Lewis and Clark was becoming very popular and I wanted to be someone connected to the story."

DeBolt portrays Lucy Marks as a mother searching to learn the true cause of her son’s death. Meriwether Lewis died of gunshot wounds in Tennessee, and because he suffered from depression, his death is popularly considered a suicide. Lucy Marks, however, never accepted that her son had shot himself. She cited the lack of powder burns on Meriwether’s shirt as one reason. His belongings were scattered throughout the room, leading to her belief that someone had ransacked the place.

"I think she had a strong personality," DeBolt said. The mother of three by William Lewis, Lucy was widowed when she was young. She married William’s best friend, Capt. John Marks, and had two more children. The family moved to a plantation in Georgia, but Meriwether returned to his Albemarle County, VA, home, where he became a protege of Thomas Jefferson.

"Thomas Jefferson was a great family friend, and he took Meriwether under his wing,” DeBolt said. Much of DeBolt’s information about Lucy Marks comes from letters written to her by Meriwether Lewis and Thomas Jefferson. “Thomas Jefferson said she was one of the most interesting women to talk to," DeBolt said. "She had a love of plants; she was a herbologist who used herbs to treat the sick. Everyone came to Miss Lucy for treatment. When she was older she would go on horseback to treat people."

During the Corps of Discovery trek, Meriwether Lewis wrote to his mother from the Mandan Village on the way west. She did not hear from him again until he returned to Virginia more than a year later. "Meriwether adored her," DeBolt said. "He said she was strict and stern but a devoted Christian woman who had much charity in her bosom."

DeBolt has taken Lucy Marks to several places in Washington and Oregon, and she said she learns something new almost every time she appears. "People come up and tell me they’re related to one of the (Lewis) family,” she said. “I pretend to be Lucy Marks, and sometimes I think I am."

Lucy Meriwether — Mother of Meriwether Lewis
Lucy Meriwether Chapter, NSDAR: https://www.texasdar.org/chapters/LucyMeriwether/lucy.html

Lucy Meriwether (Lewis) was an obvious choice for our chapter's namesake. Besides being the ancestor of five of our founding members, she was the wife of an officer in George Washington’s army and the mother of Meriwether Lewis. Her famous son, along with William Clark, headed an expedition to explore lands where no white man had ever traveled.

Like her son, Lucy's courage was infallible. Her husband died in 1781, leaving Mrs. Lewis with three small children. With the help of her brother and brother-in-law, she continued to manage "Locust Hill," their 1800 acre plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia. On one occasion, a group of British officers attempted to confiscate the plantation since it was occupied by a "mere" woman and 3 children. When they confronted her, Lucy jumped to her feet, grabbed a rifle from over the fireplace, and aimed at the officers. “The door is behind you! Open it and go! Never come back. I warn you that I am a good shot.” The officers left, never to return.

Lucy had proved earlier she knew how to shoot a rifle. With no food in the house for supper, her husband and some friends left one morning to hunt deer. Late that afternoon, one of the servants threw open the parlor door and exclaimed, “Miss Lucy, I see a big deer in the yard.” Miss Lucy took the rifle from its rack and killed the deer. The hunters later returned empty-handed.

When Mr. Lewis died, their land was sold to cover his debt. Since the proceeds were not enough, his debtors wanted to also take Mrs. Lewis’ land. She appealed to her neighbor, Thomas Jefferson, who intervened for her.

Eventually, Lucy remarried and moved by wagon train with her new husband to Georgia. But, he died after a short time and she returned to Virginia with her children.

Lt. William Lewis
© The Meriwether Society, Inc. (Edy Macdonald)

William Lewis of “Locust Hill”, Albemarle County, VA ~1735-14 Nov 1779. Son of Robert Lewis and Jane Meriwether (M128). Married Lucy Meriwether (1752-1837), daughter of Capt. Thomas Meriwether and Elizabeth Thornton. William was the father of explorer Meriwether Lewis.

He was the 3rd signer of the Albemarle County Declaration of Independence 1779. He died of pneumonia after swimming his horse across the rain swollen Rivanna River in winter as he hastened home on furlough (sic - wasn’t he returning to duty AFTER being on furlough?). Died and is buried at “Clover Fields” plantation east of Charlottesville.

Birth
William's birth date is not known and references range from 1733 to 1748. Based on original documents, GMB has stated he and brother Charles were born between 27 Apr 1734 and 1 Sep 1736. This is consistent with a number of references; NHM, for instance, uses 1735. His headstone, however, erected by the DAR many years after his death, has 1748.

William is not mentioned by Nicholas Meriwether II in 1734 when he provides money to purchase slaves for children of Robert Lewis. Nor is he mentioned in the will, dated 12 Dec 1743. He is mentioned in the 1757 will of Robert Lewis, in statements that perhaps imply that he was at or over the age of 21.

His wife Lucy was born in 1752, so the 1748 date on his headstone is more consistent than a 1736 date. There is no mention in the records of William, Lucy and their famous son Meriwether Lewis that William was 16+ years older than Lucy. There is also no evidence that William had a previous marriage, which might have accounted for such an age difference.

Thomas Jefferson stated that William was the fourth and youngest son of Robert Lewis and Jane Meriwether. Unfortunately, Robert and Jane had five known sons, so either he was not the youngest or he was not the fourth son.

Military Service, American Revolution

1st Lieutenant in Albemarle Militia that Marched toward Williamsburg July 1775 to confront Lord Dunsmore. Officer in Virginia Continental Line from 1776, stationed mainly in Yorktown area. He served the revolutionary military a total of 7 years and 1 month. (sic - how could he have served 7 years if he died in 1779? jmo).

Death Date of William Lewis
NHM on P511 gives dates of 1730-1780, on P580 gives dates of 1735-1784. DSM gives date of death as 14 Nov 1779 and states that the date on the gravestone (1748-1780) is incorrect. ____ gives death as 17 Nov 1781. NHM references military records that indicate he was taken prisoner at the fall of Charleston in 1780. DSM & SA state he died while on leave after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown (19 Oct 1781). (Further thought: in 1779, British patrols would have been heavy in the area. After Cornwallis' surrender, they would have been almost non-existent! This argues against the 1781 date)

Current conclusion: Based on the deposition by Lucy that he died in 1779 and she remarried in 1780, and the existence of the 1780 inventory of his estate, the Keeper of the TMSI Data Base will use 14 Nov 1779 as his date of death until evidence to the contrary is found. This, of course, ignores the depositions stating that he was at Yorktown in 1781.

NHM Error:

NHM has William as son of Col. Nicholas Lewis and Mary Walker) p. 79, 233.


8) Lucy Meriwether, b. 1752, d. 1837, m. her cousin Captain William Lewis of Albemarle Co., Va. He was a son of Col Nicholas Lewis and Mary Walker. The father of William Lewis was a grandson of Nicholas Meriwether II, and William's grandmother was Mildred Thornton who married Dr. Thomas Walker. Lucy Meriwether and William Lewis had three children, one of whom was Meriwether Lewis, the famous explorer, and leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803. Record in this volume. (NHM P79)

Birth & Death Dates of William Lewis

The birth date on the DAR marker at “Clover Fields” is clearly wrong. Col. Robert Lewis wrote his will on Sep. 1, 1757. In it he identifies his son Robert as being underage. He doesn't mention William as underage so he was born before 1 September 1736. In 1734, NMII gave money to Robert Lewis so that Robert could give slaves to his children. This is recorded in a Hanover deed dated April 27, 1734. John, Nicholas, Elizabeth, Jane and Anna are named. No William or Charles. The deed specifies that the slaves are to be delivered “at there Lawfull age or day of Mariage.” If Robert was delivering the slaves immediately instead of waiting until his children reached 21 or married then it might have been reasonable that he wouldn’t give slaves to “babies.” However, since that is not the case, William and Charles must not have been born yet. Therefore William and Charles were born between 27 April 1734 and 1 September 1736.

This conclusion is at odds with many sources -- but then these sources vary all over the lot. William’s birth date varies from 1730 to 1748. Charles is usually given as 1729 or 1730 but Sarah Anderson gives no date and Thomas Jefferson said that he was the 4th born son (then again he said that William was the youngest son). I have probably compiled about 10 sources.

Death
I think the best date for William’s death is 14 November 1779. His widow, Lucy Meriwether Lewis Marks, in an affidavit dated 9 June 1835 stated that William died 14 November 1779 and that she married John Marks on 13 May 1780. The affidavit was in support of a claim to William’s pay for 7 years and one month of service as a Lieut. in the Contl. line. There is an obvious glitch in this since the first units of the Virginia Contl. line were formed at the end of 1775 -- so 7 years service would make his death at the end of 1782. Further in the same petition was another affidavit by a Richard Skinner who deposed that “his (i.e., William’s) death took place shortly after the siege of Yorktown.” This would put William’s death at the end of 1781. Lucy was old (she died in 1737) when she gave her affidavit but women usually (always?) remember their marriage date and if she was married in 1780 then William must have died in 1779. [Guy Meriwether Benson]

Death Date of William Lewis

^BIRTH-DEATH **NHM on P511 gives dates of 1730-1780, on P580 gives dates of 1735-1784. DSM gives date of death as 14 Nov 1779 and states that the date on the gravestone (1748-1780) is incorrect. ____ gives death as 17 Nov 1781. NHM references military records that indicate he was taken prisoner at the fall of Charleston in 1780. DSM & SA state he died while on leave after the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown (19 Oct 1781). (Further thought: in 1779, British patrols would have been heavy in the area. After Cornwallis' surrender, they would have been almost non-existent! This argues against the 1781 date)

Current conclusion: Based on the deposition by Lucy that he died in 1779 and she remarried in 1780, and the existence of the 1780 inventory of his estate, the Keeper of the TMSI Data Base will use 14 Nov 1779 as his date of death until evidence to the contrary is found. This, of course, ignores the depositions stating that he was at Yorktown in 1781.

Lewis had been home at “Locust Hill” while on leave from duty at Yorktown. On his return trip, he had to forward the swollen Rivanna river. Thoroughly drenched, he stopped at “Clover Fields” for the evening, but pneumonia set in and two days later he died. Although only 10 miles from “Locust Hill”, Lewis asked to be buried at “Clover Fields” due to the difficulty of transporting his body back across the rivers and through British patrols. [?]

(Note that Edy says he was on his way home, this says he had been home and was returning to duty)

William Lewis was the fourth son of Robert Lewis of Belvoir, and was also an officer in the Revolutionary army, and bore a conspicuous part in that struggle. 272

DAR Patriot

LEWIS, WILLIAM Ancestor #: A070178
Notice: DATA IN THE CORRECTION FILE (WHY?)
Service: VIRGINIA Rank(s): LIEUTENANT
Birth: 1735 VIRGINIA
Death: 11-14-1779 ALBEMARLE CO VIRGINIA
Service Source: R62V; SANCHEZ-SAAVEDRA, A GUIDE TO VA MIL ORGS IN THE AM REV, PP 23, 24

Service Description:
1) CAPT NICHOLAS LEWIS, COL SAMUEL MEREDITH
2) 2ND BATT OF MINUTEMEN, ALBEMARLE CO, 1776

Capt. William Lewis 273

(4) Capt. William Lewis, b. 1735, d. 1784, fourth son of Col. Robert Lewis and Jane Meriwether.

He served in the Virginia Line during the American Revolution. In Heitman, Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army, his service is given more completely and shows that he was a 1st Lieut, in the First Virginia Regiment, Oct. 1775, and advanced to Captain, 1776. By order of Washington’s headquarters, he was appointed Brigade Inspector of Muhlenberg’s Brigade, and following this he was promoted to Major in 1779 of the Tenth Virginia Regiment. In 1781 he was transferred to the Third Virginia Regiment, and served in that capacity to the end of the war.

Heitman, in his Official Register, says that Capt. Lewis was taken a prisoner of war at the Fall of Charleston, 1780, and that he was exchanged and resumed service in the Virginia Line. Family historians have asserted that he continued a prisoner of war until 1783. In the sifting of records it is likely that Heitman had access to official records and certainly the fact that he shows service for Capt. William Lewis in 1781 in the Third Virginia Regiment should be given credence and belief beyond the sometimes unauthenticated family records, which were generally written many years later.

In 1769, Capt. William Lewis m. his cousin Lucy Meriwether, a daughter of Thomas Meriwether and Elizabeth Thornton. They lived at “Locust Grove,” near Ivy Depot, Va., and this home is still standing and occupied, 1963. They had four children—only one of whom left descendants.

• Lucy Meriwether is the 1C1R* of Lt. William Lewis

Common Ancestor: Col. Nicholas Meriwether II & Elizabeth Crawford
• Grandparents of Lt. William Lewis
• G Grandparents of Lucy Meriwether

What is source for “bef 12 Nov 1768”?

Lucy and William were married before Nov. 12, 1768. My date is based on the court records. From my earlier e-mail: “On November 12, 1768, the Louisa County Court ordered a final division of Thomas Meriwether’s (M1221) estate since all but one of the children (Mildred) named in his will had reached 21 or married. Therefore Lucy and William married before this date. The division was completed Feb. 16, 1769 and contained the words “Mr. Mw. Lewis Allotment who hath Entermarried with Miss Lucy Merewether.” [GMB]

Military Service, American Revolution

John Marks was a captain of the 10th Virginia regiment 1779.

Dated: 29 Mar 1791
Proved: 30 Oct 1791

Executors: John Gilmer, Nicholas Johnson, Lucy (Meriwether) Marks
Witnesses: Henry Tyler, Thomas Meriwether, William Johnson, Francis Meriwether

Wife: Lucy
Children: John Hastings & Polly Garland Marks
Brother: Peter Marks
Nephews: Hastings and Peter Marks

DEATH
In Dec 1836 Lucy Marks stated that “to the best of my recollection he died in April 1791.”

MARR **Based on deposition by Lucy (Meriwether) Lewis Marks, stating she married Capt. John Marks 13 May 1780. _____ has 13 May 1782. ARR states marriage to Capt. Marks was in 1783.