Birth
Robert was born sometime before 4 May 1704, when he was christened at Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County, Virginia. Other sources have him being baptized in Aug 1704. Other references have him born as early as 1700.

Death
The exact date of Robert’s death is not known. His will, dated 1 Sep 1757, was proved in Louisa County on 21 Dec 1765.

Burial
Robert’s burial place is unknown, though it seems likely he was buried at his plantation, “Belvoir”. The web site Findagrave has a Memorial for Robert at “Belvoir”, but no marker exists for Robert at the present graveyard.

Other references:
Robert is frequently mentioned in documents concerning land transactions by Nicholas Meriwether II and was named as an Executor of Nicholas II’s will.

Elizabeth (Crawford) Meriwether identifies him as a son-in-law in her will dated 2 Mar 1753. She appoints him the executor of her estate and bequeaths a share of the estate to him.

^BIRTH **AF has 1701/1702; MEM & ARR have 1702; NHM has 1704.
^CHR **From ??; STLA has 4 May 1702.
^MARR MOSVR. Series 1 v4 p158?
^DEATH HDS-115.4 has 1757

American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) about Robert Lewis
Name: Robert Lewis
Birth Date: 1700
Birthplace: Virginia,
Volume: 103
Page Number: 489
Biographical Info: col.
Reference: Seldens of Va. & allied fams. By Mary S. Kennedy. New York [1911] (2v.):91, 94

———
An act of the assembly dated Oct 1764 allowed Robert to sell “Chomokins”.

———
Check on Albemarle probate date: 11 or 13 September 1766?

“Colonel Robert Lewis, “of Belvoir,” who married Jane Meriwether. He was a man of forceful character and conspicuous in the Indian warfare of his day, yet in peace so wise and calm that he was looked upon as the umpire of his county. His estate, “Belvoir,” was a part of the 11,000 acres granted by George the Second to Nicholas Meriwether, his wife’s grand father.” 79

The birth order of the children for Robert and Jane is not well documented and the order shown is based on a number of conflicting sources.

1. On 27 April 1734 Robert Lewis gave slaves to his children listed in the following order: John, Nicholas, Elizabeth, Jane and Anna (It is possible that he was naming sons first and then daughters as he did in bequeathing land in his will).

2. The following are mention in the will of Nicholas Meriwether II, signed 12 Dec 1743: Nicholas, Mary, Mildred, Robert Jr., Isabellar, and Jane.

3. In Robert's will dated 1 September 1757, he lists his living children: John, Jane, Ann, Nicholas, Mary, Mildred, Robert, Charles, William and Sarah. Not mentioned are Elizabeth who is dead and Isabella (same as Elizabeth?).

(NOTE: This reference seems to be incorrect. Was this the 1734 deed of NMII to Robert Lewis and his children, in which case the first Robert mentioned below is Robert Sr., husband of Jane Meriwether?)

4. James Warren...b. c. 1700, in Essex Co, Va., was in Goochland as early as 1734, being a witness to a deed of Robert Lewis to his children. Robert Lewis deeded to his children land bought from his father-in-law, Nicholas Meriwether - children named ROBERT, JOHN, NICHOLAS, ELIZABETH, JANE AND ANNA LEWIS.

Hanover B. 1733-35, p. 54, 25 Apr. 1734.

Please note that Robert was listed first (1724?), and that Charles was not mentioned. We know that John was born in 1725, and Nicholas was born in 1728. Would there be a reason for Robert to be listed first if he was not the first-born?

This would also mean that the marriage date of Jane Meriwether and Robert Lewis should be c 1723. (Respectfully submitted, Anne Glover 13 Jul 1997)


NHM Children:
1. John (1726–?)
2. Nicholas (1728–1807) [NM2]
3. Charles (1729–?)
4. William (1730–1780)
5. Mary (1735–?) [NM2]
6. Robert (1738–?) [NM2]
7. Jane (1740–?) [NM2]
8. Ann (1742–?)
9. Mildred (1744–?) [NM2 so born before 12 Dec 1743]
10 Sarah (1748–?)
11 Elizabeth (1750–?)

Not named:
12. Isabellar [NM2]

NM2 Will (1743):
Children of Mr. Robert Lewis, Son in Law
Lewis, Nicholas; grandson
Lewis, Mary; granddaughter
Lewis, Mildred; granddaughter
Lewis, Robert; grandson
Lewis, Isabellar; granddaughter
Lewis, Jane; granddaughter

1757 Will of Robert Lewis:
John,
Jane,
Ann,
Nicholas,
Mary,
Mildred,
Robert,
Charles,
William and
Sarah

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.”

After the death of Thomas Meriwether, Elizabeth married Col. Robert Lewis, the widower of Jane Meriwether. They had no children.

Summary of Will of Elizabeth (Thornton) Meriwether Lewis

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.

Will of Elizabeth Thornton Meriwether Lewis 64

I Elizabeth Lewis of the Parish of Fredericksville and County of Albemarle make my Last will & Testament in manner following. I give to my Daughter Jane Merewether all my Estate Real and Personal & mixt(?) hereby meaning to pass Everything which I have reserved(?) to her and her heirs for Ever which bequest I make to her in Consideration of her having been praetermotted in her fathers will and so not Entitled to any part of his Estate and I anex to the Bequest this Condition, that if She or any other person in her Name or right Shall Institute any Legal power for the Recovery of any part of her fathers Estate From her Brothers & Sisters or any person Claiming under them, that then the above Estate which I have bequeathed her, shall go first to Replace whatever she may Recover to the person from whom she Recovers it and the Residue to all my Sons and Daughters, Except the said Jane or to their Representatives if any of them be dead such Representatives, being to take Only the proportion their parent Would have taken if living, and I further Require her as soon as she attains her Age of Twenty One years, to Execute Such Instruments of Release as Shall be Sufficient in Law to barr any right She may have to any part of her fathers Estate, I Empower my Executors to Sell my Slave Will Beck if they think proper and also any other part of my Estate except my other Slaves. Lastly I appoint my sons Francis and David Meriwether and my Son in Law Thomas Johnson Executors of this my will

Elizabeth Lewis
Signed in the presence of the Testratrice by
Chas Lewis, Robert Cobbs, Wm Lewis, John Wood, John Gilmer

At Albemarle October Court 1774
This will was presented to Court and proved by the Oath of Two Witnesses thereto & Ordered to be Recorded, and on the Motion of Francis Meriwether and Thomas Johnson Executors therein named (something crossed out) Oath(?) According to Law Certificate was granted them for Obtaining a probat in due form on their giving Security where upon they entered into Bond with William Lewis and John Gilmer their Securitys and Acknowledged it Accordingly
Teste
John Nichols Clk

In her will, she leaves her estate to daughter Jane Meriwether “because of her having been praetermotted in her father’s will.” Thomas’ will was written before Jane was born and apparently did not add a codicil for his unborn child. Elizabeth was very definite that Jane was not to try to get anything her father left.

^NAME **SLH has Elizabeth Taliaferro Thornton. Source?
^BIRTH-DEATH **SLH has Louisa Co.

Elizabeth Thornton 62

[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 mother of Elizabeth and Mildred Thornton (both of whom married a Meriwether) was Mary Taliaferro who married Francis Thornton, Sr. The name Taliaferro has been subject to great abuse in its pronunciation by historians, members of the family who bear the name, and by the general public. The original pronunciation was “Tal-ya’-ferro,” but it is today generally pronounced as “Tolliver,” but at least its orthography is still Taliaferro. It seems a shame that a really beautiful gem like Tal-ya’-ferro should be rendered as Tolliver. O tempora! O mores! It is my hope that the gentle lecture here will induce those using this musical nomenclature, at least as to spelling, to pronounce it as it so justly deserves to be.

Robert and Elizabeth signed a prenuptial agreement 4 October 1759, which was subsequently recorded in Louisa County on 26 May 1761.