Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Nicholas Meriwether, Sr.

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Descendants of Nicholas Meriwether, Sr.

Generation No. 1

1. Nicholas¹ Meriwether, Sr.¹ was born 1631 in Great Britain¹, and died 19 Dec 1678 in Jamestown or Surry County, Virginia¹. He married Elizabeth Woodhouse¹ ¹. She was born 1638¹, and died ¹.

Notes for Nicholas Meriwether, Sr.:
Biographical Sketch:

Nicholas Meriwether arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, probably about 1652. The first confirmation of his existence in Virginia 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 forced 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.

We know that when Nicholas died, his wife's name was Elizabeth, as she was appointed Executrix of his estate. The maiden name of Elizabeth is not known, though most Meriwether genealogies since 1899 have stated that she was, or is believed to have been, Elizabeth Woodhouse. Although some claim that she is the daughter of Henry Woodhouse of Lynnhaven Parish, this is not possible, as Henry's daughter Elizabeth married Giles Collins. There is some speculation that she was the daughter of Thomas Woodhouse of Jamestown, but there is no evidence that Thomas was even married, much less that he had a daughter named Elizabeth. At this time The Meriwether Society does not recognize "Woodhouse" as her maiden name, though it remains a possibility. Other possible names are May and Williams. Volume I, The Colonists, will have a detailed analysis of the research leading to this policy.

A careful reading of the will of Henry Hartwell also indicates that Nicholas was probably married twice, with Elizabeth being the second wife and mother of the last five children, starting with Nicholas II. It seems probable that the oldest child of Nicholas I, also named Elizabeth, had a different mother. Again, Volume I, The Colonists will discuss this in detail. For now, the following is the official policy of The Meriwether Society regarding the family of Nicholas Meriwether:
From: The Meriwether Society Inc.
@ <http://meriwethersociety.org/>
06 Dec 2006 by mkl

Children of Nicholas Meriwether and Elizabeth Woodhouse are:

+	2	i.	Elizabeth² Meriwether, born Abt. 1662 in Virginia; died Bef. 1703 in Virginia.
+	3	ii.	Nicholas Meriwether, Jr., born 26 Oct 1665 in Jamestown Island, James City, Va; died 12 Dec 1744 in , Louisa Co., Virginia.
+	4	iii.	Francis Meriwether II, born Abt. 1670 in , Surrey Co., Virginia; died Bef. 09 Apr 1713 in "Bathurst", Essex County, Virginia.
+	5	iv.	Thomas Meriwether, born Abt. 1672 in Jamestown, Virginia; died Abt. 15 Jan 1708/09 in Tappahannock, Essex County, Virginia.
	6	v.	William Meriwether ², born Aft. 17 Jun 1678²; died Bef. 05 Mar 1694/95².

Notes for William Meriwether:
http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=tmsidb0&id=I118

On 21 April, 1695, Captain Francis Clements, his wife, Elizabeth Meriwether Clements, and Nicholas Meriwether II applied for letters of administration of William's estate.

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