The Meriwether Society, Inc.

MeriRep: Keith Vanstone

Book Project: Not assigned.

Metrics: One spouse, 28,571 descendants and in-laws.

Biographical Sketch:

Thomas Meriwether, b. 1714/15 (fourth generation) was a large landowner and prominent in local politics in Virginia, being one of the Justices of Louisa County, and he numbered among his friends Peter Jefferson, father of Thomas Jefferson; Col. Robert Lewis who married Jane Meriwether; and Dr. Thomas Walker, who married his cousin Nicholas Meriwether's widow: Mildred Thornton, and who was also the sister of his wife Elizabeth Thornton.

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.

MeriRep: Meriwether (Cowgill) Schmid

Book Project: Not yet assigned.

Metrics: One spouse, 3,292 descendants and in-laws.

Biographical Sketch:

Nicholas Meriwether, b. Feb. 11, 1719/20, d. May 3, 1758. He m. Frances Morton about 1740. After his death she married Samuel Pryor. Frances Morton was listed as "Mary Frances Pryor" in Louisa H. A. Minor's genealogy in 1892. I cannot account for the Mary—but Miss Minor had given her the "Pryor" name as an understandable con- fusion of the records furnished her by members of the family in Maryland—who had not made clear that as the widow of Nicholas Meriwether (1719-1758) she had married Samuel Pryor Aug. 27, 1760. He died July 26, 1765. She was a sister of Joseph Morton and a half-sister of John Morton Jordan. Frances Morton by her marriage to Nicholas Meriwether had eight children, and by her second marriage she had one son. There is evidence that the estate she inherited from her husband Nicholas Meriwether was dissipated, as well as her inheritance from her half-brother John Morton Jordan. Later in life a trust fund was established by her Meriwether children for her support. From some sources in Kentucky it is asserted that Frances (Morton) Meriwether, as Mrs. Samuel Pryor, lived in Kentucky for a short period, but this has not been substantiated. However, it is certain that some of her grandchildren did settle in Kentucky, after the ill-fated attempt of her son George to emigrate to that state.

MeriRep: Meredith (Carter) Patterson & Rebecca Ann Meriwether

Book Project: Not assigned.

Metrics: One spouse, 2,131 descendants and in-laws.

Biographical Sketch:

David was a mariner, eventually becoming a ship’s captain sailing between Virginia and Bristol, England. He married in England and lived both there and in Virginia. He died at sea.