Children of David

collection for children of david.

M1221 Thomas (1714/15-1756) & Elizabeth (Thornton)

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.

M1222 Francis Meriwether (~1726-~1793) & Mary Waller Lewis

MeriRep: Jared Farish

Book Project: Not assigned.

Metrics: One spouse, 8,791 descendants and in-laws.

Biographical Sketch:

Francis Meriwether, born about 1726, Louisa County, Virginia, died before 12 September 1793, age about 67, near Greenwood, Abbeville County, South Carolina, son of David Meriwether (1690-1744) and Anne Holmes (1695-1735).

Francis Meriwether married 16 January 1749, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, Mary Waller Lewis, born 30 January 1727, Spotsylvania County, Virginia, died July 1807, age about 80, near Greenwood, Abbeville County, South Carolina, daughter of Zachary Lewis (1702-1765) and Mary Waller (1699-1781).

Francis Meriwether and Mary Waller Lewis had seven children:

Capt. John Meriwether, born 12 Mar 1751/2 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, died 31 January 1820 in Abbeville, Ninety-Six District, South Carolina. Married, first, Esther McGehee abt 15 Apr 1771 in Louisa County, Virginia. They had eight children. Esther was born 24 Nov 1753 in Virginia and died 3 March 1807 in Greenwood, Greenwood County, South Carolina; she was the daughter of William McGehee and Elizabeth McCullough. John married, second, Ann Tinsley on 18 Sep 1809 in Louisa County, Virginia. They had four childredn. Ann was born about 1773 and died June 1831 in Abbeville County, South Carolina; she was the daughter of William Tinsley and Jane Geese.

M1223 Nicholas (1720-1758) & Frances (Morton)

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.

M1224 Anne (1721-17??) & Thomas Ballard Smith

MeriRep: Vacant

Book Project: Not yet assigned.

Metrics: One spouse, 1,448 descendants and in-laws.

(This is a poorly researched/documented line and there are thousands of missing descendants! If you research this line, please help us!)

Biographical Sketch:


M1226 David (1716-1772) & Mary Weaver

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.

M1227 James (1729-1801) & (a) Judith H. Burnley and (b) Elizabeth Pollard

MeriRep: M1227a - Susan Lindig; M1227b - Vacant.

Book Project: Not yet assigned.

Metrics: Two spouses, 12,738 descendants and in-laws.

Biographical Sketch:

James Meriwether was born in Hanover County, Virginia on 21 June 1729. James' will and a codicil dated 4 June 1801 bears his signature. Since the will was proved on 13 July 1801, it seems probable that James died in Louisa about June 1801.

James held several positions in both colonial and Revolutionary era America.  In November 1761, he was a Captain in the Louisa County militia. At this time he also acted as surveyor of the Doctor's Road in the same county. He served as a gentleman Justice in colonial Louisa, from 1763 to 8 July 1776, after which time he continued service as a Justice of the commonwealth for Louisa County until 1785. In 1785, he held the position of First Justice.

James received a commission as Lt Col. of the Louisa Militia on 1 November 1772. He rendered material aid to the cause of Independence, and was probably the Col. Meriwether who served as Clerk of the VA Revolutionary Council. Records also indicated that James may have been at Valley Forge.

M1228 William (1730-1790) & Martha Cox Wood

MeriRep: Vacant

Book Project: Not yet assigned.

Metrics: One spouse, 5,343 descendants and in-laws.

Biographical Sketch:

tbd

The descendants of this William and Patty were among the first settlers in Kentucky, some later settling in Indiana, and thence moving to Illinois and to North Missouri. Most of their descendants, however, continue to live near and in Louisville.

A great-grandson, George Wood Meriwether, was an early chronicler of the family and had extensive records, particularly of the Kentucky and Illinois groups.


Copyright ©2020