MeriRep: Margie (Whalen) Meyer
Book Project: Not yet assigned - no volunteers.
Metrics: One spouse, 3,429 descendants and in-laws identified.
Biographical Sketch:
William Meriwether was the first son of Nicholas II and Elizabeth Crawford, born about 1688. While the first son was usually named for his paternal grandfather, in this case Nicholas I had died while Nicholas II was quite young and the family had been raised by William Browne, who had married Nicholas I's widow, Elizabeth. So it seems likely that William Meriwether was named for William Browne (though it should be noted that Nicholas II also had a younger brother named Wiliam).
William was a burgess in 1734-1740. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Bushrod, of Westmoreland county.
William and his brother David were bequeathed land from their grandfather David Crawford. William laid out the town of Newcastle on his property and at one time it was being considered to replace Williamsburg as the state capital, though eventually lost out to Richmond.