MeriRep: Janet Reinhart
Book Project: Not yet assigned.
Metrics: One spouse, 11,700+ descendants identified.
Biographical Sketch:
Jane (M128), born abt 1705 in New Kent County, is the eighth child and fourth daughter of Nicholas Meriwether II and Elizabeth Crafford/Crawford. Nothing is known of her childhood.
About 1725, Jane married Robert Lewis (abt 1704-1765), son of Councilor John Lewis (1669-1725) of Warner Hall and his wife Elizabeth Warner (1672-1719) the daughter of Augustine Warner II and his wife Mildred Read/Reade. Mildred Reade is the daughter of George Reade and Elizabeth Martiau, whose father Nicholas Martiau (The adventurous Huguenot) is a founder of Yorktown.
After their marriage, Jane and Robert resided on Robert Lewis’ property “Chemokins”, in St. Peters Parish, where their first several children were born.
About 1730, Jane and Robert Lewis immigrated to her father, Nicholas Meriwether II’s property in what would become Albemarle County about 1744. The eventual Lewis plantation was named “Belvoir.”
Their known children are:
1. John (1726-1788)
2. Jane (1727/8- bef 1775)
3. Elizabeth (1729- bef Sep 1757)
4. Anne (abt 1731-??)
5. Mary (abt 1732-1813)
6. Nicholas (1733/4-1808) (Guardian of Capt. Meriwether Lewis)
7. Charles (abt 1735-1779)
8. William (abt 1736-1779) (Father of Capt. Meriwether Lewis)
9. Mildred (1737-1825)
10. Robert (abt 1739-abt 1781)
11. Isabella (bef 1743-bef Sep 1757)
12. Sarah (abt 1745-?)
Note that there are wide variations published on these birth dates and the birth order of the children and the Society has not verified the accuracy of any. This version is our current best guess, based on some preliminary research and a review of existing Lewis genealogies. We hope to have this better documented for Volume I, but are dependent upon you, gentle reader and fellow researchers, to help us identify these dates and other important events.
Jane died before Sep 1757 in Albemarle County, probably at “Belvoir.” About 1758, Robert Lewis married Elizabeth (Thornton) Meriwether, widow of Jane’s nephew, Thomas Meriwether (M1221). There were no children by this marriage and Robert died before December 1765, when his will was proved. (Robert was the paternal grandfather and Elizabeth was the maternal grandmother of Capt. Meriwether Lewis. The Meriwethers & Lewises of the day liked to keep family connections close.)
The graves of both Jane Meriwether and Robert Lewis are unknown but it is supposed they were buried on the "Belvoir" property.