Capt. Francis Meriwether

http://hdhdata.org/roots/c0044.html

Gentleman of Essex County.

Francis Meriwether was born about 1667 in Surry County or James City, the second son and child of Nicholas Meriwether (M1) and Elizabeth _______. Not much is known about his early life except that he appeared in Surry County tithable list in 1688. He inherited the "Island House" on Jamestown Island when his father died in 1678 and may have lived there at some point. It is said that he was educated in England. While this cannot be verified, the records show that he was well versed in the law. He appeared in the newly formed Essex County as the first Essex County Clerk in April 1692 and served in that position until 1703. He also served as county justice, coroner and burgess. He died intestate about March 1712/13. His estate inventory was over 6 pages and included 54 slaves and 6 indentured servants.

By 1704 Francis was the second largest landholder in Essex County and he continued adding to his holdings until his death, including 5 lots in the new town of Tappahannock. He lived in, at least, two places in Essex County, the last of which was on Piscataway Creek, where, later, Bathurst House was built. Francis also owned a brig or brigantine, an ocean going vessel which he probably used to transport tobacco to England and to bring merchandize to Virginia.

Francis married, by 1695, Mary Bathurst daughter of Lancelot Bathurst of Gloucestershire County, England and New Kent County, Virginia. They had the following children: Francis, Mary, Elizabeth, Jane, Lucy and Thomas. Francis and Thomas left no descendants but the four daughters all left descendants including some most distinguished ones.

Guy Meriwether Benson, The Meriwether Society, Inc.

From Find A Grave contributor CL Hileman

In a search for the grave of Francis Meriwether a graver responded with the following: Apparently there was an upper and a lower Piscataway church. The Lower church is, I think now, Mt. Zion Baptist Church. I searched there with no luck but many un-readable (grave markers) I have been able to find the approx location of the Upper church but no one that I have talked to knows about a Cemetery.

Family links:

Parents:

 Nicholas Meriwether (1631 - 1678)

 Elizabeth Browne (1638 - 1695)

Spouse:

 Mary Bathurst Robinson (1675 - 1738)

Children:

 Elizabeth Meriwether Bolling*

 Francis Meriwether*

 Mary Meriwether Belfield (1696 - 1750)*

Sibling:

 Nicholas Meriwether (1665 - 1744)*

 Francis Meriwether (1667 - 1713)

*Calculated relationship

Note: TMSI [116]

Burial: Piscataway Church Cemetery Essex County Virginia, USA

Maintained by: The Meriwether Society, ... Originally Created by: Kaaren Crail Vining Record added: Jul 15, 2006 Find A Grave Memorial# 14946569

GEDCOM Source

@R-894037715@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=87093837&pid...