Matching family tree profiles for Nicholas Meriwether, Sr.
view all 19
Immediate Family
-
-
daughter -
wife -
-
-
daughter -
-
son -
-
daughter
-
son
-
About Nicholas Meriwether, Sr.
The following information is ©2020 by The Meriwether Society, Inc. For more detail on the family of Nicholas Meriwether, please see the Society website: http://MeriwetherSociety.org.
Nicholas Meriwether arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, probably about 1652. The first confirmation of his existence in Virginia was 4 July 1653 when he patented 300 acres of land in Lancaster County. From at least 13 Oct 1653 until 13 Dec 1656, Nicholas served as a clerk of the Quarter Court and Governor’s Council for the Colony in Jamestown. Although many researchers state he was clerk of Surry County, there is no evidence that he was. About 1661, he bought “The Island House” from Elizabeth Kingsmill & her husband Nathaniel Bacon, a relative of the Bacon who started “Bacon’s Rebellion”; a marker on Jamestown Island identifies the “Island House” location today.
Sometime in the 1660’s, after the English monarchy was reestablished, Nicholas bought “Indian Springs” in Surry County and seems to have retired from public office to pursue land speculation and tobacco production and shipping. Since his entire government career was during the reign of Cromwell and he ceased upon restoration of the throne, this seems to contradict those who claim Nicholas was one of the “Cavaliers”, supporters of the Crown who came to the Colony to escape persecution.
Recent research has tried, without success, to determine if Nicholas came to Virginia in 1652 as part of the Parliamentary fleet that forced the surrender of Virginia to the Cromwellian government. This would certainly explain his appearance in 1653 as a clerk of the Quarter Court and subsequent years working for the colonial government.
The birth date of Nicholas was derived from an affidavit in which he stated his age, and a newly discovered 1631 christening record. His death date was supposedly found in the bible of Nicholas Meriwether II, in possession of descendants in Louisville, Ky, in the late 1800’s. Efforts to locate this bible in the late 1900’s have failed. Documents created in the mid 1800’s, 200 years after Nicholas was in the Colonies, refer to him, or possibly his son, Nicholas II, as “The Welshman”. No evidence has been found to indicate that he was from Wales, however. Prior to 2024, nothing had been found to track him to a particular location in England, either; efforts to locate Nicholas in Kent or Wiltshire, where many English Meriwether families are found, were not successful.
The 1631 christening record places Nicholas' place of birth in Norfolk!
We know that when Nicholas died, his wife's name was Elizabeth, as she was appointed Executrix of his estate. The maiden name of Elizabeth is not known, though most Meriwether genealogies since 1899 have stated that she was, or is believed to have been, Elizabeth Woodhouse. Although some claim that she is the daughter of Henry Woodhouse of Lynnhaven Parish, this is not possible, as Henry's daughter Elizabeth married Giles Collins. There is some speculation that she was the daughter of Thomas Woodhouse of Jamestown, but there is no evidence that Thomas was even married, much less that he had a daughter named Elizabeth. At this time The Meriwether Society does not recognize "Woodhouse" as her maiden name, though it remains a possibility. Other possible names are May and Williams. Volume I, The Colonists, will have a detailed analysis of the research leading to this policy.
A careful reading of the will of Henry Hartwell also indicates that Nicholas was probably married twice, with Elizabeth being the second wife and mother of the last five children, starting with Nicholas II. It seems probable that the oldest child of Nicholas I, also named Elizabeth, had a different mother. Again, Volume I, The Colonists will discuss this in detail. For now, the following is the official policy of The Meriwether Society regarding the family of Nicholas Meriwether:
About 1660, Nicholas married an unknown woman and they had the following child:
1. Elizabeth (M11)
About 1665, Nicholas married Elizabeth (?) and they had the following children:
1. Nicholas II (M12)
2. Francis II (M13)
3. Jane (M14)
4. Thomas (M15)
5. William (M16)
https://archive.org/stream/jstor-1922659/1922659#page/n7/mode/2up
https://familysearch.org/tree/person/9CCB-Z1F/details?spouse=L44T-R6D A Thomas Meriwether, merchant, of Bristol & London, had business dealings with Nicholas and it was at one time believed he could be a brother or uncle. Evidence found in 2004 no longer supports this. See the webpages of The Meriwether Society for more current information on this family. http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~meriweth/ Additional links provide additional resources. Be sure to check under "Resources" and then "Family Groups"
Birth: 1631 Death: Dec. 19, 1678 Virginia, USA
Nicholas Meriwether arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, probably about 1652, though no record of him being transported has been located. The first confirmation of his existence in the colony was 4 July 1653 when he patented 300 acres of land in Lancaster County. From at least 13 Oct 1653 until 13 Dec 1656, Nicholas served as a clerk of the Quarter Court and Governor's Council for the Colony in Jamestown. Although many researchers state he was clerk of Surry County, there is no evidence that he was. About 1661, he bought the "Island House" plantation on Jamestown Island from Elizabeth Kingsmill & her husband Nathaniel Bacon, an uncle of the Nathaniel Bacon who started "Bacon's Rebellion"; a marker on Jamestown Island identifies the "Island House" location today. Near the "Island House" location Meriwether built a tobacco barn to support his growing tobacco export business.
He was living on his farm in Surry county around the time of his death, and is probably buried there. He also had a plantation in Jamestowne, "Island House", and may have died and been buried there.
Note: A link has been added below for an Elizabeth Woodhouse as his wife. This is not supported by research by The Meriwether Society. Nicholas married twice. His first wife was mother of Elizabeth (Meriwether) Clough Clements; her name is unknown but suspected to be Elizabeth. The second wife was definitely named Elizabeth and she was mother of Nicholas II, Francis II, Jane, Thomas and William. After Nicholas died in 1678, Elizabeth married Col. William Browne and had a daughter, also named Elizabeth.
Family links:
Spouses:
Elizabeth ? Meriwether (____ - 1663)
Elizabeth Browne (1638 - 1695)
Elizabeth Woodhouse Meriwether (1638 - 1678)*
Children:
Nicholas Meriwether (1665 - 1744)*
Francis Meriwether (1667 - 1713)*
*Calculated relationship
Note: TMSI [1]
Burial: Unknown
Created by: The Meriwether Society, ... Record added: Oct 18, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 60281781
view all 20
Nicholas Meriwether, Sr.'s Timeline
| 1631 |
August 9, 1631
|
St Mary and All Saints Church, Walksingham, Norfolk, England
|
|
|
1631
|
Norfolk, England
|
||
| 1649 |
1649
Age 18
|
Williamsburg, Va
|
|
|
1649
Age 18
|
Wales
|
||
| 1656 |
1656
|
Surry County, Virginia Colony, Colonial America
|
|
| 1667 |
October 26, 1667
|
New Kent County , Colony of Virginia, British Colonial America
|
|
|
1667
|
James City County, or, Surry County, Virginia, Colonial America
|