Meriwether Lewis - Politician, Timeline and Family
Meriwether Lewis's Personal Details
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, politician and soldier
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | August 18, 1774 |
| Died on | October 11, 1809 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Alcoholics, Leaders, Political Leaders, Explorers, Politician |
| Universities |
|
| Cause of death |
|
| Birth Place | Ivy, Colony of Virginia |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Lt. William Lewis of Locust Hill |
| Mother | Lucy Meriwether |
| Sun Sign | Leo |
| Born in | Ivy, Colony of Virginia |
| Famous as | Explorer, Politician |
| Died at Age | 35 |
// Famous Politician
Sebastian Coe
Sebastian Coe is a British former track and field athlete turned politician. This biography of Sebastian Coe provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Stephen Lewis
Stephen Lewis is a Canadian politician, broadcaster, diplomat and professor. This biography profiles his childhood, career, works, life, achievements and timeline.
Oswald Mosley
Sir Oswald Ernald Mosley was a British politician known for his pro-fascist beliefs. This biography profiles his childhood, family, personal life, opinions, career, etc.
Meriwether Lewis's photo
Who is Meriwether Lewis?
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, politician and soldier. He is renowned for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The purpose of the expedition was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase (Louisiana territory acquired by the United States from France in 1803) and establish trade with and sovereignty over the natives and claim the Oregon Country and Pacific Northwest for the U.S. before the European countries. This expedition also aimed at gaining valued information about geographic nature of the region by collecting scientific data and knowledge about natives including flora and fauna. After his successful expedition, he was appointed as the Governor of Upper Louisiana by President Thomas Jefferson in 1806. ‘Lewis and Clark Exposition dollars’ made of gold were minted and postage stamps were issued to honour both Lewis and Clark. Many plants and their subspecies have been named after him. Geographic locations including Lewis County, Tennessee, and Lewis County, Washington, academic institutions and several US Navy vessels were also named after him as a mark of honour.
// Famous Political Leaders
Edi Rama
Edi Rama is the current Prime Minister of Albania. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the current President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.
Leo Varadkar
Cam Leo Varadkar is the current Taoiseach—the Prime Minister—of the Republic of Ireland. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts about his life.
Childhood & Early Life
Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia, in the Lewis family estate in Locust Hill to Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether Lewis as their first son and second child.
His father served in the Continental Army as a lieutenant and died of pneumonia in November 1779 while his mother was a famous herb doctor. His parents were originally cousins. The family had good relation with Thomas Jefferson’s family since long and Jefferson knew Lewis since his childhood.
After six months of his father’s death, his mother married Captain John Marks, a retired army officer.
In May 1780 his mother and stepfather moved to Georgia along with their three children and settled in the Goosepond Community in Wilkes County, (now known as Oglethorpe County), along the Broad River. They managed a 1,000 acre plantation.
John Hastings Marks, his half-brother was born in 1785 and Mary Garland Marks, his half-sister was born in 1788.
Till 12 years of age Meriwether Lewis did not have any formal education but was interested in enhancing his skill as a hunter often venturing out for hunting with his dog at mid-night. He was an outdoorsman from a young age and would be curious about natural history. Often encouraged and taught by his mother he learnt how to collect wild herbs of high medicinal qualities.
His parents sent him to Virginia at the age of 13 where he was taught by Matthew Maury and Parsons William Douglos. Nicholas Lewis, his father’s elder brother became his guardian. He was also taught by Dr. Charles Everitt but later in 1790 shifted to Rev. James Waddell.
He graduated in 1793 from ‘Liberty Hall’ (now known as ‘Washington and Lee University’).
He managed and developed the Locust Hill estate observing and maintaining the flora and fauna. His mother along with his half siblings came back to Locust Hill following the death of John Marks in 1792.
Career
In 1794 he was appointed in the Virginia Militia and sent in a detachment to control the Whiskey Rebellion.
In 1795 he was appointed as an Ensign (equivalent to present day Lieutenant) by the U.S. Army. He served the Frontier Army for six years and became a captain in 1800. William Clark his companion in the famous ‘Lewis and Clark Expedition’ was his commanding officer at Fort Greenville.
On 1st April 1801, President Jefferson inducted him as personal secretary. Lewis was a staunch Republican as President Jefferson.
Jefferson chose Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition of the Pacific Northwest lands near the Missouri River in the west of Mississippi. The Congress gave its consent for the expedition in 1803 making it the first transcontinental military exploration initiated by the U.S. government.
Jefferson was the first person who taught him about navigation. He later went to Philadelphia to learn from skilled cartographers and astronomers.
Lewis chose Clark as his companion to share command with him in the expedition. A French-Canadian fur trader’s wife Sacagawea, who was a Shoshone Indian woman, accompanied them.
The purpose of this expedition was to explore the territory and set up commerce with the natives and establish the United States’ sovereignty over the region ahead of the European countries.
The expedition revealed that Native Americans were used to trading with European traders and were linked with global markets.
In November 1805, their expedition reached the Oregon Country (a disputed land beyond the Louisiana Purchase) and the Pacific Ocean.
In 1806 they returned from the expedition. The success of this mission helped to strengthen the American concept of "Manifest destiny" - the idea that the United States was destined to reach all the way across North America from Atlantic to Pacific. He was rewarded 1,600 acres of land at the end of the expedition.
President Jefferson made him the governor of Upper Louisiana Territory in March 1807. His indulgence in alcohol consumption and delay to take responsibility as governor strained his relations with Jefferson. After a full year of appointment he went to St. Louis in March 1808.
On September 3, 1809, Lewis set out for Washington, D.C. to resolve issues regarding the denied payment of drafts he had drawn against the War Department in his capacity as governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory.
Achievements
His contributions to science, the exploration of the Western U.S., and the lore of great world explorers, are considered incalculable.
The 1803 Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States. Lewis along with Clark described and sketched the flora and fauna of the region and described the native inhabitants.
Personal Life & Legacy
On 11th October, 1809, at the predawn hours, Meriwether Lewis was found dead in Tennessee at the Grinder’s Inn succumbing to gunshot wounds. The cause of his death still remains a mystery. He was buried near Grinder’s Stand.
In 1848, a monument was erected over his grave by the State of Tennessee.
Trivia
To honour Lewis and Clark for their expedition, gold ‘Lewis and Clark Exposition dollars’ were minted for the ‘Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition’.
On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of ‘Lewis and Clark expedition’, two commemorative USPS stamps, showing portraits of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, were released on May 14, 2004.
The plant genus Lewisia, which includes the bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva), along with Lewis' woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) and the westslope cutthroat (Oncorhynchus clarki lewisi) is named after Lewis.
Three US Navy vessels (the SS Meriwether Lewis, USS Lewis and Clark and USNS Lewis and Clark) have been named in honour of Lewis.
// Famous Leaders
Edi Rama
Edi Rama is the current Prime Minister of Albania. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee clan. This biography profiles his childhood, life and timeline.
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan
Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the current President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Check out this biography to know about his birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about him.
Meriwether Lewis biography timelines
- // 18th Aug 1774Meriwether Lewis was born on August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia, in the Lewis family estate in Locust Hill to Lt. William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether Lewis as their first son and second child.
- // Nov 1779His father served in the Continental Army as a lieutenant and died of pneumonia in November 1779 while his mother was a famous herb doctor. His parents were originally cousins. The family had good relation with Thomas Jefferson’s family since long and Jefferson knew Lewis since his childhood.
- // May 1780In May 1780 his mother and stepfather moved to Georgia along with their three children and settled in the Goosepond Community in Wilkes County, (now known as Oglethorpe County), along the Broad River. They managed a 1,000 acre plantation.
- // 1785 To 1788John Hastings Marks, his half-brother was born in 1785 and Mary Garland Marks, his half-sister was born in 1788.
- // 1790His parents sent him to Virginia at the age of 13 where he was taught by Matthew Maury and Parsons William Douglos. Nicholas Lewis, his father’s elder brother became his guardian. He was also taught by Dr. Charles Everitt but later in 1790 shifted to Rev. James Waddell.
- // 1792He managed and developed the Locust Hill estate observing and maintaining the flora and fauna. His mother along with his half siblings came back to Locust Hill following the death of John Marks in 1792.
- // 1793He graduated in 1793 from ‘Liberty Hall’ (now known as ‘Washington and Lee University’).
- // 1794In 1794 he was appointed in the Virginia Militia and sent in a detachment to control the Whiskey Rebellion.
- // 1795 To 1800In 1795 he was appointed as an Ensign (equivalent to present day Lieutenant) by the U.S. Army. He served the Frontier Army for six years and became a captain in 1800. William Clark his companion in the famous ‘Lewis and Clark Expedition’ was his commanding officer at Fort Greenville.
- // 1st Apr 1801On 1st April 1801, President Jefferson inducted him as personal secretary. Lewis was a staunch Republican as President Jefferson.
- // 1803Jefferson chose Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition of the Pacific Northwest lands near the Missouri River in the west of Mississippi. The Congress gave its consent for the expedition in 1803 making it the first transcontinental military exploration initiated by the U.S. government.
- // 1803The 1803 Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the United States. Lewis along with Clark described and sketched the flora and fauna of the region and described the native inhabitants.
- // Nov 1805In November 1805, their expedition reached the Oregon Country (a disputed land beyond the Louisiana Purchase) and the Pacific Ocean.
- // 1806In 1806 they returned from the expedition. The success of this mission helped to strengthen the American concept of "Manifest destiny" - the idea that the United States was destined to reach all the way across North America from Atlantic to Pacific. He was rewarded 1,600 acres of land at the end of the expedition.
- // Mar 1807 To Mar 1808President Jefferson made him the governor of Upper Louisiana Territory in March 1807. His indulgence in alcohol consumption and delay to take responsibility as governor strained his relations with Jefferson. After a full year of appointment he went to St. Louis in March 1808.
- // 3rd Sep 1809On September 3, 1809, Lewis set out for Washington, D.C. to resolve issues regarding the denied payment of drafts he had drawn against the War Department in his capacity as governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory.
- // 11th Oct 1809On 11th October, 1809, at the predawn hours, Meriwether Lewis was found dead in Tennessee at the Grinder’s Inn succumbing to gunshot wounds. The cause of his death still remains a mystery. He was buried near Grinder’s Stand.
- // 1848In 1848, a monument was erected over his grave by the State of Tennessee.
- // 14th May 2004On the occasion of the 200th anniversary of ‘Lewis and Clark expedition’, two commemorative USPS stamps, showing portraits of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, were released on May 14, 2004.
// Famous Alcoholics
Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams was one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century. This biography of Tennessee Williams provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works and timeline.
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson is a former heavyweight boxing champion, known for his ferocious and intimidating style. Read this biography to know about his life, profile & timeline.
Keith Urban
Keith Urban is a Grammy Award winning country music singer and guitarist. This biography of Keith Urban provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Stevie Ray Vaughan
Stevie Ray Vaughan was an American guitarist, musician, singer and songwriter and the founding member of the band ‘Double Trouble’. This biography profiles his childhood, music career, life, achievements and timeline.
Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne is a famous vocalist and songwriter. This biography of Chris Ozzy Osbourne provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Cat Stevens
Cat Stevens is a British singer-songwriter who spends a lot of his time in philanthropic and educational causes for the Muslim society. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Meriwether Lewis's FAQ
What is Meriwether Lewis birthday?
Meriwether Lewis was born at 1774-08-18
When was Meriwether Lewis died?
Meriwether Lewis was died at 1809-10-11
Where was Meriwether Lewis died?
Meriwether Lewis was died in Hohenwald, Tennessee
Which age was Meriwether Lewis died?
Meriwether Lewis was died at age 35
Where is Meriwether Lewis's birth place?
Meriwether Lewis was born in Ivy, Colony of Virginia
What is Meriwether Lewis nationalities?
Meriwether Lewis's nationalities is American
What was Meriwether Lewis universities?
Meriwether Lewis studied at Liberty Hall (Washington and Lee University)
What is Meriwether Lewis's cause of dead?
Meriwether Lewis dead because of Suicide
Who is Meriwether Lewis's father?
Meriwether Lewis's father is Lt. William Lewis of Locust Hill
Who is Meriwether Lewis's mother?
Meriwether Lewis's mother is Lucy Meriwether
What is Meriwether Lewis's sun sign?
Meriwether Lewis is Leo
How famous is Meriwether Lewis?
Meriwether Lewis is famouse as Explorer, Politician