The Meriwether Society, Inc.

As explained in the Organization section, the Society has identified smaller Family Group units to better focus attention of social and research activities to specific targets. Each new member of the Society is assigned to the Family Group(s) from which they descend and are encouraged to work with the group's Family Group Rep (MeriRep) to help expand the Society's information about the descendants.

Most of the social Family Groups are third or fourth generation Meriwethers known to have living descendants. Some of the groups, such as for Nicholas I (M1), Nicholas II (M12) and David (M122) are for research purposes only, as they have so many descendants that the fourth generation children each qualified to be a separate group. Those individuals who died without descendants are not assigned active FGRs.

If you know the Family Group to which you descend, click the link to find detailed information about the group, its assigned FGR and assistants, goals, and status of book projects, if any.

Help Needed

Separate web pages have been created for each Family Group, identifying the Family Group Rep, the book volume planned to publish updated information about that group, metrics showing the number of descendants and spouses in the TMSI Research Database (add 10% for parents of spouses, which appear when known), and a biographical sketch of the Family Group members (parents and children). Note that we are missing many such sketches and request the help of volunteers who would like to write up a short biographical sketch for us. Also note that we are missing some Family Group Reps and volunteers to help design and create the books. Contact us if you would like to help. 

Family Group Numbers - First Four Generations

M1 Nicholas Meriwether I (1631-1678) & (a) [Unknown] and (b) Elizabeth [Unknown]

M11 Elizabeth Meriwether (1657/66-<1700) & (a) Rev. John Clough and (b) Francis Clements

M12 Nicholas Meriwether II (1665-1744) & Elizabeth Crafford

M121 William Meriwether (ca.1688-1756?) & Elizabeth Bushrod

M122 David Meriwether (1690-1744) & Anne Holmes

M1221 Thomas Meriwether (1714/15-1756) & Elizabeth Thornton

M1222 Francis Meriwether (1726-1793) & Mary Waller Lewis

M1223 Nicholas Meriwether (1720-1758) & Frances Morton

M1224 Anne Meriwether (1721-17??) & Thomas Ballard Smith

M1225 Sarah Meriwether (1724-1725) [DY]

M1226 David Meriwether (1716-1772) & Mary Weaver

M1227 James Meriwether (1729-1801) & (a)  Judith H. Burnley and (b) Elizabeth Pollard

M1228 William Meriwether(1730-1790) & Martha Cox Wood

M123 Thomas Meriwether (ca.1691-<1721?) -- this person probably did not exist

M124 Anne Meriwether (ca.1694-1785) & Thomas Johnson

M125 Sarah Meriwether (1697-1733) & William Littlepage

M126 Nicholas Meriwether III (1699-<1721?) -- died unmarried

M127 Elizabeth Meriwether (1703-1725) & Thomas Bray

M128 Jane Meriwether (ca.1705/6-<1758) & Robert Lewis

M129 Mary Meriwether (ca.1707-1745) & John Aylett

M13 Francis Meriwether (ca.1670-1713) & Mary Bathurst

M14 Jane Meriwether (ca.1675-<1747) & William Browne

M15 Thomas Meriwether (ca.1677-1708/09) & (a) Elizabeth Williamson and (b) Susannah [Unknown] (?)

M16 William Meriwether (ca.1678/79-ca.1695) - died unmarried

M2 Francis Meriwether I (>1631-ca.1676) -- no known descendants

M3 Jane Meriwether (?) I (>1631-<1699) & (a) William White and (b) Henry Hartwell

A Meriwether Research Database containing over 50,000 names has been established to help in these activities. Researchers with even a single Meriwether in their collection are urged to send the information to the Society genealogist using the Surname Contact Form below. Requests for surname searches should be sent using the same form.

While researching Meriwether genealogy, we frequently come across Meriwether families that we are unable to connect to the Nicholas Meriwether tree. These unconnected branches are documented in this database, with the hope that researchers from this or other families might find evidence that will help us make a definitive connection. Some families, such as the German Meriwethers of Louisville, Kentucky, we know are not part of the Nicholas tree (they have their own seprate Worldconnect site maintained by TMSI member Sharon Pike). There are also several individuals, such as Thomas E. Meriwether or Richard Dorsey Meriwether where we feel very strongly that they belong to the Nicholas I tree, but we simply lack any evidence of a possible connection. Finally, there are some connections with Meriwethers that have been "documented" by other researchers that we know, or at least strongly believe, are bogus, incorrect, without merit.

Please review the Unconnected families listed here and let us know if you can help solve a mystery!

Meriwether descendants are eligible for membership in a number of prestigious organizations. Below are a few. The Society needs volunteers to help us identify ancestors members can use for eligibility, so if you are a member of one of these Societies (or are trying to become a member) and are interested in doing this, please use the contact form in the side bar. Also, please tell us of other eligible societies, perhaps in your region, state, or county, that might be of interest to others.

Descendants of Nicholas Meriwether I are eligible for membership in The Jamestowne Society.

Descendants of Nicholas II and Elizabeth Crafford/Crawford are supposedly eligible for membership in The National Society Magna Charta Dames and Barons. If you know the process, please contact us.

Descendants of several Meriwethers are eligible for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) or Sons of the American Revolution National Societies.

Meriwether females whose ancestors served in the Civil War for the Confederate States of America are eligible for membership in the United Daughters of the Confederacy, which was founded by Caroline (Meriwether) Goodlett.

Let us know of other Societies!