At home in Albemarle County, he pursued his studies with Dr. Charles Everitt, a physician, and then Rev. But rather than feeling alienated, he would have been busy enjoying a level of Buzz Aldrin-like celebrity. Meriwether Lewis never married. Lewis resided in the White House, and frequently conversed with various prominent figures in politics, the arts, and other circles. Username and password are case sensitive. They had 9 children: Anne Eliza, Meriwether Lewis Anderson and 7 other children. Lewis and Clark were respectful . The Lewises also won a gallant record in the War of 1812, the Mexican War and in the Confederate States Army. Lewis' descendants have asked the National Park Service to exhume the body for clues. - Meriwether Lewis was an honorable man before taking on his role as a significant explorer.-Before fame, he spent his childhood in Georgia hunting and spending most of his time outdoors. On August 2, 1808, Lewis and several of his acquaintances submitted a petition to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in which they requested a dispensation to establish a lodge in St. Louis. Mrs. Grinder, the tavern-keeper's wife, claimed Lewis acted strangely the night before his death. His brother-in-law was George Washington . Mrs. John Grinder who served as his landlady on the last night of his life reported: heard the sound of a gunshot and then the sound of something heavy falling to the floor followed by the words, Oh Lord! heard the sound of another gunshot and in a few moments, Lewis voice Oh, Madame, give me some water and heal my wounds. [she] refused to leave the room where she had been sleeping she waited nearly two hours before [rousing] the servants. According to K. Edward Lay, a professor in the Architecture School at the University of Virginia, the present-day structure was probably built around 1900, perhaps incorporating a stone chimney from 1825. 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. Jane Brereton , Richard Cotton, Blanche de BRIENNE , Guillaume de FIENNES, Isabel PERT , Robert CONYERS. The exact details of his death have never been learned because the early morning events were not directly witnessed by anyone. In the early 1790s, Lewis briefly served as President Washington's personal secretary and manager of Mount Vernon. Meriwether moved to Georgia with his mother and her second husband, Capt. Lewis had reportedly attempted to take his own life several times a few weeks earlier and was known to suffer from what Jefferson called sensible depressions of mind. Clark had also observed his companions melancholy states. As a young boy Meriwether enjoyed hunting in the woods . This much we know: on September 4, 1809, Lewis, then governor of Louisiana Territory, left St. Louis for Washington, D.C., to take care of some personal and professional business. The Certificate says Shaun is related to Sgt. Letter from Thomas Jefferson to Paul Allen with a biography of Meriwether Lewis, 1813The explorer was buried near present day Hohenwald, Tennessee, near his place of death. http://rs5.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/028/028_0177_0182.pdf, http://international.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/028/028_0636_0639.pdf, https://memory.loc.gov/service/mss/mtj/mtj1/029/029_0175_0184.pdf. Jane married Edmund Anderson in 1785, at age 14 at marriage place, Virginia. Meriwether Lewis was born August 18, 1774 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Clark graciously accepted, having remembered his time spent with Meriwether during their previous Army service.[5]. Not so, says Sandra Hargrove, a member of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery Descendant Certificate Project. Now Lewiss descendants and some scholars are campaigning to exhume his body, which is buried on national parkland not far from Hohenwald, Tenn. This controversy has existed since his death, says Tom McSwain, Lewiss great-great-great-great nephew who helped start a Web site, Solve the Mystery, that lays out family members point of view. He had so much to live for, says Guice, professor emeritus of history at The University of Southern Mississippi and the editor ofBy His Own Hand? Their other children included Jane Meriwether (Lewis) Anderson (1770-1845), Reuben Lewis, and Lucinda Lewis (1772-) (who died as an infant). During a ceremony on Oct. 7, 2009, marking the 200th anniversary of his death, a bronze bust of Lewis will be dedicated to the Natchez Trace Parkway for a planned visitor center. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriwether_Lewis. It is known that he visited at least twice. Descendants of Slaveholder . Meriwether Lewis died on his way to Washington, DC in October, 1809. Whether Lewis committed suicide or was murdered remains a mystery to this day. Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 - October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, politician, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark . . On April 1, 1801, he was appointed as an aide by President Thomas Jefferson, whom he knew personally through Virginia society in Albemarle County. These are fantastic!!! To resolve these issues, Lewis began a trip to Washington City to plead his case to the administration in person. HOHENWALD, Tenn.Meriwether Lewis conquered rivers, mountains and bears leading the Lewis and Clark Expedition across 8,000 miles of wilderness from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and back. He died on October 11, 1809, at the age of 35, under mysterious circumstances that have been the subject of much speculation and debate. He was also related to Robert E Lee and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, among others. Lewis was a poor administrator, often quarreling with local political leaders and failing to keep in touch with his superiors in Washington. This page has been accessed 22,092 times. His father fought in the Revolutionary War and died when Meriwether was only five years old. In 1793, Lewis graduated from Liberty Hall (now Washington and Lee University). Generally sharing leadership responsibilities with William Clark, although technically the leader, Lewis led the expedition safely across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific and back, with the loss of just one man, Charles Floyd, who died of apparent appendicitis. His mother taught him how to gather wild herbs for medicinal purposes. At some point in the night she heard multiple gunshots, and what she believed was someone asking for help. Item(s) successfully added to the cart! Lucy Meriwether was well known in Albemarle County throughout her adult life. When Clark and Jefferson were informed of Lewis' death, both accepted it as suicide, but his family contended it was murder. She said that during dinner Lewis stood and paced about the room talking to himself in the way one would speak to a lawyer. There were five colonels in the RevolutionColonel Nicholas, Colonel Fielding, Colonel William, Colonel Charles and Colonel Joeland quite a number of majors and captains. What were his experiences? View entire list of famous kin for Meriwether Lewis. Thomas Jefferson recruited Lewis as his secretary-aide that same year and he soon became involved in the planning of the Corps of Discovery expedition across the Louisana Purchase. Meriwether was drawn to army life and at the age of 20, he joined the Virginia Militia to help defeat the Whiskey Rebellion which began in Western Pennsylvania but spread through other western states. p. 108. He would often venture out in the middle of the night in the dead of winter with only his dogs to go hunting. He withdrew from public circles for several months, staying with his mother in Albemarle County, where he was probably treated by her and his physician [sic] brother Reuben. (Dary, p. 80) By March 1808, he had arrived in St. Louis to assume his duties as governor of the Louisiana Territory. Lewis departed St. Louis for the Louisiana Purchasevia the Ohio River in the summer of 1803, gathering supplies, equipment, and personnel along the way. He and Clark had finished their expedition three years earlier; Lewis, who was by then a governor of the large swath of land that constituted the Upper Louisiana Territory, was on his way to Washington, D.C. to settle financial matters. Have you taken a DNA test? The charges were dismissed since no evidence or motive existed against him. The expedition was the first point of Euro-American contact for several Native American tribes; through translators and sign language, Lewis conducted rudimentary ethnographic studies of the peoples he encountered, even as he laid the groundwork for a trade economy to ensure American hegemony over its vast new interior territory. The murder advocates point to five conflicting testimonies as evidence that her testimony is fabricated and the suicide advocates point to her testimony as proof of suicide. [citation needed] Yet his contributions to science, the exploration of the Western U.S., and the lore of great world explorers, are considered incalculable. Now in his new role, Governor Lewis was soon embroiled in quarrels with his territorial secretary Frederick Bates (1777-1825). Clark and Lewis were both relatively young and adventurous and had shared experience as woodsmen-frontiersmen and Army officers. [2] Their other children included Jane Meriwether (Lewis) Anderson (1770-1845), Reuben Lewis, and Lucinda Lewis (1772-) (who died as an infant). 111 on September 16, 1808. Geographic names that honor him include Lewis County, Idaho, Lewis County, Kentucky; Lewis County, Tennessee; Lewisburg, Tennessee; Lewiston, Idaho; Lewis County, Washington; the U.S. Army fort Fort Lewis, Washington, the home of the US Army 1st Corps (I Corps), and especially Lewis and Clark County, Montana, the home of the capital city, Helena. She never explained why, at the time, she didn't investigate further concerning Lewis's condition or the source of the gunshots. Everyone who knows anything about Meriwether Lewis beyond that he was one half of the famous exploring duo knows that he died a violent death at the age of 35, just three years after the completion of the most successful exploration mission in American history. Meriwether Lewis (of Lewis & Clark's Exp. His wound hampered him for the rest of the journey. ), In 1882, the house was sold to Mrs. Bearley, releasing the house from Lewis family descendents for the first time. Controversy surrounded the circumstances of his sudden death along the Natchez Trace in Tennessee a controversy that continues to this day. On August 11, 1806, near the end of the expedition, Lewis was shot in the left thigh by Pierre Cruzatte, a near-blind man under his command, while both were hunting for elk. Lucy Meriwether was well known in Albemarle County throughout her adult life. Born Meriwether LEWIS American explorer, soldier, and 2nd Governor of Louisiana Territory Born on August 18, 1774 in Ivy, Colony Of Virginia, USA , United States Died on October 11, 1809 in Hohenwald, Tennessee, USA Born on August 18 64 Deceased on October 11 39 Explorer - 19th century 31 Family tree Report an error Lewis John 1669 - 1725 Warner [2] Descendants and relatives lived in Virginia and elsewhere. Obviously, Theodesia's pleas fell on deaf ears. Augustine Warner, Sr. (September 28th 1611 - December 24th, [1] 1674), was an English planter and politician. He is honored today by a memorial along the Natchez Trace Parkway. Anne Meriwether Lewisfound in 12 treesView all Anne Meriwether Lewisfrom tree Waring Family Tree 2013 Record information. Several years after his biggest accomplishment, Lewis was dead. Supposedly, Theodesia pleaded with Meriwether to decline the journey and marry her, heavily encouraged by her father. In her will, she was careful to address the dispersion of the books among her offspring; appraisers valued the total collection at the modern equivalent of several hundred dollars. Nothing is known of her childhood. Lewis resided in the presidential mansion, and frequently conversed with various prominent figures in politics, the arts and other circles. She even scared away a crowd of rowdy British soldiers during the time that she lived at Locust Hill, her husband's family's home, with a rifle. Lucy Meriwether gave birth to Jane Meriwether Anderson, Meriwether Lewis, Lucinda Lewis (who died in childhood) and Dr. Reuben Lewis while married to William Lewis and John Marks and Mary Garland Marks while married to Captain John Marks. Sadly, William Lewis died of pneumonia when his son was five, and so Meriwether spent most of his formative years in Georgia with his mother Lucy and stepfather John Marks. The Cherokee lived in antagonistic proximity to the white settlers, but Lewis seems to have been a champion for them amongst his own people. Why Did Meriwether Lewis Die. Lewis never married he killed himself in 1809, three years after the expedition ended . Re: Meriwether Lewis/Woodson Connection By Gary Stella February 06, 2005 at 12:59:36. He died shortly after sunrise. After returning from the expedition, Lewis received a reward of 1,400 acres (5.7 km) of land. The US Navy Polaris nuclear submarine USS Lewis and Clark was named for him and William Clark. After he excused himself from dinner, he went to his bedroom. It was also in the Broad River Valley that Lewis first dealt with a native Indian group. [8] However, his life degraded, as did his relationships. In 1807, Jefferson appointed him governor of the Louisiana Territory; he settled in St. Louis. Browse Retail Locations . The explorer was buried not far from where he died. Clark was more pragmatic and practical. He came back and he just could not readjust. A year and a half after the shooting, ornithologist Alexander Wilson, a friend of Lewiss, interviewed Mrs. Grinder, becoming one of the first among many people who have investigated the case. Describe the background of Meriwether Lewis. He was related to George Washington by marriage: his first cousin once removed was Fielding Lewis, Washington's brother-in-law. Lewis was nominated and recommended to serve as the first Master of the proposed Lodge, which was warranted as Lodge No. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Missouri governor and corps of discovery expedition leader, William Clark of Lewis and Clark fame. [4] Six months later, his mother married another Army officer, Captain John Marks (abt.1750-1800), who managed a 1,000 acre plantation about 10 miles from Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home. These sources are attached to each ancestor so that you can personally judge their reliability. A broken column, symbol of a life cut short, marks his grave. Four years after Lewis' death, Thomas Jefferson wrote: The alpine plant Lewisia (family Portulacaceae), popular in rock gardens, is named after Lewis, as is Lewis's Woodpecker. Meriwether is 15 degrees from Jennifer Aniston, 16 degrees from Drew Barrymore, 17 degrees from Candice Bergen, 18 degrees from Alexandre Dumas, 13 degrees from Carrie Fisher, 27 degrees from Whitney Houston, 18 degrees from Hayley Mills, 15 degrees from Liza Minnelli, 13 degrees from Lisa Presley, 19 degrees from Kiefer Sutherland, 14 degrees from Bill Veeck and 21 degrees from Brian Nash on our single family tree. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. For many years, Lewis' legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. For many years, Lewis's legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. Explorer. Guice believes that bandits roaming the notoriously dangerous Natchez Trace killed Lewis. Captain Meriwether LewisWilliam Clark's expedition partner on the Corps of Discovery's historic trek to the Pacific, Thomas Jefferson's confidante, governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory. She gave the property to her daughter as a wedding gift. The State of Tennessee erected a monument over his grave in 1848. (804) 448-4664. This project came to be known as the Lewis and Clark Descendants Project. 44 in Albemarle, VA between 1796 and 1797. Lewis and Clark descendants and family members, along with representatives of St. Louis Lodge . After Jane's death in 1845, her son, Dr. Meriwether Lewis Anderson, inherited Locust Hill. When Meriwether Lewis Sr. was born on 11 September 1802, in Buckingham, Virginia, United States, his father, Edward Lewis, was 31 and his mother, Mary Freeland, was 31. Theyve been coming out of the woodwork, Hargrove said. Nearby homes similar to 7134 John Marshall Mews have recently sold between $252K to $396K at an average of $245 per square foot. The progenitor of a prominent colonial family, and great-great grandfather of President George Washington, he was born in Norwich, Norfolk, the son of Thomas Warner and Elizabeth Sotherton. A bronze bust of Lewis commissioned for the event was dedicated to the Natchez Trace Parkway for a planned visitor center at the grave site area. He gave the Grinders money to maintain Lewiss grave and visited the site himself. When theres so much uncertainty and doubt, we must have more evidence. Half brother of Dr. John Hastings Marks and Mary Garland Moore, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/623/meriwether-lewis. [3] []http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriwether_Lewis Wikipedia article on Meriwether Lewis]. Examples of plants Lewis discovered on the expedition were also brought from the Trail states and laid on his grave to honor him. Meriwether Lewis was born August 18, 1774, on Locust Hill Plantation in Albemarle County, Colony of Virginia, in the present-day community of Ivy. "[12] This claim and another by a Joseph DeSmet descendant, Martin Charger, are explored in some detail on the Joseph DeSmet Lewis documents WikiTree page. Lewis suggested that the expedition would benefit from a co-commander and, with Jefferson's consent, offered the assignment to his friend and former commanding officer, William Clark. She is reported to have notable culinary and intellectual skills as well. He lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia and also owned a plantation in Spotsylvania County, which later became known as Kenmore. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. Lewis concluded the expedition would benefit from a co-commander and, with Jefferson's consent, offered the assignment to his friend and former commanding officer, William Clark. In 1795, he joined the regular U.S. Army, as a Lieutenant, where he served until 1801, at one point in the detachment of William Clark, who would later become his companion in the Corps of Discovery. The Lewis and Clark families, along with representatives of St. Louis Lodge #1, past presidents of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, and the Daughters of the American Revolution carried wreaths and led a formal procession to Lewis' grave. . 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. President Thomas Jefferson appointed him Governor of Upper Louisiana in 1806. Cookie Settings, Kids Start Forgetting Early Childhood Around Age 7, Archaeologists Discover Wooden Spikes Described by Julius Caesar, 5,000-Year-Old Tavern With Food Still Inside Discovered in Iraq, Artificial Sweetener Tied to Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke, Study Finds, The Surprisingly Scientific Roots of Monkey Bars. Family & Relationships; Fiction; Games; Gardening; Health & Fitness; History; See Full Categories List. I fear the weight of his mind has overcome him, he wrote after receiving word of Lewiss fate. The decision, backed by Department of the. Scholars have reconstructed lunar cycles to prove that the innkeepers wife couldnt have seen what she said she saw that moonless night. Meriwether Lewis Gov. Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 - October 11, 1809). At the time of his death Lewiss depressive tendencies were compounded by other problems: he was having financial troubles and likely suffered from alcoholism and other illnesses, possibly syphilis or malaria, the latter of which was known to cause bouts of dementia. Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774 October 11, 1809). President Thomas Jefferson appointed Lewis and Clark to explore the territory that was acquired in the "Louisiana Purchase". Although he died without legitimate heirs, he does have the putative DNA model haplotype for his paternal ancestors' lineage, which was that of the Warner Hall. Ministers . Servants found Lewis badly injured from multiple gunshot wounds. So Richard Ashcraft's mother was a Great aunt to Meriwether Lewis. She returned to Albemarle for good, and Locust Hill became her property after Meriwether's mysterious death in 1809. It is generally reckoned as one of the most successful and significant expeditions of its kind in modern history, and Lewis has . According to K. Edward Lay, a professor in the Architecture School at the University of Virginia, the present-day structure was probably built around 1900, perhaps incorporating a stone chimney from 1825. After crossing the Rocky Mountains, the expedition reached the Pacific Ocean in the area of present-day Oregon (which lay beyond the nation's new boundaries) in November 1805. He was the second child and first son of William Lewis (abt.1738-1779) and Lucy Meriwether (1752-1837). Our Family Tree: Branch: Ray's Extended Family Tree : View. Before he left St. Louis, Lewis had given several associates the power to distribute his possessions in the event of his death; while traveling, he composed a will. [6], It was at Jefferson's suggestion that the Corps of Discovery expedition was undertaken and the plan was approved by Congress in 1803. Black powder pistols have been test-fired, forgeries claimed and mitochondrial DNA extracted from living relatives. Historians still dispute whether the explorer and then-governor of Louisiana committed suicide or was murdered. A year after his death, John Grinder, in whose home Lewis died, was brought before a grand jury on a warrant of murder. He married Amanda Cosby on 15 December 1827. . These combined skills would later be useful in his expeditions. Clark was a devoted family man and a valued friend. Famous Connections The Meriwether family has intertwined with many of the most prominent families of America, especially in the early South. The last item in the side bar to the left contains links to some that we have identified. He was also related to Robert E. Lee and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, among others. Generally sharing leadership responsibilities with William Clark, although technically the leader, Lewis led the expedition safely across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific and back, with the loss of just one man, Charles Floyd, who died of apparent appendicitis. Meriwether Lewis, in addition to being a great explorer and trailblazer, was the Governor of Louisiana. The journey from St. Louis to the Pacific and back again, lasting from May 1804 to September 1806, is of . Fielding Lewis (July 7, 1725 - December 7, 1781) was an American merchant, member of the House of Burgesses and a Colonel during the American Revolutionary War. Indeed, the 200-year commemoration has led to a broader interest in genealogy among Americans. Marks raised Meriwether and his two siblings along with his own two children with Lucy, John Hastings Marks and Mary Garland (Marks) Moore (1787-1864). Activists take issue with Sacagawea's posture: she crouches behind Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, a positioning some say is demeaning for depicting the appearance of subservience. Leave a message for others who see this profile. They dropped the inquiry for lack of evidence or motive. However, the subsequent inhabitants of the home have made so many changes that the structure does not really resemble the original house. For many years, Lewis' legacy was overlooked, inaccurately assessed, and even tarnished by his alleged suicide. [10] He also faced financial issues after a personal outlay for a trip that the War Department refused to reimburse. In later years a court of inquiry explored whether they could charge the husband of the tavern-keeper with Lewis' death. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meriwether_Lewis. He then joined the regular army and achieved the rank of captain at the age of 23. He was never married, but family legend shares that he courted Theodesia Burr, the daughter of Aaron Burr. Read more on Genealogy.com! I am so glad you like it. Jane (M128), born abt 1705 in New Kent County, is the eighth child and fourth daughter of Nicholas Meriwether II and Elizabeth Crafford/Crawford. After he retired for the evening, Mrs. Grinder continued to hear him talking to himself. American politician, Explorer - 19th century, American explorer, soldier, and 2nd Governor of Louisiana Territory, Born on August 18, 1774 in Ivy, Colony Of Virginia, USA , United States, Died on October 11, 1809 in Hohenwald, Tennessee, USA, This form allows you to report an error or to submit additional information about this family tree: Meriwether LEWIS (1774), Copyright Wikipdia authors - This article is under licence CC BY-SA 3.0. On April 1, 1801, he was appointed as an aide by President Thomas Jefferson, whom he knew personally through Virginia society in Albemarle County. There are many more. He is best known for his role as the co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a pioneering expedition that explored the western portion of the Louisiana Purchase in 1804-1806. Meriwether Lewis at Natchez Trace Par Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, United States, American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, co-leader of Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark, whose mission was to explore the territory of the Louisiana Purchase., explorer, BIRTH 18 Aug 1774, Ivy, Albemarle County, Virginia, USA, DEATH 11 Oct 1809 (aged 35), Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, USA, BURIAL Pioneer Cemetery, Hohenwald, Lewis County, Tennessee, USA Show Map. He and Meriwether Lewis set out on the adventure in May of 1804. Conflicting information from sources indicate he was either rather ill (speculation runs from alcoholism to syphilis or possible psychological issues) or had trouble with hypochondria, and visited his mother in hopes of some care. Geographic names that honor him include Lewis County, Tennessee; Lewisburg, Tennessee; Lewiston, Idaho; Lewis County, Washington; the U.S. Army fort Fort Lewis, Washington, the home of the US Army 1st Corps (I Corps), and especially Lewis and Clark County, Montana, the home of the capital city, Helena. You try to reach out but you can never get a hold of it. Even minor features of the story fluctuate. After resigning from his post at Mount Vernon for financial reasons, Lewis managed his own land holdings in Virginia until he passed away in 1822. Originally, he was to provide information on the politics of the United States Army, which had seen an influx of Federalist officers as a result of John Adams's "midnight appointments". Between 1804 and 1806, the Corp of Discovery explored thousands of miles of the Missouri and Columbia River watersheds, searching for an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. A monument erected in 1848 now stands in his honor near the place the tavern occupied, and is under the care of the National Parks Service.[11]. He served until 1801 achieving the rank of captain. She married William Lewis of Locust Hill; he died in 1779 and she married Captain John Marks six months later. If you click the change tab you can see that this is an excellent example of collaboration! He established roads and was a strong proponent of the fur trade. Jefferson believed the former, while his family continually maintained the latter. The mission lasted two years, starting in 1804 and ending in 1806. The verdict: Suicide. As governor, Meriwether was traveling to Washington, D.C. to meet with officials when he died in 1809. Lucy Meriwether. He was given a powerful position in the new territory he had helped to explore, but tragedy would soon strike. American explorer, best known as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Jefferson selected Captain Meriwether Lewis to lead the proposed expedition, afterward known as the Corps of Discovery. Interestingly, John Guice, one of the most prominent critics of the suicide theory, uses a very different astronaut comparison. The Department of Interior granted . They would get to the Pacific Ocea. Lewis, who had a better education, possessed a philosophical and speculative outlook and was at home with abstract ideas. In 1793, Lewis graduated from Liberty Hall (now Washington and Lee University), joined the Virginia militia, and in 1794 he was sent as part of a detachment involved in putting down the Whiskey Rebellion. [9] He was related to George Washington by marriage: his first cousin once removed was Fielding Lewis, Washington's brother-in-law. Governor Meriwether Lewis was on his way from St. Louis to Washington in September, 1809 to protest the federal government's refusal to reimburse him for expenses. That rifle came in handy as well when a hunting party from Locust Hill failed to kill a deer. discoveries. In later years a court of inquiry explored whether they could charge the tavern-keeper with Lewis' death.