Meriwether Lewis

Overview

At a Glance

• Co-led the Corps of Discovery exploring the newly acquired Louisiana Territory documenting hundreds of new plant and animal spicies
• Personally funded enterprises for the operation of the territory

Personal History

Meriwether Lewis was born August 18, 1774, on Locust Hill Plantation in Albemarle, Virginia, near Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. When the future explorer and territorial governor was 5 years old, his father, William, died; his mother remarried, and the blended family settled in Georgia.

In Lewis’s early years, he received little formal education, but he did develop great skills as an outdoorsman. In 1787, Lewis returned to Virginia in the care of his uncle and guardian and began studying with private tutors.

In 1794, Lewis joined the Virginia Militia and helped end the Whiskey Rebellion, a violent resistance to a federal tax on distilled spirits. The following year, Lewis joined the U.S. Army, commissioned as an ensign. By 1800 Lewis had been promoted to captain; for at least some of his time, he served under William Clark, who would become his co-leader in the Corps of Discovery, also known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

When Jefferson was elected president, he selected Lewis, his former neighbor, as his private secretary. 

After the United States acquired the Louisiana Territory, Jefferson selected Lewis to lead a scientific expedition to survey the people, flora, and fauna as well as the land. Lewis studied extensively to broaden his knowledge of natural history in preparation for the journey. He also reached out to William Clark to serve as his co-commander.

The Corps of Discovery left St. Louis in May 1804 and proceeded along the Missouri River. The party reached the West Coast of North America, and in September 1806, it returned to St. Louis. Along the way, the group documented 178 new plant species and 122 animal species previously undocumented in western science. The party also recorded astronomical observations and encountered at least two dozen Native American tribes.

Because money to operate the territorial government could be slow coming. Lewis found it necessary to personally fund some enterprises and then request reimbursement. When the federal government rejected requests, Lewis’s creditors began demanding payment. 

Facing financial ruin—and potential recall due to Bates’s criticism—Lewis traveled to Washington, D.C., to make his case in person. Leaving St. Louis in September 1809, Lewis and his companions travelled south to Fort Pickering (present day Memphis, Tenn.) and along Natchez Trace toward Nashville. Lewis brought with him a record of his financial accounts and the notebooks compiled during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 

On Oct. 10, 1809, the group arrived at Grinder’s Stand, about 70 miles from Nashville. Later that night, pistol shots were heard, but no one investigated until morning. Initial reports from the party said Lewis committed suicide, a verdict accepted by those who knew him. Over the years, various conspiracy theories have emerged that he was murdered. Evidence indicates that the wounds were self-inflicted; however, it is unclear if they were intentional or accidental.

Lewis was buried near Grinder’s Stand along the Natchez Trace Parkway in present day Hohenwald, Tennessee.

Political History

In March 1807, Lewis was appointed governor of Louisiana Territory. At that time, Lewis was in the East, trying to produce a publishable account of the expedition. He also had been tasked with attending the Aaron Burr trial in Virginia; Burr, vice president under Jefferson, was charged with treason but acquitted. These undertakings delayed Lewis’s arrival in St. Louis until March 1808. In the meantime, the territorial secretary (and future state governor) Frederick Bates made some administrative decisions that Lewis objected to upon his arrival. This resulted in a personal rift between the two, and Bates began corresponding with officials in Washington, depicting Lewis negatively. 

During his territorial governorship, Lewis authorized establishment of Fort Madison (in present-day Iowa) and Fort Osage (in present-day Jackson County of Missouri). Lewis also dealt with Native American tribes, particularly the Osage, with whom he had contentious negotiations over a treaty. 

In late 1807, in response to British interference in U.S. shipping and the impressment of American sailors, the United States adopted the Embargo Act, which restricted trade. Partially due to the Embargo Act, money to operate the territorial government could be slow coming. Lewis found it necessary to personally fund some enterprises and then request reimbursement.

Historical Significance

Meriwether Lewis is most remembered for his contribution in co-leading the Corps of Discovery expedition which ventured into the land that would one day become Missouri.

Lewis County in northeast Missouri was named for Lewis when it was formed in 1833.