Royal Ancestry of Meriwether Lewis

The Descent of Captain Meriwether Lewis

from the Kings of England and Scotland

by Gordon Banks

This genealogical essay is written in commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Corps of Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark at the order of President Thomas Jefferson, from the United States to the Pacific Ocean, following the Missouri and Columbia Rivers. This is not a piece of research in the primary contemporary documents. This has not been necessary due to the work of several professional genealogists who have published their results. The fact that Lewis is related to President George Washington has made these lines some of the most well researched of all royal descents.

Each generation is represented by a number. The parents of the next generation are in bold face type. The footnotes take the form of [1:202, 303], which means reference 1, p. 202 and p. 303.

Line 1: King Edward I Plantagenet "Longshanks" to Meriwether Lewis

1. King Edward I of England "Longshanks" was born on 17 June 1239 at Westminster, Middlesex, England. He married Princess Marguerite of France, daughter of King Philippe III of France ("the Bold"), on 8 September 1299 at Canterbury, Kent, England, as his second wife. He died on 7 July 1307 at Burgh-on-Sands, Cumberland, England, at age 68. [3: 282]

2. Thomas, Earl of Norfolk was the son of King Edward I of England "Longshanks" and Princess Marguerite of France. He was born on 1 June 1300 at Brotherton, Yorkshire, England. He married Alice de Hales between 1316 and 1320. He died circa August 1338. He was buried at Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. [3: 256, 282]

3. Countess Margaret of Norfolk was the daughter of Thomas of Norfolk and Alice de Hales. She was born circa 1320. She married Lord John de Segrave circa 1337. She died on 24 March 1399. She was buried at Greyfriars' Church, London, Middlesex, England. [3: 256]

4. Elizabeth de Segrave was the daughter of Lord John de Segrave and Countess Margaret of Norfolk. She was born on 25 October 1338 at Croxton Abbey, Leicestershire, England. She married Sir John de Mowbray, Knt. circa 1349. She died before October 1368. She lived at Axholme, Lincolnshire, England. [3: 247]

5. Alianor de Mowbray was the daughter of Sir John de Mowbray Knt. and Elizabeth de Segrave. She was born before 25 March 1364. She married Lord John de Welles before May 1386. She died on 8 April 1426. [3: 247, 371]

6. Eudes de Welles was the son of Lord John de Welles and Alianor de Mowbray. He married Maud de Greystoke, daughter of Lord Ralph de Greystoke and Katherine de Clifford. He died before 26 August 1421. [3: 371]

7. Sir Lionel de Welles, K.G. was the son of Eudes de Welles and Maud de Greystoke. He was born in 1406. He married Joan de Waterton, daughter of Sir Robert de Waterton Knt., on 15 August 1417 at St. Oswald's, Methley, Yorkshire, England. He died on 29 March 1461 (slain at the battle of Towton.) He was buried at Methley, Yorkshire, England. He was a Member of Parliament from 25 February 1431. [3: 306, 371-2]

8. Margaret de Welles was the daughter of Sir Lionel de Welles K.G. and Joan de Waterton. She married Sir Thomas Dymoke, Knt., son of Sir Philip Dymoke Knt. and Joan Conyers. She died on 13 July 1480. [3: 306, 372]

9. Sir Robert Dymoke, Knt. was the son of Sir Thomas Dymoke, Knt. and Margaret de Welles. He was born in 1461. He married Anne Sparrow, daughter of John Sparrow. He died on 13 April 1544. He was the King's Champion at the coronation of Richard III, Henry VII, and Henry VIII and a commander at the seige of Tournai. He lived at Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, England. [3: 306-7]

10. Sir Edward Dymoke, Knt. was the son of Sir Robert Dymoke, Knt. and Anne Sparrow. He was born in 1508. He married Anne Tailboys (2-10). He died on 16 September 1566. He was Sheriff of Lincolnshire. He lived at Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, England. [3: 306-7]

11. Frances Dymoke was the daughter of Sir Edward Dymoke, Knt. and Anne Tailboys. She married Sir Thomas Windebank, Knt., son of Richard Windebank and Margaret verch Griffith, on 20 August 1566. She died after 3 March 1611. [3: 307]

12. Mildred Windebank was the daughter of Sir Thomas Windebank, Knt. and Frances Dymoke. She married Robert Reade, Esq., son of Andrew Reade, on 31 July 1600, as his third wife. She left a will on 15 August 1630. [3: 307]

13. Col. George Reade was the son of Robert Reade, Esq. and Mildred Windebank. He was born on 25 October 1608. He married Elizabeth Martiau. He died in 1671. [3: 307]

14. Mildred Reade was the daughter of Col. George Reade and Elizabeth Martiau. She married Col. Augustine Warner, Jr., son of Capt. Augustine Warner and Mary Towneley. Mary Warner, daughter of Mildred Reade and Col. Augustine Warner, Jr. was the grandmother of President George Washington (1732-1799). [2: 330; 3: 307]

15. Elizabeth Warner was the daughter of Col. Augustine Warner Jr. and Mildred Reade. She was born on 24 November 1672 at Gloucester, VA.2 She married John Lewis, Jr., son of John Lewis and Isabella Warner. She died on 5 February 1720 at Gloucester, VA, at age 47. [2: 330; 9: v.1,129]

16. Col. Robert Lewis was the son of John Lewis, Jr. and Elizabeth Warner. He was born in 1704 at Warner Hall, Gloucester, VA. He was christened on 4 May 1704 at Abingdon Parish, Gloucester, VA. He married Jane Meriwether, daughter of Thomas Meriwether, in 1725 at Gloucester, VA. He died on 21 February 1765 at Albemarle, VA. [1:5]

17. William Lewis was the son of Col. Robert Lewis and Jane Meriwether. He was born in 1735 at Locust Hill, Albemarle, VA. He married Lucy Meriwether, daughter of Thomas Meriwether and Elizabeth Thornton. He died on 14 November 1779 at Albemarle, VA. [1: 5; 6: 42]

18. Capt. Meriwether Lewis was the son of William Lewis and Lucy Meriwether (6-21). He was born on 18 August 1774 at Locust Hill, Albemarle, VA. He died on 11 October 1809 at Natchez Trace, TN, at age 35. [1: 5; 6: 42]

Line 2: King Edward II Plantagenet to Anne Tailboys (1-10)

1. King Edward II of England was the son of King Edward I of England "Longshanks" (1-1) and Princess Alianore of Castille. He was born on 25 April 1284 at Caernavon, Caernavon, Wales. He married Isabelle of France on 25 January 1308 at Boulogne, France. He died on 21 September 1327 at Berkeley Castle, England, at age 43. [3: 284]

2. King Edward III of England was the son of King Edward II of England and Isabelle of France. He was born on 13 November 1312 at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, England. He married Philippe de Hainaut, daughter of Count Guillaume de Hainaut and Jeanne of France, on 24 January 1328 at York, Yorkshire, England.4 He died on 21 June 1377 at Sheen Castle, Richmond, Surrey, England, at age 64. [3: 284-7]

3. Duke Lionel of Clarence K.G. was the son of King Edward III of England and Philippe de Hainaut. He was born on 29 November 1338 at Antwerp, Holland. He married Elizabeth de Burgh, daughter of Earl William de Burgh of Ulster and Maud of Lancaster, on 15 August 1342 at Tower of London, London, England. He died on 17 October 1368 at Alba, Piedmont, Italy, at age 29. He was buried at Clare, Suffolk, England. [3: 285-7]

4. Philippe of Clarence was the daughter of Duke Lionel of Clarence, K.G. and Elizabeth de Burgh. She was born on 16 August 1355 at Eltham Palace, Kent, England. She married Edmund de Mortimer, Earl of March, son of Sir Roger de Mortimer, Knt. and Philippe de Montagu, circa May 1368 at Reading, England. Her estate was probated on 6 December 1379. [3: 272, 287]

5. Elizabeth Mortimer was the daughter of Edmund de Mortimer, Earl of March and Philippe of Clarence. She was born on 12 February 1371 at Usk, Monmouth, Wales. She married Sir Henry Percy, K.G., K. B. before 10 December 1379. She died on 20 April 1417 at age 46. [3: 272-3]

6. Sir Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland was the son of Sir Henry Percy K.G., K. B. and Elizabeth Mortimer. He was born on 3 February 1393. He married Alianor Neville, daughter of Sir Ralph Neville K.G. and Joan Beaufort (3-2), after October 1414. He died on 22 May 1455 at St. Albans, England, at age 62; (slain at the Battle of St. Albans). He was buried at Abbey of St. Albans, St. Albans, England. [3: 273]

7. Sir Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland was the son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland and Alianor Neville. He was born on 25 July 1421. He married Eleanor Poynings, daughter of Richard Poynings and Alianor Berkeley, on 25 June 1435. He died on 29 March 1461 at age 39, slain at the Battle of Towton. He was buried at St. Denis, Yorkshire, England. [3: 273-4, 348]

8. Margaret Percy was the daughter of Sir Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland and Eleanor Poynings. She married Sir William Gascoigne, Knt., son of Sir William Gascoigne Knt. and Joan Neville. [3: 274, 348]

9. Elizabeth Gascoigne was the daughter of Sir William Gascoigne, Knt. and Margaret Percy. She married Sir George Tailboys (5-6), Knt., son of Sir Robert Tailboys Knt. and Elizabeth Heron, before April 1493; as his 2nd wife. She died in 1559. She was buried at Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. [3: 348]

10. Anne Tailboys was the daughter of Sir George Tailboys, Knt. and Elizabeth Gascoigne. She married Sir Edward Dymoke, Knt. (1-10), son of Sir Robert Dymoke, Knt. and Anne Sparrow. [3: 307, 348]

Line 3: John of Gaunt to Margaret Percy (2-8)

1. John of Gaunt was the son of King Edward III of England (2-2) and Philippe de Hainaut. He was born in March 1340 at St. Bavon's Abbey, Ghent, Flanders. He married Katherine de Roet on 13 January 1396. He died on 3 February 1399 at Leicester Castle, Leicester, England, at age 58. He was buried at St. Paul's, London, England [3: 204, 253-4, 273, 285]

2. Joan Beaufort was the daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine de Roet. She married Sir Robert de Ferrers, Knt., son of Sir Robert de Ferrers, Knt. and Elizabeth le Boteler, before 30 September 1390. She married Sir Ralph Neville, K.G. after 29 November 1396. She died on 13 November 1440 at Howden, England. She was buried at Lincoln Cathedral, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. [3: 14, 253-4, 273]

3. Mary de Ferrers was the daughter of Sir Robert de Ferrers, Knt. and Joan Beaufort. She was born before 1394. She married Sir Ralph Neville, Knt., son of Sir Ralph Neville, K.G. and Margaret Stafford (4-5). She died on 25 January 1458. [3: 254]

4. John Neville, Esq. was the son of Sir Ralph Neville, Knt. and Mary de Ferrers. He married Elizabeth Newmarch, daughter of Robert Newmarch and Joan Shirley. He died on 17 March 1482. He was Sheriff of Lincolnshire between 1439 and 1440. [3: 254]

5. Joan Neville was the daughter of John Neville, Esq. and Elizabeth Newmarch. She married Sir William Gascoigne, Knt., son of Sir William Gascoigne, Knt. and Margaret Clarell, circa 1460. [3: 254]

6. Sir William Gascoigne, Knt. was the son of Sir William Gascoigne, Knt. and Joan Neville. He married Margaret Percy (2-8), daughter of Earl Henry Percy of Northumberland and Eleanor Poynings. He died in 1486. He lived at Gawthorpe, Yorkshire, England. [3: 254-5, 348]

Line 4: Joan of Acre to Margaret Stafford (3-3)

1. Joan of Acre was the daughter of King Edward I of England "Longshanks" (1-1) and Princess Alianore of Castille. She was born in 1272 at Acre, Palestine. She married Baron Gilbert de Clare "the Red" on 30 April 1290 at Westminster Abbey, Westminster, Middlesex, England. She died on 23 April 1307. She was buried in 1307 at Austin Friars', Clare, Suffolk, England. [3: 83,282]

2. Margaret de Clare was the daughter of Baron Gilbert de Clare "the Red" and Joan of Acre. She was born circa 1294. She married Hugh de Audley, Earl of Gloucester on 27 April 1317 at Windsor, England. She died on 9 April 1342. [3: 83, 337]

3. Lady Margaret de Audley was the daughter of Hugh de Audley. Earl of Gloucester and Margaret de Clare. She was born circa 1325. She married Baron Ralph de Stafford, son of Baron Edmund de Stafford and Margaret Basset, before 6 July 1336. She died on 16 September 1348. She was buried in 1348 at Tonbridge, Kent, England. [3: 337-8]

4. Sir Hugh de Stafford, K.G. was the son of Baron Ralph de Stafford and Lady Margaret de Audley. He was born before 1342. He married Philippe de Beauchamp, daughter of Earl Thomas de Beauchamp of Warwick and Katherine de Mortimer, before 1 March 1351. He died on 16 October 1386 on the Island of Rhodes. [3: 253, 339]

5. Margaret Stafford was the daughter of Sir Hugh de Stafford, K.G. and Philippe de Beauchamp. She married Sir Ralph Neville, K.G. She died on 9 June 1396. She was buried at Bracepeth, Durham, England. [3: 253]

Line 5: Beatrice de Stafford to Sir George Tailboys (1-9)

1. Beatrice de Stafford was the daughter of Baron Ralph de Stafford and Lady Margaret de Audley (4-3). She and Lord Thomas de Roos obtained a marriage license on 1 January 1359. She died on 14 April 1415. [3: 312, 314, 338]

2. Margaret Roos was the daughter of Lord Thomas de Roos and Beatrice de Stafford. She married Lord Reynold Grey of Ruthin, son of Lord Reynold Grey and Alianore le Strange, after 25 November 1378. [3: 312, 314]

3. Margaret Grey was the daughter of Lord Reynold Grey of Ruthin and Margaret Roos. She married Sir William Bonville, Knt., son of Sir John Bonville, Knt. and Elizabeth (?). She was living in 1426. [3: 37, 314]

4. Elizabeth Bonville was the daughter of Sir William Bonville, Knt. and Margaret Grey. She married Sir William Tailboys, Knt., son of Sir Walter Tailboys. She died on 14 February 1491. [3: 37, 347]

5. Sir Robert Tailboys, Knt. was the son of Sir William Tailboys, Knt. and Elizabeth Bonville. He was born circa 1451. He married Elizabeth Heron, daughter of Sir John Heron, Knt. and Elizabeth Heron, before 1467. He died on 30 January 1495. [3: 347-8]

6. Sir George Tailboys, Knt. (1-9) was the son of Sir Robert Tailboys, Knt. and Elizabeth Heron. He was born circa 1467. He married Elizabeth Gascoigne, daughter of Sir William Gascoigne, Knt. and Margaret Percy (2-8), before April 1493; as his 2nd wife. He died on 21 September 1538. He was buried at Bullington, Lincolnshire, England. [3: 348]

Line 6: William, "the Lion", King of Scotland to Lucy Meriwether (1-17)

1. King William I of Scotland, "the Lion" was the son of Henry of Huntingdon, Earl of Northumberland and Ada de Warenne. He was born in 1143. He had as a mistress, (?) Avenal, daughter of Richard Avenal. He died on 4 December 1214 at Stirling, Scotland. [2: 330; 4: line 170-22-24].

2. Isabel of Scotland was the daughter of King William I of Scotland "the Lion" and (?) Avenal. She married Sir Robert de Ros, Knight Templar in 1191 at Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland. [2: 330; 4: line 170, 24-25]

3. Sir William de Ros, M.P. was the son of Sir Robert de Ros, Knight Templar and Isabel of Scotland. He married Lucy FitzPiers. He died circa 1264. He was a Member of Parliament between 1235 and 1236. He lived at Helmsley in Holderness, Yorkshire, England. [2: 330; 4: line 170, 23-26].

4. Sir William de Ros was the son of Sir William de Ros M.P. and Lucy FitzPiers. He married Eustache FitzHugh. He died on 28 May 1310. He lived at Ingmanthorpe, Yorkshire, England. [2: 330].

5. Lucy de Ros was the daughter of Sir William de Ros and Eustache FitzHugh. She married Sir Robert de Plumpton. [2: 330]

6. Sir William de Plumpton was the son of Sir Robert de Plumpton and Lucy de Ros. He married Christiana Mowbray before 1338. He died in 1362. He lived at Plumpton, Yorkshire, England. [2: 330; 4: line 170, 29]

7. Alice de Plumpton was the daughter of Sir William de Plumpton and Christiana Mowbray. She married Sir Richard Sherburne in 1352. [2: 330; 4: line 170, 29-30]

8. Margaret Sherburne was the daughter of Sir Richard Sherburne and Alice de Plumpton. She married Richard Bayley. [2: 330; 8: 181]

9. Richard Sherburne (alias Richard Bayley) was the son of Richard Bayley and Margaret Sherburne. He married Agnes Stanley. [2: 330; 8: 181]

10. Isabel Sherburne was the daughter of Richard Sherburne and Matilda Hamerton. She married John Towneley. [2: 330; 8: 181]

11. Lawrence Towneley was the son of John Towneley and Isabel Sherburne. [2: 330; 8: 181]

12. Henry Towneley was the son of Lawrence Towneley. [2: 330; 8: 181]

13. Lawrence Towneley was the son of Henry Towneley. He married Helen Hesketh. [2: 330; 8: 181]

14. Lawrence Towneley was the son of Lawrence Towneley and Helen Hesketh. He married Margaret Hartley. He died before 19 January 1598. [2: 330; 8: 181]

15. Lawrence Towneley was the son of Lawrence Towneley and Margaret Hartley. He married Jennet Halstead. He died before 12 February 1655. [2: 330; 8: 181]

16a. Mary Towneley was the daughter of Lawrence Towneley and Jennet Halstead. She was born on 13 May 1614. She married Capt. Augustine Warner. She died on 11 August 1662 at age 48. Their son was Col. Augustine Warner (1-14). [2: 330; 8: 181]

16b. Elizabeth Towneley was the daughter of Lawrence Towneley and Jennet Halstead. She married Christopher Smith. [2: 331]

17. Col. Lawrence Smith was the son of Christopher Smith and Elizabeth Towneley. He was born betwen 1621 and 1629 at Stonirakes, England. He married Mary Debnam. He left a will dated 8 August 1700. [1: 5; 2: 331]

18. Sarah Smith was the daughter of Col. Lawrence Smith and Mary Debnam. She was born on 1 January 1660/61. She was baptized on 8 January 1660/61 at Hull Parish, Yorkshire, England. She married Col. John Taliaferro, "the Ranger" in 1682. She died in 1720 at Westmoreland, VA. [1: 5; 5: 126; 7: 394]

19. Mary Taliaferro was the daughter of Col. John Taliaferro, "the Ranger" and Sarah Smith. She was born in 1686 at Powhatton Plantation, Essex, VA. She married Col. Francis Thornton, Jr. She died after 1720 at Snow Creek, Essex, VA. [1: 5; 5: 126]

20. Elizabeth Thornton was the daughter of Col. Francis Thornton, Jr. and Mary Taliaferro. She was born in 1719 at Snow Creek, Spotsylvania, VA. She married Thomas Meriwether in 1735 at Spotsylvania, VA. She died in 1774 at Albemarle, VA. [1: 5; 5: 126; 6: 41]

21. Lucy Meriwether (1-17) was the daughter of Thomas Meriwether and Elizabeth Thornton. She was born on 4 February 1751 at Albemarle, VA. She married William Lewis, son of Col. Robert Lewis and Jane Meriwether. She died on 8 September 1837 at Albemarle, VA, at age 86. [1: 5; 6: 41-2].

References:

[1] Gary Boyd Roberts, Notable Kin (Santa Clarita, CA: Carl Boyer, 1998).

[2] Gary Boyd Roberts, Royal Descents of 500 Immigrants to the American Colonies or the United States (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002).

[3] David Faris, Plantagenet Ancestry of 17th Century Colonists, 2nd ed. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999).

[4] Frederick Lewis Weis, Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to American before 1700, 7th ed. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1999).

[5] Walter Garland Duke, Henry Duke, Councilor: His Descendants and Connections (Richmond: Dietz Press, 1949).

[6] William Terrell Lewis, Genealogy of the Lewis and Kindred Families (KY: Courier-Journal Job Printing Company, 1893).

[7] Margaret C. Pilcher, Historical Sketches of the Campbell, Pilcher, and Kindred Families (Nashville: Marshall Bruce & Co., 1911).

[8] Gary Boyd Roberts, Ancestors of American Presidents, 2nd ed.(Santa Clarita, CA.: Carl Boyer, 1995).

[9] Colonial Dames of America, Ancestral Records and Portraits (New York: Grafton Press, 1910).