Meriwether Lewis' forgotten years revealed

They were national heroes by the end of their expedition, but Meriwether Lewis may be a stranger to many Lewis Countians and fewer still likely know William Clark.

Hundreds from across America will flock to Hohenwald in October to pay tribute to these courageous United States explorers and a well organized team of local volunteers hopes to be ready.

In addition to scheduling and planning, the Lewis County Historical Society has spent the summer months retelling the story of Meriwether Lewis.

The Forgotten Years, Part 3 of a 4 part series, presented by Lewis County Historic Society member Tony Turnbow Monday, August 3, 2009, outlined the time after the expedition and before his death, time Lewis spent as Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory.

The Lewis and Clark expedition, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson in 1801, changed the face of the American West forever.  When the party returned east, tales of Indian tribes, rivers, oceans, mountains, plant and animal species, and vast expanses of land piqued the curiosity of prospective settlers.

The migration west took on a fervency never before seen by the Americas.  

Nevertheless, the men who bravely and adeptly maneuvered the journey, and who returned with a wealth of information about the previously unmapped lands, faced terrific political difficulties upon their re-entry into society.

Lewis County’s namesake was presidential material, Turnbow said.  Newspapers of the day made an accounting of every move the men made, elevating them to celebrity status across the country.

 Indian Chiefs travelled back with Lewis and Clark, Turnbow said.  The explorers sent ahead of their return, examples of animals seen on the trip.  This, along with excerpts from his journals, which were published without his knowledge, created quite a stir in America.  Meriwether Lewis was in great demand. 

After being appointed governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory, Lewis was detained in the east on government business for several months.  He left his secretary, Frederick Bates, in charge of managing the expanse of land which was the Upper Louisiana Territory. Land borders stretched from present day Louisiana, north to Canada.

Bates became accustomed to  power in Lewis’ absence and made decisions about land claims, some of which were poor, Turnbow explained.

In that day, land claims were defined by each country involved:  Spain,  France,  United States and, of course, the Indian nations.  There were no written laws in the new territory and no law men to enforce them if they had existed.

Indians were fighting to keep their land and Bates mishandled Indian negotiations, Turnbow continued.  The trading and trapping business belonged to the ones who were the strongest.  Bates conferred rights to lead mines to private individuals while the U. S. government believed the rights were theirs.

Add to the chaos of the west, land squatters and a slow mail service, and it was clear Meriwether Lewis walked into nothing less than a tough situation as governor.

And Bates not only resisted giving up his power upon Lewis’ return, he developed a strong dislike for Lewis and took opportunities to undermine Lewis’ with officials in Washington D. C.

When Lewis returned to the territory as governor, he tried to pacify people who had moved into the territory, but faced economic challenges.  In many cases, Lewis was forced to purchase land from settlers on behalf of the government due to land disputes.  But slow mail meant slow arrival of funding from Washington, D.C..

People of the Upper Louisiana Territory were issued vouchers by Lewis and Clark in exchange for land and/or services rendered and were left to rely on the government for reimbursement.  

Clark assisted Lewis and had been named Brigadier General of the Upper Louisiana Territory and Indian Territorial Agent.  When the U. S. government declared in 1809 it was out of money, voucher holders were most unhappy.

A Masonic lodge was established in St. Louis, Missouri with who else but Lewis and Bates contending for the top position, Master.  When Lewis was chosen, Bates was further angered, Turnbow explained.

As time passed, Bates accused Lewis of spending government money for personal gain, causing the Secretary of the Treasury to announce he would not reimburse Lewis as much as $4,000.  Lewis and Clark were forced to sell land to pay back vouchers given in the name of the U. S. government, Turnbow explained.  

But even that was not enough money.  “Lewis took the government’s refusal to pay personally, as a challenge to his honor,” Turnbow continued. 

Furious that the government would not reimburse him for personal money spent to repay government vouchers, Meriwether Lewis decided to go to Washington, D.C.

While on the expedition, Lewis contracted Malaria, which recurred as he executed his plan to return to Washington, D. C.  Lewis hoped to earn money by publishing his journals and to present a list of expenses from the expedition for reimbursement.

As instructed by then President Jefferson, Lewis had also used personal funds for the expedition.  His journals reflect careful notes were kept to ensure reimbursement.  But Lewis died at Grinder’s Stand along the Natchez Trace on his way to Washington, D.C..  He was placed in a grave which remained unmarked until 1848.

When the famed explorer died, he did not even have a memorial service.

Lewis was a great national hero who contributed much to the scientific knowledge and expanse of a country, yet the new president, Madison, would not back him.  Because of this, Lewis was financially destroyed, Turnbow explained.

And mystery surrounds his death.  Was it suicide or was he murdered by his enemies who did not want to see him return to power?  While this point lends an air of mystique, the event planned in October of 2009 will focus on more: the life and the death of Meriwether Lewis.

Of Courage Undaunted, The Final Journey will begin in Mississippi as the annual meeting of the Heritage Trail Foundation.  Members of the group plan to spend the final day of their annual meeting, October 7, 2009, in Hohenwald at the grave site with a commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the great explorer’s death.

National Park officials have issued a special use permit to the group.  The public is invited to attend the special event.  Guests should  bring lawn chairs and be seated by 1:30 p.m. for the 2:30 ceremony.

Dignitaries and members of both Lewis’ and Clark’s families from across the United States and Tennessee are expected for the event which is scheduled to last three hours, followed by a picnic.  Guests should bring a box dinner.  A bust of Meriwether Lewis will be presented to the National Park Service during the ceremony.

Lewis County was carved out of surrounding counties in 1843 to honor Meriwether Lewis.  At the time of his death, the site was a part of Maury County, Turnbow said.  A monument was placed on the grave in 1848 by the State of Tennessee.

Achievements of Lewis will be observed and honor paid to his life.  

An additional twist in this 200th anniversary year, the family of Meriwether Lewis has requested an exhumation of Lewis’ body in hopes of solving the mystery, settling the family’s questions and finding the truth of how the explorer died.