The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis, a man of remarkable versatility, left an indelible mark on American history. He was a diplomat, explorer, scientist, governor, and soldier, a figure of considerable influence and accomplishment. Perhaps most famously, he served as the co-leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, a journey that etched his name into the annals of exploration. Many consider him to be the greatest pathfinder the United States has ever produced.
Born in the rolling hills near Charlottesville, Virginia, to William and Lucy Meriwether Lewis, Meriwether entered a world of privilege and opportunity. His early life, however, was marked by loss. When William passed away in 1781, Lucy remarried, relocating the family to Georgia when Meriwether was just ten years old. Despite the move, his education remained a priority. At the age of thirteen, he was sent back to Virginia to be tutored privately. Even at a young age, Lewis demonstrated a capacity for responsibility, managing his family’s estate. The death of his stepfather further solidified his role as head of the household, caring for his mother and four siblings while still a teenager.
Lewis’s foray into public service began with his involvement in the Virginia militia. In 1794, he participated in the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion, a significant challenge to the young nation’s authority. The following year, he enlisted in the regular army, dedicating himself to military service until 1801, ultimately attaining the rank of captain. It was during this period that he forged a valuable friendship with one of his commanding officers, William Clark, a relationship that would prove pivotal in his later endeavors.
In 1801, shortly after assuming the presidency, Thomas Jefferson extended an invitation to Lewis to serve as his personal secretary. This appointment provided Lewis with a unique vantage point into the inner workings of the government and, crucially, placed him at the heart of planning for the Corps of Discovery Expedition. His tenure as secretary, though brief, was instrumental in shaping his future. Within two years, Lewis was chosen to lead an expedition "to the Western Ocean," deemed an intelligent officer.
President Jefferson selected the 28-year-old Lewis to lead the expedition, afterward known as the Corps of Discovery. Lewis, in turn, selected former Army comrade, 32-year-old William Clark, to be co-leader. Due to bureaucratic delays in the U.S. Army, Clark officially only held the rank of Second Lieutenant at the time. However, Lewis concealed this from the men and shared the expedition’s leadership, always referring to Clark as “Captain.”
Before embarking on this monumental journey to the Pacific Ocean in 1803, Lewis dedicated a month to intensive study in Philadelphia, learning from some of the most eminent scientists of the era. His education encompassed a wide range of subjects, including medicine, techniques for preserving plant and animal specimens, the use of navigational instruments, cartography, and the study of fossils. This rigorous preparation equipped him with the knowledge and skills necessary to document and understand the vast and unfamiliar landscapes he would encounter.
Between 1804 and 1806, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery from Wood River, Illinois, to the Pacific Ocean. Throughout their journey, Clark meticulously mapped their route, while Meriwether Lewis diligently recorded observations and collected samples of the diverse flora and fauna they encountered. The expedition also involved interactions with the tribes inhabiting the Louisiana Purchase, informing them of the impending changes under U.S. ownership. Although Meriwether Lewis and Clark endeavored to foster peace among the tribes, their efforts were often hampered by a lack of understanding of the complexities of intertribal relations and social structures.
Upon their return after three years of exploration, President Thomas Jefferson recognized Lewis’s exceptional service by appointing him governor of the Louisiana Territory in 1806. However, assuming his gubernatorial post nearly two years later, Lewis faced a multitude of challenges. Personality conflicts, political disagreements, and accusations regarding the misuse of government funds contributed to a period of significant difficulty. Seeking to resolve the financial concerns, Lewis embarked on a journey from St. Louis, Missouri, to Washington D.C., in September 1809, accompanied by his servant, John Pernia, and Major James Neely.
In addition to the difficulties plaguing his career, Meriwether Lewis was grappling with personal struggles. He had long been afflicted by recurring bouts of what was then known as "melancholy." Financial woes stemming from land speculation and an increasing reliance on alcohol further compounded his problems. Despite the concerns of his traveling companions, who urged him to reconsider the trip, Meriwether Lewis remained resolute, even as he complained of debilitating headaches and a persistent fever.
Just over a month later, on October 11, 1809, Meriwether Lewis died mysteriously from gunshot wounds.
While traveling through Tennessee on October 10, a heavy rainstorm struck, causing two of the pack horses to bolt into the woods. Neelly advised Lewis to continue onward while he attempted to retrieve the animals. Lewis complied, securing lodging at a public roadhouse known as Grinder’s Stand. His servant, Pernia, was provided accommodation in the barn. According to Mrs. Grinder, the proprietor’s wife, Lewis spent the evening pacing in the common room, muttering to himself in a strange manner. She later recounted hearing gunshots but, gripped by fear, refrained from investigating. The following day, Lewis was discovered with gunshot wounds to the head and chest, but he remained alive for a short time.
Major James Neelly, Lewis’s traveling companion, arrived at Grinder’s Stand within hours of Lewis’s death. He buried Lewis nearby and took charge of Lewis’s papers, carrying them the rest of the way to Washington. On October 18, from Nashville, McNeelly wrote to Thomas Jefferson: “It is with extreme pain that I have to inform you of the death of His Excellency Meriwether Lewis, Governor of Upper Louisiana, who died on the morning of the 11th Instant and I am sorry to say by Suicide.”
From the outset, the circumstances surrounding Lewis’s death have been shrouded in doubt, fueling speculation about whether he committed suicide or was the victim of foul play. While some of his associates, including Thomas Jefferson, believed that he took his own life, others, particularly family members, suspected that he was murdered. While most historians currently accept that Lewis took his own life, a conspiracy theory also lingers.
Those who believe Meriwether Lewis took his own life have differing theories regarding his reasons, including depression, personal problems, and debilitating illnesses. Major James Neelly, the U.S. agent to the Chickasaw Nation; Captain Gilbert Russell, commander of Fort Pickering in present-day Memphis, Tennessee; and Alexander Wilson, a friend of Lewis’s, all reported his death as a suicide in letters and statements written later. Neelly and Russell based their conclusions on personal observations of Lewis’s strange behavior shortly before his death, while Wilson accepted Mrs. Grinder’s story two years after the event. In addition, three men probably closest to Lewis – William Clark and Mahlon Dickerson immediately assumed that Lewis had taken his own life when they heard the news. In a letter to his brother Jonathan, William Clark wrote, “I fear O! I fear the weight of his mind has overcome him.” Thomas Jefferson would later write:
“While he lived with me in Washington, I observed at times sensible depressions of mind… During his western expedition, the constant exertion required of all the faculties of body & mind suspended these distressing affections, but after his establishment in St. Louis in sedentary occupations, they returned upon him with redoubled vigor and began seriously to alarm his friends. He was in a paroxysm of one of these when his affairs rendered it necessary for him to go to Washington.”
Later, some historians theorized that Lewis might have suffered from either paresis, defined medically as “a disorder characterized primarily by impaired mental function, caused by damage to the brain from untreated syphilis.” Others believe he may have been suffering from malaria. Both diseases would affect both his mind and body.
Adding more evidence that Lewis had died by his own hand was that before leaving St. Louis, he had given several associates the power to distribute his possessions in the event of his death, and he had recently composed a will. Reports also surfaced that he had attempted to take his own life several times a few weeks earlier.
Despite what appears to be a clear-cut case of suicide, given Lewis’s state of mind, rumors of murder were circulating as soon as Lewis’s death was made known. Why would such a prominent young man take his own life? And why would he do it in such a way that he would linger in great pain? Several motives were put forth – a jealous husband, robbery, and political assassination.
Because Mr. Robert Grinder was not at home when Lewis was provided lodging, some suspected that when he arrived, he shot Lewis. Some accounts later investigated Robert Grinder due to his coming into a large sum of money. He was also said to have been brought before a grand jury, but the charges were dismissed as no evidence or motive existed for the crime. However, there are no court records.
The robbery motive goes further with numerous suspects, including random bandits known to have lurked upon the wilderness road, Lewis’s servant, John Pernier, and Major James Neelly. As to Major Neelly, Mrs. Grinder would report that Neelly did not react to Lewis’s death. He was conveniently absent all night. Others would say that when he retold the story, it sounded rehearsed. Some documents appeared to be missing when they were delivered to Washington. Neelly was known to be heavily in debt. John Pernia, a Creole, vanished immediately after death, supposedly returning to New Orleans. Later, a watch that belonged to Lewis turned up in New Orleans. The third theory of assassination suggests that Lewis had discovered secrets about General James Wilkinson, his predecessor as Governor of Upper Louisiana. If revealed, it would not only destroy the reputation of General Wilkerson and tarnish that of Thomas Jefferson. For years, Lewis lay in an unmarked grave off the Natchez Trace. However, in 1848, a special commission was established by the State of Tennessee to consider building a monument to Lewis. That commission examined his body, and the physician on the committee wrote in his report that Lewis was most likely a “victim of assassins.”
Today, his isolated burial spot near Hohenwald, Tennessee, is marked by a monument. Even the historical marker at the site acknowledges the controversy surrounding his death, stating that it marks the spot where Lewis’s “life of romantic endeavor and lasting achievement came tragically and mysteriously to its close.”
If his death is not mystery enough, more tales speak of his burial site being haunted. Several visitors have reported having seen ghostly figures, heard voices, and told of restless energy that pervades the spot. Yet others have described specifically hearing the words “so hard to die.” So perhaps what appears to be a suicide is not enough, and Lewis continues to reach out for the mystery to be solved.