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Note: N16005 Elizabeth (?) Meriwether, First Wife
© The Meriwether Society, Inc. (jmo)
The name of the presumed first wife of Nicholas Meriwether is not known for certain. In 1660, "N. Merriwether" and "E. Merriwether" witnessed a document for Thomas Woodhouse. It is believed that these individuals are Nicholas and his first wife, establishing that he was married by 1660 and lending some support to the supposition that her name was Elizabeth.
As first stated by Griffith in 1899, family tradition holds that Nicholas was married to Elizabeth Woodhouse, though he emphasizes that he was unable to confirm this. At least one independent researcher has stated that Nicholas did in fact marry twice and Elizabeth Woodhouse was the maiden name of the first wife. In any event, genealogies published since 1899 have used the name Elizabeth Woodhouse.
If we assume that the name of the first wife is Elizabeth Woodhouse, who were her parents? Certainly not Henry Woodhouse of Virginia, as is commonly shown. He did in fact have a daughter named Elizabeth, born about 1635, but she is known to have married Giles Collins and was living with him and having his children at the same time as Nicholas was with his wife Elizabeth. From the will of Gov. Henry Woodhouse, dated 16 July 1655:
"I doe bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Collins…"
Another possibility is that she was the daughter of Thomas Woodhouse, a tavern owner in Jamestown for whom Nicholas Meriwether acted as an attorney for his estate. This possible relationship is supported by the 1660 document signed by Thomas Woodhouse and witnessed by "N. Merriwether" and "E. Merriwether". However, there is no evidence that Thomas ever married, much less had children.
A third possibility suggested by the independent researcher is that she is the daughter of Bartholomew Woodhouse of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The Society has found records that show Elizabeth Woodhouse, daughter of Bartholomew, was christened 25 May 1635 at St. Mary Church, Lancaster Parish, Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The researcher further claims that Nicholas was apprenticed to Bartholomew Woodhouse and married his daughter. The Society has been unable to find evidence in support of this claim.
It is believed that this Elizabeth died between 1661 and 1663, probably on Jamestown Island.
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Note: N16006 All contemporary histories of Nicholas Meriwether and his family state that his wife was named Elizabeth, and court papers prove that at the time of his death he was indeed married to an Elizabeth, maiden name unknown. Meriwether family history, as first documented by William R. Griffith in 1899, held that her maiden name was Woodhouse, though Griffith was careful to state that he could find no evidence to support such an assertion. Subsequent researchers were not so careful and today it is widely believed without doubt that she was in fact Elizabeth Woodhouse.
Research by the Meriwether Society has been unable to confirm or deny Elizabeth's maiden name and in fact has confused the situation by publishing strong evidence that Nicholas was actually married twice! Recent (2007) correspondence with an independent researcher unaffiliated with the Society strengthens this conclusion and provides significant additional information that the Society is trying to verify.
If a wife of Nicholas was Elizabeth Woodhouse, who were her parents? Certainly not Henry Woodhouse of Virginia, as is commonly shown. He did in fact have a daughter named Elizabeth, but she is known to have married Giles Collins and was living with him and having his children at the same time as Nicholas was with his wife Elizabeth. From the will of Gov. Henry Woodhouse, dated 16 July 1655:
"I doe bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Collins…"
Another possibility is that she was the daughter of Thomas Woodhouse, a tavern owner in Jamestown for whom Nicholas Meriwether acted as an attorney for his estate. However, there is no evidence that Thomas ever married, much less had children.
A third possibility suggested by the independent researcher is that she is the daughter of Bartholomew Woodhouse of Lancaster, Lancashire, England. There are church records to support the birth of both Bartholomew and his daughter Elizabeth. Additional research is needed on this possibility.
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