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Note: N259 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle (Clarksville, Tennessee), 6 October 1877, Saturday
Death of Charles N. Meriwether
It is a melancholy task to announce the death of such a man as Charles N. Merriwether. He died at his home in Todd county, Ky., on 28 September, 1877 in the 77th year of his age. This sad event produced a profound sensation, though it was for several days anticipated by the large circle of his friends, who were watching the progress of the disease which finally carried him off. His residence was in Kentucky, on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, though his business relations and associations were mainly in Tennessee. No man has ever lived in either State who was more affectionately loved by all classes than Mr. Charles Meriwether. All, high and low, black and white, had at some time, in some form, received evidences of his kindness and generosity.
He was the eldest son of the venerable Dr. Charles Merriweather, a renowned physician in his day, and who so long dispensed a princely hospitality at Meriville, his country seat, near the Kentucky line, about 12 miles north of Clarksville. Charles N. Meriwether, the subject of this obituary, closely resembled his father in person and imitated his virtues and was the kindest and most charitable of men, and especially so to the wayfaring and the stranger, who were overtaken by misfortune, or sickness, away from the comforts of home. Often did he go on errands of mercy to the sickbed of a perfect stranger who was weary and worn, and prevail upon him to go with him home in his carriage that he might the more readily and conveniently restore him to health under his own roof-tree. His heart was bent on doing good, and not content with doing good and saying kind and comforting words to those who chance threw his way, he seemed to search out objects of charity that he might relieve human suffering in whatever form it might be presented to him.
"Benevolence, the friend of all distressed, Had built her temple in his faithful breast."
If a young couple set up housekeeping near him, he was sure to send his wagon the next day loaded down with the finest bacon ham, flour, sugar, coffee and all manner of vegetables to give them a cordial welcome and a comfortable start in life, no matter whether the man or the woman were any kin to him or not.
I will attempt no eulogy on him; none can be pronounced that will do justice to his modest and pretending merit. He was a devoted agriculturalist, and had a decided rural taste, and was fond of raising the finest blooded horses and cattle. His blooded horses and Devon herd were his delight. He was the owner of the best blood horse ever brought to this part of the state, the famous and high-blooded imported stallion Ambassador, which was killed by lightning in his stable. He raised some of the finest race horses, but never, I believe, trained any for the turf.
In the latter years of his life he was very much concerned on the subject of religion, and read and studied the Bible a great deal and very carefully, and within the last few years connected himself with the Christian Church and was baptized by immersion in the same clear pool of water in Spring creek where his father was immersed precisely fifty years before. When the day was set for his immersion, he wrote to a few of his favorite friends that he would be gratified by their presence when the ordinance of holy baptism would be administered to him. He lived honored and beloved by men, and died in the faith of a Christian and the hope of a triumphant immortality beyond the grave.
G. A. H
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Note: N255 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle (Clarksville, Tennessee), 13 October 1877, Saturday
Meriwether—On the 28th September last, at Woodstock, Todd county, Ky., the family residence, Charles Nicholas Meriwether, aged 76 years, 1 month and 9 days.
Though born in Virginia, he lived his three score and ten years in the county where he died. In his twenty-first year he intermarried with Caroline Hunter [sic Huntley] Barker, who, with her sister, Mrs. Gilmer, are the sole surviving children of Charles Barker, of Fairfield, Todd county, Ky. To them it was given to live together as man and wife for the unusual period of fifty-six years, and more, to live in true marriage; one life of harmony, of mutual love, of mutual respect, and untied usefulness to all that came within their sphere of action. To the bereaved, as to all within the vicinage of Woodstock, language is inadequate to express the loss, and yet the anguished heart will try to "wreck its thought upon expression," however unavailingly. For we all feel that the highest, noblest Christian gentleman in the land has passed away. He was the Christian, living in all the enjoyments pertaining to Christianity, fervent, trusting, tolerant, not formulated, but living in the perennial freshness of "glad tidings," as they came down fresh from heaven. He was the gentleman, not in form and person merely, though the courtliness of his manner had a charm and individuality of its own, but the gentleman in the oldest and purest impart of the title; for his unique gracefulness of manner had its origin in kindness of heart and that human sympathy that "makes the whole world kin." He had that manly courage that is equal to all emergencies, that could combat with unflinching vigor all the calamities of life. The desponding man, brought within the sphere of his moral power, would leave him hopeful and strong. You could not be in his presence without realizing what was within him, his unconscious moral power, his absolute rectitude and thoughtfulness, his love of right and honesty in all things, and above all things, united with modesty of demeanor and a geniality of temper that carried away all hearts. For like many of earth's benefactors, he had a keen sense of humor, an enjoying playfulness of manner, never used to the annoyance of the most sensitive nature, but as auxiliary to the enforcement of the convictions of his supreme common sense.
He was the oldest son of Dr. Charles Meriwether of Meriville, Todd county, Ky., of distinguished attainments, ancient family and highest moral worth, who, though long dead to us, still speaketh to those who are yet here to remember his long life of benevolence and active virtue. It is much to be the son of such a sire; but yet birth and position are but accidents, whilst the life of our departed friend was ever his own. He made his life what it was, and its rich legacy is common property of all that came within its influence.
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Note: N256 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle (TN), 13 October 1877, Saturday
Charles Nicholas Meriwether, age 76 years, 1 month, 9 days, was born in Virginia August 19, 1801, and died September 28, 1877, at "Woodstock", Todd County. He was the oldest son of Dr. Charles Meriwether.
He is survived by his widow, Caroline Hunter Barker.
Burial was at Meriwether Cemetery in District 2 on the Clarksville/Kentucky Line.
He came to Todd County at the age of four.
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