“Born August 18, 1774, near Ivy, Virginia, Meriwether Lewis was considered the greatest scout the country ever had. Originally from his family estate in Locust Hill, he came from a decorated family. His father Williams Lewis, his mother Lucy Meriwether and his father's cousin. His mother was a skilled cook and herbalist; his generous and charismatic nature was known throughout the region. His family was one of the first to settle in the area and had long-standing ties and friendship with the Jefferson family. Thomas Jefferson knew Lewis his whole life. In 1779, Lewis's father died of pneumonia after crossing a frozen river while leaving the army to visit family. His mother, Lucy, soon after married a retired officer named Captain John Marks in May 1780. John Marks moved the entire family to Broad River Valley, Georgia, settling in the new community of Goosepond established by the General George Mathews. In Georgia, Lewis improved his skills as a hunter and outdoorsman; he sometimes went out in the middle of the night during the winter with his dogs to go hunting when he was also eight years old. He became fascinated with the outdoors and natural history and wanted to learn more. It became a lifelong passion and his mother taught him how to gather wild herbs for medicinal purposes. Lewis first dealt with a native Indian group. The Cherokee Indians lived in antagonistic proximity to white settlers, but Lewis seemed to be a champion of the Cherokee among his own people. Governor George Gilmer of Georgia described young Lewis as "having inherited his mother's energy, courage, activity and good understanding." The family grew while in Broad River, Lucy gave...... middle of paper .. ....dnar)BibliographyAbrams, Rochonne. “The Colonial Childhood of Meriwether Lewis.” Abrams, Rochonne. The Colonial Childhood of Meriwether Lewis. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1978. 218-327. Bednar, Michael. Nicholas Lewis House-Charlottesville Virginia. February 2002. February 2002. Clark, Lewis. “The Diaries of Lewis and Clark.” May 31 Thursday 1804 (1804): 6.Dillon, Richard. Meriwether Lewis: a biography. New York: Coward-McCann, 1965. Lewis. “The Diaries of Lewis and Clark.” Saturday March 15, 1806 (1806): 329.—. “The Diaries of Lewis and Clark.” Monday June 17, 1805 (1805): 143.Slaughter, Thomas P. Exploring Lewis and Clark's Reflections on Men and the Wilderness. New York: Vintage Books First Edition, 2003. http://www2.vcdh.virginia.edu/lewisandclark/biddle/biographies_html/lewis.html http://www.biography.com/people/meriwether-lewis-9381267