It has been almost four months since the last VLCLT post in November. ‘Busy trail business’ is the theme during this period of silence which this post will cover.
First, to our new VLCLT friends and followers since November, thank you for joining the trail efforts as it continues to identify, build and grow the trail, its routes and related historic sites, and tells the factually documented stories of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their many connections to Virginia.
This past Thursday on March 21, 2024, another recently discovered connection was recognized by the Virginia Department of Historical Resources (DHR). The application for a historical marker with supplemental Lewis and Clark plaque was approved by the DHR Board of Directors to be fabricated and installed near The Lewis Cemetery in King and Queen County. Here is the historical marker text that connects immigrant John Lewis to other prominent early Virginia leaders in addition to Corps of Discovery leader, Meriwether Lewis. Amazing discovery!!
THE JOHN LEWIS FAMILY
“John Lewis (ca. 1594-1657), a Welsh immigrant, patented land in this area in 1653, and his family later acquired hundreds of additional acres on both sides of the Poropotank River. His gravestone and those of other family members are in a cemetery a short distance south of here. Among Lewis’s descendants were John Lewis, a member of colonial Virginia’s Council of State; Fielding Lewis, a member of the House of Burgesses, a director of Virginia’s primary gun factory during the Revolutionary War, and brother-in-law of George Washington; and Meriwether Lewis, private secretary to Pres. Thomas Jefferson and leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean (1803-1806).”
Congratulations is extended to Gus Lewis, M.D., researcher and author of the approved text in collaboration with Va. DHR staff, and The King and Queen County Historical Society, the sponsoring organization. Dr. Lewis is also a descendent of The Lewis Family and serves on the VLCLT Board of Directors.
We are pleased to announce that the following historical marker/Lewis & Clark plaque installations and public ceremonies will occur in the near future: the “Replacement” historical marker for YORK in Caroline County; and a new historical marker in Abingdon, Virginia, that recognizes The Great Road as a major thoroughfare for the Explorers’s travels in Virginia.
Although already published on a previous VLCLT Hoof Print post, we want to share again the historical marker text about YORK. As noted above, this marker/plaque installation will replace the former historical marker text with a more updated version that recognizes additional talents and contributions of YORK to the Expedition.
York was the only African American on the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean (1803-1806). Enslaved at birth, he grew up near here in the household of William Clark’s parents, moved to Kentucky with the family, and came under Clark’s ownership in 1799. His hunting and bartering skills, care for the sick, dependability, and reception by Native Americans were important contributions to the success of the Expedition. A group of islands in the Missouri River was named for him. Unlike the other members of the Expedition, York received no money or land for his services. He remained enslaved by Clark through at least 1815 and reportedly was freed before 1832.
And last, on the other side of the state, the following text will be found in Abingdon, Virginia and placed in front of the historic William King House.
LEWIS AND CLARK ON THE GREAT ROAD
The Great Road, a thoroughfare linking the Valley of Virginia to the interior of North America, passed through Abingdon. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark used this route when returning to the East after their expedition to the Pacific Ocean (1803-06). Lewis, with a group of Native Americans from present-day North Dakota, passed here late in 1806 on his way to report to Pres. Thomas Jefferson. Clark followed separately, reaching Fincastle, VA, in Jan. 1807 to visit his future wife, Julia Hancock. He passed here again on his way from St. Louis for their wedding in Jan. 1808. On an eastward journey in 1809, Clark spent the night of 12 Nov. in or near Abingdon, possibly at the William King House.
Let me close by emphasizing that none of these historical markers/Lewis and Clark plaques would be created or even possible without the role of all the VLCLT VOLUNTEERs who are the researchers and documentarians in their localities who spend untold non-paid hours, many months and sometimes years “digging up” the facts and making new discoveries about Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the people and places in their lives in Virginia. Their only reward is knowing they are helping to inform the public with documented truths about the history and connections of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in/to the Commonwealth of Virginia. And so, our sincere thanks are especially extended to the following County Chairs and VLCLT Board Members who have made the above happen: Gus Lewis, M.D., King and Queen County; Carolyn (“Cookie”) Davis, Caroline County; and Garrett Jackson, LP.D, Washington County.
Supporting the good efforts of these good volunteers is the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, especially the staff of the DHR Historical Marker Program. Few words can adequately describe the value of their interest, guidance and encouragement. The VLCLT is indeed grateful.
Please stay tuned for follow-up posts and photos after historical markers/Lewis and Clark plaques are installed. And thank you again for following the Virginia Lewis and Clark Legacy Trail, Inc.
Our best always,
Virginia Lewis and Clark Legscy Trail, Inc.
