George F.
Meriwether. Meriwether is a historic name in Georgia. The stock came from
Virginia to Georgia and from Wales to Virginia. Among the early members of the
family were several of more than ordinary distinction. Gen. David Meriwether, a
native of Virginia, settled in Wilkes County, Ga., in 1715. He was a
distinguished soldier of the Revolutionary war. He was also speaker of the lower
house of the general assembly of Georgia several terms, and was an eminent and
pious minister of the Methodist Church. He had two sons who were representatives
in congress from Georgia, and James, on of the sons, was a member of the
commission which met at the Indian Springs and negotiated with the Indians for
the purchase of the land of western Georgia. Thomas Meriwether, paternal
grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in Oglethorpe County, Ga.,
adjoining Wilkes, where the first ancestor settled. He married a daughter of
Gov. Mathews, which connected the Meriwether with that eminent Georgia family,
and subsequently moved to Jasper County, where he became a large stock-raiser
and prominent and highly respected citizen. His son, David Meriwether, father of
George F. Meriwether, was born also in Oglethorpe County, June 9, 1800, was
reared in Jasper, where he in time became a successful planter and was somewhat
conspicuous in public affairs. He was married several times, and reared a number
of children. His third wife was Sarah C., daughter of Thomas C. Broddus, of
Jasper County, and by this union he had three children, namely: Rebecca M., Mary
A. and George F.
The last, George F. Meriwether was born in Jasper
County, March 13, 1832. He was reared on the farm and followed planting up to
the breaking out of the war. When the war came on, he forsook the peaceful ways
of the planter and joined the Confederate service. He enlisted first in a
company of infantry, of which he was elected lieutenant, but subsequently
resigned, came home and raised a company of cavalry, of which he was also
lieutenant. He was in the front from the first, serving through the Tennessee,
Kentucky and other campaigns, and was wounded at the battle of Saltville, VA,
October 2, 184, where he was in command as captain of an Alabama company which
had lost all its officers.
At the close of the war, Mr. Meriwether's property
all being gone, he gave up planting and began the hotel business in Monticello,
at which he has continued since. In 1872 he was appointed postmaster at
Monticello, which position he has since held. In 1878 he was elected treasurer
of Jasper County, which office he still fills. December 12, 1855, he married
Sarah A., daughter of Powell P. Vincent of Putnam County, who still abides with
him. They have no children. Mr. Meriwether has been a member of the Presbyterian
Church for several years, and a respected, useful citizen of this county,
always.
Source: Souvenir Sketches of Georgia and Florida Containing Biographical Sketches of the Representative Public, and many
Early
Settled Families in These States. F. A. Battey & Company, 1889. P.577, 578