| Inheritance-Will |
- Role: Will
"By the law of progeniture, Capt. John Syme at the death of his mother, Mildred Meriwether, became possessed of her immense estate, but which by the cooperation of his father and Patrick Henry and his yielding and accommodating disposition, he was induced to sign away to his father, Col. John Syme, for a very inadequate consideration. It happened that his father, Col. John Syme, had sustained some heavy losses in aid of the Revolutionary War in an official capacity, and not having it in his power to meet the demands against him, he most unrighteously undertook to make sale of his son's, Capt. John Syme's, vast landed estate before his son, Capt. John Syme, became of mature age. Entering into covenant bonds to those to whom he had sold his son's property, with Patrick Henry and one John Hawkins as his securities, that his son, Capt. John Syme, on his arriving at mature age would ratify & make good all the sales he had made. The interposition of numerous friends was exercised to prevent Capt. John Syme from ratiffing or fulfilling his father's, Col. John Syme's, sales of his immense property during his minority, but the persuasive powers of Patrick Henry over him, and he was induced to yield up his vast claims & remained possessed of moderate fortune." - Dr. William COCHRAN, 17 November 1841
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- Role: Heir
"To Mildred Meriwether, Daughter of Nicholas Meriwether, deceased, one Negro Girl of about her own age, to be delivered to her at the Division of my Slaves."
"To Granddaughter, Judith Littlepage, 459 acres in King William County, over against my Son William Meriwether's Plantation; also Eleven Negro Slaves now on said land. If she should die without heirs or her heirs should die without heirs, I give and bequeath unto my Son William Meriwether the aforesaid 459 acres of Land; also I do give unto my two Sons William Meriwether and David Meriwether the aforesaid Negro Slaves and their increase, equally to be divided betwen them.
"To my Grand Daughter, Judith Littlpage, two malatto boys by name Charles and Jamey to be delivered to her at her marriage or when she shall come of age of twentyone years, and her heirs, and (in case of failure of heirs) to my Grand Son John Meriwether and his heirs forever.
"To my Daughter, Ann Johnson, Land and Plantation whereon she formerly lived on the East side of the branch that parts it and the Land I bought of Edward Hicks, being about 630 acres, during her natural life, at her decease to my Garnd son William Johnson, son to the above Daughter Ann, and to his heirs, and (in case of failure of such heirs) to my son William Meriwether.
"To my Daughter, Ann Johnson, my Plantation commonly called and known by the name of Roundabout together with Thur Hundred acres of Land, etc.
"To my Grand Son Nicholas Lewis the son of Mr. Robert Lewis my Plantation and land whereon I now live, Containing by Patent 1020 acres, together with 119 acres, part of a greater Tract bought of Thomas Graves to be laid off in the most Convenient manner and joyning to the Thousand and Twenty aforementioned, etc.
"To my aforesaid Grand Son Nicholas Lewis one Negro boy about six years of age to be Delivered at the Division of my Slaves hereafter mentioned, also 20 head of neat Cattle and 20 head of Hoggs from the Plantation whereon I now live, and 10 head of Cattle and 10 head of Hoggs from off the Plantation whereon Robert Dalton formerly lived, etc.
"To my Grand Son Richard Meriwether Son of my Son William Meriwether, 700 acres of Land in Goochland, part of 819 acres bought of Thomas Graves.
"To Son David Meriwether my ffork Plantation he now lives on together with 400 acres of Land.
"To Mildred Meriwether, Daughter of Nicholas Meriwether, deceased, one Negro Girl of about her own age, to be delivered to her at the Division of my Slaves.
"To my Loving Wife Elizabeth Meriwether One hundred Pounds Sterling money of Great Britain together with what new Goods and plate I shall have in my house at my death.
"To my Son-in-Law Robert Lewis 1500 acrs of Land whereon he now lives, as will appear by a Deed in Hanover Court.
"I Lend to my Loving Wife Elizabeth Meriwether twelve working Negroes and two Negro Girls, she having her choice, as also all my household goods and 90 head of neat Cattle and 90 head of Hoggs, Young and Old, and all my working horses, with four Choyce breeding mairs during her natural life and at her Deth I do give and bequeath the above mentioned 14 Negroes and their increase to be equally Divided between my Seven Grandsons and three Granddaughters, Viz.: John Meriwether, Thomas Meriwether, and Richard Meriwether, Jane Meriwether, Sarah Meriwether, and Mary Meriwether, Sons and Daughters of William Meriwether, and to Nicholas Meriwether, ffrances Meriwether, James Meriwether, William Meriwether, Sons of David Meriwether, and their heirs forever.
"To Mary Lewis, Daughter of Mr. Robert Lewis, a Negro Girl of near her own age, &c.
"Unto Mildred Lewis, Daughter of Mr. Robert Lewis (similar bequest).
"Unto Robert Lewis, Son of Mr. Robert Lewis, Negro Boy of near his own age.
"Unto Isabella Lewis, Daughter of Mr. Robert Lewis, Negro Girl . . .
"Unto Nicholas Meriwether, Son of my Grandson Thomas Meriwether, a Negro boy about his age.
"Item [This paragraph is crossed out]: I do give and bequeath unto my Gr. Daughter Elizabeth Bray, two Negro Boys, by name, Tom son of old Tom that I bought of James Blackwell, and Tom son to Tom and Doll his wife, to be delivered to her at her marriage or when she shall come to full age, and if she should die before marriage or before she shall come to Twenty-one years of age that said two Negro boys to my Grand Son Nicholas Lewis . . .
"October, 1743 - I have delivered these two to Mr. Philip Johnson, her husband.
"Item - Unto John Meriwether, Son to my Son William Meriwether, 2000 acres of Land that is Laid of_ next his Brother Nicholas Meriwether deceased, Including where his Quarter is built.
"Item - Unto my Grandson ffrances Meriwether, Son to my Son David Meriwether, all that Land that lies between Mr. Robert Lewis's line and Nicholas Meriwether deceas'd line, being about 1600 acres more or less.
"Item - Unto my Grandson James Meriwether, Son to my Son David Meriwether, 1150 acres on Beaverdams, where old Toby lives . . .
"To my Grandson William Meriwether, Son to my Son David Meriwether, 1270 acres that lies between Mr. Robert Lewis's line and Capt. Tho. Meriwether's line, being the place where old Jack lived, etc.
"Item - To my Grandson, Thomas Meriwether, Son to my Son William Meriwether, after my Wife's Death, all the land that I have below Nicholas Meriwether's line of my first Mountain survey to Mr. Robert Lewis's line that he bought of Capt. Christopher Clark, to him and his heirs forever.
"To my Grandson, William Meriwether, son to my Son David Meriwether, 450 acres that his ffather had a Quarter on.
"Item - To my Grandson Richard Meriwether, Son to my Son William Meriwether, my quarter and Land where Negro Jemy lives, that I bought of Edward Hix, with some more Land added to it in all about 300 acres -
"Item - To Catharine Holladay, Daughter of Capt. William Holladay, who now lives with Mr. Bick ----- (mutilated), of King William County, 26 shillings Current money, to be delivered to her when she arrives at the age of twenty-one years or marries.
"Item - To Jane Lewis, daughter of Mr. Robert Lewis, Twenty-five Pounds Sterling Money of Great Britain.
"Item - Unto my Seven Grans Sons and three Grand Daughters, Viz.: John Meriwether, Thomas Meriwether, Richard Meriwether, Jane Meriwether, Sarah Meriwether and Mary Meriwether, Sons and Daughters of my Son William Meriwether, and ffrances Meriwether, James Meriwether and William Meriwether, Sons of my Son David Meriwether, all of my Negro slaves that I have not yet disposed of Equally to be divided between them and their heirs forever. Also I give and bequeath unto my Ten Grand Children (above named) all my Stocks of Hoggs & Cattle, Horses and Mairs, not yet disposed of, to be Equally divided between them . . . Slaves to be laid off into two equal Lotts to be divided amoung the said Ten Grandchildren when the first comes to lawful age, &c. At the Death of my Wife my aforesaid two Sons and my Son-in-law, Mr. Robert Lewis, to divid Negroes, Stock, and household goods left at her Death, the said ten Grandchildren to draw equal Lotts as aforesaid &c. Slaves already delivered to certain Grandsons to be reckoned in the final division.
"To Grand Son, John Meriwether, son of my Son William Meiwether, two other Negroes now in his possession, these also to be reckoned in the final settlement.
"Item - To Son-in-Law Mr. Robert Lewis, ffifty Pounds Sterling Money of Great Britain.
"Item - Estate not to be brought to an appraisement. Wife Elizabeth Meriwether, and Son-in-Law Mr. Robert Lewis, Exx. and Excr.
"Dated 12th Day, December, 1743. Nicholas Meriwether (Seal)
Wit.: Pet. Jefferson, Samuel Dalton, George Taylor, Chas. Lynch
"Recorded at a Court held for Goochland Co., Nov. 26, 1744. Hon. Wood, Clk."
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1739 - 1764 (22 years) Has more than 100 ancestors and more than 100 descendants in this family tree.
[2, 5] 
SYME, Capt. John III, b. 1755, Newcastle, Hanover, Colony of Virginia, UK 
