Embracing Historical Figures within Our Family Trees

In a recent post on another site, an individual described her family connections and their settling of various rural communities in Eastern Washington, as well as her connections to historical figures. In particular, she felt there was a connection to Meriwether Lewis. I found this intriguing, having used the Expedition in my classroom and created curriculum based on the science of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. And so, a conversation began.

Besides mentioning Lewis, I asked her if she knew of the artist and author Nona Hengen whose family were pioneers in the area of Spangle, Washington. Nona is in my family tree, and as it turns out, in both our family lines. Surprisingly, I’d found another branch of my family through online conversation and shared love of history.

But it brings to mind something I have often thought about. There is something in the human psyche that draws us to wanting that connection to famous people. For those who study history and genealogical lines, the temptation to attach our lines to King Arthur, the Mayflower, to Presidents, to explorers and others, is almost unescapable. So strong is the urge that we build out our trees to include these people, often without verifiable proof. I’ve done it often enough… I hear a recognizable name and then spend hours trying to draw a family line to that person.

I felt it again when I found a family connection to the person I’d been chatting to about Meriwether Lewis and the town of Spangle, WA. For if she were connected to Lewis, and I to her, then this intriguing historical figure I’d studied for so long was my relative as well.

As compelling as it may seem to have Meriwether Lewis in my family tree, especially after all my years using the Lewis & Clark Expedition in my classrooms, there still seems to be a question about his supposed line.  He was never married, has no heirs, yet a persistent story is that he fathered a son with Ikpasarewin Sara Windwalker of the Souix. From that, a complete lineage to the present has evolved, with adamant historians debating both sides of the story.  Which is where verification comes in. As much as my own psyche tremors with delight at the prospect, I have to make myself wait before adding Meriwether to my tree.

People have spent decades trying to resolve the history of Meriwether’s supposed family line. The use of DNA is accelerating that research and, one day, we may yet have proof. If you thought that there may be a possible link between yourself and Meriwether Lewis, then a couple sites I found may be the best sources to stay on top of this:

First, you should probably join this group if you suspect you may be related to the Lewis line: Lewis DNA Project 2021

It is the Facebook page for this site: Lewis Surname DNA Project

They would probably love to have your DNA profile added to the database, and you may see some direct relations when you do. I know I’ll be giving them mine.

I found the two sites above at WikiTree, the Meriwether Lewis Project, with additional links to the Virginia Project, Lewis & Clark Expedition Project, and Westward Ho! Project.  Also at this site, on the right-hand side, is a section called DNA Connections that would be an important starting point.  In that section, click on Mike Graham’s “test results.” In his list of family connections, you will find the name Rueben Lewis, older brother of Meriwether, which feels close, but as the site states ” there are no known yDNA test-takers in his [Meriwether’s] direct paternal line.”  Because there are no known yDNA test-takers there are no known relatives, and the lineage of Meriwether Lewis remains theoretical.

It may well be, given enough people submitting their DNA results if they feel like there may be a possible connection to the Lewis line, that the answer will one day be found, not in documents, letters and stories, but in science.  If the lineage from the supposed union of Meriwether and Ikpasarewin Sara Windwalker proves to be true, then a lot of people who have built that line into their own family trees will have found a remarkable connection to our collective history.