Name David Meriwether | Children James Meriwether | |
Role Former United States Representative Died November 16, 1822, Athens, Georgia, United States Party Democratic-Republican Party | ||
Member of congress start date December 6, 1802 Previous office Representative 1802–1807 | ||
David Meriwether (April 10, 1755 – November 16, 1822) was a United States (U.S.) Congressional Representative from the state of Georgia. U.S. congressman James Meriwether was his son.
Biography
David Meriwether was born at "Cloverfields" (home of the Meriwether family), near Charlottesville, Virginia, on April 10, 1755. During the Revolutionary War, he served as a lieutenant in New Jersey, and afterward with Virginia troops at the last siege of Savannah, Georgia. He settled in Wilkes County, Georgia, in 1785. On September 21, 1797, he was commissioned a brigadier general in the Georgia militia.
Meriwether was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives and served as speaker from 1797 until 1800. He was then elected as a Jeffersonian to the 7th United States Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Benjamin Taliaferro and was reelected to the 8th and 9th Congresses. His time in federal office spanned from December 6, 1802, to March 3, 1807. He did not run for reelection in 1806 to the 10th Congress and retired to his plantation near Athens, Georgia. After his congressional service, Meriwether was appointed a commissioner to the Creek Indians in 1804 and repeatedly reappointed to treat with other tribes. He died near Athens, Georgia on November 16, 1822 and was buried in the private burial ground on his plantation.
He is the namesake of Meriwether County, Georgia.