Return J. Meigs Sr. facts for kids
Return Jonathan Meigs was an important person in early American history. He was a colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He also helped settle the Northwest Territory, which is now the state of Ohio. Later, he worked for the U.S. government as an Indian agent. In this role, he worked with the Cherokee people in Tennessee.
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Early Life and Revolutionary War Service
Meigs was born in Middletown, Connecticut, on December 17, 1740. His father was a hat maker. As a young man, Meigs started a business. He married Joanna Winborn in 1764 and they had four children. After she passed away, he married Grace Starr in 1774.
Joining the Fight for Freedom
Meigs was part of the local army group called the militia. He became a lieutenant in 1772 and a captain in 1774. When the American Revolutionary War began on April 19, 1775, with the Battle of Lexington, he led his soldiers to Boston. There, he became a major in the 2nd Connecticut Regiment.
John Trumbull, 1786
Later that year, Meigs joined an important journey to Canada. He was a commander under Colonel Benedict Arnold. They traveled through Maine to attack Quebec City. Meigs kept a journal during this tough trip. The British captured him during the attack on Quebec City. He was held prisoner but was released in May 1776. He was known for treating a British prisoner well.
Heroic Actions in the War
After being officially exchanged for a British prisoner in January 1777, Meigs returned to duty. He became a lieutenant colonel. On May 12, 1777, he was given command of the 6th Connecticut Regiment.
One of his most famous actions was the Meigs Raid in May 1777. He led 220 men in 13 small boats called whaleboats. They crossed Long Island Sound from Connecticut to Long Island. Their mission was to attack British ships at Sag Harbor, New York, at night. The raid was a huge success! They burned twelve British ships and captured ninety prisoners. Amazingly, Meigs did not lose a single one of his own men. The U.S. Congress honored him with a special sword for his bravery.
Meigs became the full colonel of the 6th Connecticut Regiment in September 1777. In July 1779, he led a special group of soldiers called the Corps of Light Infantry. He fought bravely at the Battle of Stony Point. He later helped stop a small rebellion among soldiers and received thanks from General George Washington. In 1781, many army groups were combined, and Meigs retired as a colonel.
Life in Ohio
After the Revolutionary War, Meigs became a surveyor for the Ohio Company of Associates. In April 1788, when he was 47, he joined a group of pioneers. They traveled to where the Muskingum River meets the Ohio River. There, he helped found the town of Marietta, Ohio. Meigs even wrote the rules for how the new settlement would be governed.
He then became involved in politics. He was appointed as a territorial judge and a justice of the peace. He also served in the army again, helping with supplies. In 1799, Meigs was elected to the Ohio territorial legislature, serving until 1801.
Service in Tennessee
In 1801, Meigs moved to Tennessee. He took on an important job as the U.S. Indian agent for the Cherokee Nation. He also worked as a military agent for the U.S. War Department. His office was first at Fort Southwest Point. In 1807, he moved his operations to a new place called Hiwassee Garrison. This was near where the Hiwassee River meets the Tennessee River.
Meigs continued as the Cherokee agent until he passed away on January 28, 1823. As an agent, he worked to help the Cherokee people. He defended their rights during treaty talks. He also encouraged the Cherokee to create their own republican style of government. It is said he died from pneumonia after sleeping outside in a tent. He had given his own living quarters to a visiting Cherokee chief.
Meigs is buried in the Garrison Cemetery in Rhea County, Tennessee. This is close to where the Hiwassee Garrison used to be.
Legacy and Family
Meigs' son, Return J. Meigs, Jr., became the governor of Ohio. He later served as a U.S. Senator. One of Meigs' grandsons, Return J. Meigs IV, married Jennie Ross. She was the daughter of the important Cherokee chief John Ross. In 1838, they were forced to move with her father to Indian Territory during the sad event known as the Trail of Tears.
Two places in Tennessee are named after Meigs. These are Meigs County, which was created in 1836, and Meigs Mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Images for kids
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Return Jonathan Meigs Sr.
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Meigs is shown in the left foreground of The Death of General Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec, December 31, 1775
John Trumbull, 1786
