The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-03
RETURN ], MEIGS
CALLEDBYDEA7H
Assistant Clerk of District Su-
preme Court Was Eighty
three Years Old.
RICH AN ANCESTRY
He Was Fourth of Same Name in
Direct Line of
Descent.
RICH AN ANCESTRY

Return Jonathan Meigs, the third as
sistant clerk of the District Supreme
Court for the past fifty years. who has
been i'll since last February, died last
night at 7:25 o'clock at his home in the
Hoyt apartments, 1880 Belmont Street
Northwest at the age OF eighty-three
years Death was due to kidney trouble.
Funeral arrangements have not been
made He is survived by his wife, Mrs.
Elizabeth Martin Meigs, and four chill
dren-Miss Elizabeth Meigs and Mrs.
Henry Naylor, of this city; Miss Jane
Meigs, of San Francisco. and Mrs.
Henry Olds, of Woodside, Md.
Return Jonathan Meigs was native
of Tennessee. He was lineal descend
ant of Col. Return Jonathan Meigs. who
served on the staff of Gen. George WASH
ington during the Revolutionary war, and
whose son, Return Jonathan Meigs. "a,
was the first Governor of the State or
Ohio, and also served as Postmaster
General The father of Mr.. Meigs was
Return Jonathan Meigs, Sd, who was ap-
pointed by President Lincoln in 1858 to
reorganize the District Supreme Court.
which task was completed March q OF
the same year, serving as the first clerk
of the reorganized court for twenty-eight
year, resigning in 1891, when he was sue
ceeded by the incumbent. Col. John H.
Young. The fiftieth anniversary of the
District Supreme Court was recently OBJ
served by the justices of the court and
members CT the bar, and Mr.. Meigs. who
was prevented from being present
through illness, was the only living en-
ploye of the court when the reorganized
court first convened in 1868.
Mr.. Meigs had personally known every
justice of the District Supreme Court,
the Court of Appeals, and other tribu-
nails and the members of the bar and was
not only one of the most popular off1cers
of the court, but enjoyed the highest
esteem and confidence Of the members
of the bench and bar alike.
Rich In Ancestry.
The name Of Meigs may be found in the
colonial and Revolutionary history OF this
country, as well as on almost every page
o. American history up to the civil war
and after. The Meigs family is descend
ed from Vincent Meigs, who came from
Dorsetshire, England, to America In
about the year 1855. and from this sturdy
pioneer are descended the forefafhers or
the late Mr.. Meigs. among whose works
may be counted the Pension Office build
ing, which was erected under the super
vision of the late Maj. Gen. c. Meigs,
cousin of Mr.. Meigs. Maj Gen. Meigs
was uuartermas ter general of the United
States Army during the civil war. ana
as chief of engineers built the Cabin
John bridge 1t is said that when Gen.
Sheridan visited the Pension Once builG-
ing after il was completed, Gen. Meigs
asked him how he liked it, to which the
hero of Winchester replied, the only
fault / have to find it's.too fireproof."
Mr.. Meigs has a valuable collection or
historical papers and documents relating
to his family and his ancestors. Intend
ing to preserve them and make them ac-
oessible to the public, Mr.. Meigs present.
ed a number of manuscripts and docu-
ments to the Library Of Congress, No
vember II last, including seven commits
sions of Return Johnathan Meigs, fifteen
manuscripts and letters, among which
are two from Washington in the year
17sO. the resolve of Congress of III, pre-
senting Col Meigs with sword. and
Knoxs letter of transmission OF 1885
To the Smithsonian Institution Mr.. Meigs
presented the sword which was voted by
the Continental Congress July ., M, to
Col. Return Jonathan Meigs, of the Rev
dictionary army, and a pair OF knee
buckles worn by Gen. Richard Mont
eomery Mr.. Meigs was member or
the Society of the Cincinnati, being the
son of a son of An officer of the Revolu-
tionarv army. The record OF the de-
scendants of Vincent Meigs, who came
from Dorsetshire, England, to America
a bout 1885, is the title of a thick volume
whose author is Henry B. Meigs, OF Bal
timore, in which he not only traces the
members of the Meigs family, but gives
their biography and numerous services
rendered to this country.