Meriwether Lewis is a legitimate folk hero of the United States. He and William Clark teamed together in what is probably the most famous trek of exploration in US history: The famous Lewis and Clark Expedition. The trip began in 1803 with President Thomas Jefferson's approval. Lewis and Clark explored much of the Western US with the help of their guide, Sacagawea. After the famous expedition, Meriwether Lewis became governor of the Louisiana Territory. He died in 1809 in what remains one of the most controversial events in US history.

In 1809 Governor Lewis set off for Washington, DC. Lewis had become angry at the government for what he perceived as apathy, and was heading to Washington to tell them a thing or two. He also wanted to take his memoirs to be published. As he traveled along the Natchez Trace, he became ill and was persuaded by his friend Gilbert Russell to stop and rest. Some have said that Lewis had been drinking (a common cure for any ailment during this time period), and others have speculated he may have had a serious digestive disorder. He remained there for about six days, and was ready to travel on. He changed his route, in an effort to make up for lost time, and was accompanied by Captain James Neely, an agent to the Chickasaw. The group now included Neely, a slave named Captain Tom, and Pernia. As they traveled, they ran into a storm. Apparently, they forgot to tie their horses properly, because they became frightened and ran off carrying Pernia and Captain Tom, as well as Lewis' papers after a bolt of lightening struck a nearby tree. Captain Neely decided to go back and look for them, while Lewis decided to go onto Grinder's stand, and they would all meet there. Finally, Neely returned with both slaves, though it's not known if the horses and papers were located. Then they all went to bed.

What happened next is very controversial. That night, Lewis seemed upset about something. Sometime that night after midnight, Mrs. Grinder heard a pistol shot, then heard Lewis scream "O, Lord!", then another pistol shot. Then she heard Lewis stumbling in the yard. He fell to a bucket to get a drink, and heard him moan, "It is so hard to die." She was too frightened to go outside.

The next morning her and Lewis' servants entered the Lewis' room in the barn, and found him laying on the bed, with a gunshot wound to the head. He begged Pernia to put him out of his misery, but Pernia refused. Lewis died an hour or so later. Mr. Gringer and Captain Neely arrived later that day, having been out on a very long hunt. When his wife told Grinder what had happened, he didn't seem to react at all. A few people present thought the story sounded as if it had been rehearsed. Captain Neely immediately called the death suicide, and wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson informing him of what had happened.

Not everyone believed Neely's verdict. Most people who knew Meriwether Lewis believed he would never take his own life. Indeed, it is hard to believe that a man who had braved the American west, and thousands of hostile Indians would have killed himself because of a stomach ailment. Some have speculated that Grinder killed Lewis in order to rob him. They point to the fact that Lewis had only twenty-five cents on his person when he died. Certainly someone would not set out on such a long trip without some money? Grinder was charged with murder, but there was not enough evidence against him, and he was released. He moved to West Tennessee shortly after his release, where he bought a large amount of land and slaves with cash.

Some have also suggested that Pernia was guilty. Pernia, a Creole, vanished immediately after Lewis' death, supposedly returning to New Orleans. Lewis had a watch that disappeared, and was later found in New Orleans. Others say a conspiracy of several people led to his death, though that would be almost impossible to prove nearly two hundred years after the fact.

For years, Lewis lay in an unmarked grave off the Natchez Trace. Today, there is a monument erected in his honor. His burial spot is isolated, and many a visitor has claimed to have seen ghostly figures or heard voices. Perhaps Lewis is trying to tell them who really killed him. Lewis' last words are said to also be repeated over and over. If you ever visit the site, listen closely to the wind and the rustling of the leaves. Perhaps you can make out Lewis uttering his last words, "It is so hard to die."

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