William Coleman Meads ^{2 4 5 6}

   Other names for William were William Mead, William Coleman Meade ⁷ and William Meades.

  General Notes:

Surname has several common (mis)spellings of Mead, Meade, Meads, Meades
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E-mail from Donna Tauber on January 25, 2002:
"WILLIAM C. MEADS was born 1830, and died 1900 in Kansas. He married (1) DELILAH HAYS March 13, 1843 in Daviess County, Indiana. She died 1849. He married (2) SARAH GROW February 27, 1851 in Daviess County, Indiana. She was born August 24, 1828 in Kentucky, and died July 11, 1915 in Topeka, Kansas."

I was uncertain of this, as it would have made him about 14 when married, but this is how it is listed in the "History of Daviess County". It is possible that it is a typo error, and date of birth should read 1820, but the article states also he was born in Davies, after his parents arrived there about 1828. Another source states his date of birth 31 Mar 1824 in Maryland, which is probably closer to fact. "
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Obviously the birth date of 1830 for William Meads is not correct when compared to known dates of other events. For example, he would have been about 13 years old when he was married on March 13, 1843 and only about 14 when his first son, Alfred D. Meads, was born 12 MAY 1844. The date submitted by other sources of March 31, 1824 is much more realistic making him almost 19 when married and 20 when his first son was born.

However, question about his birth location, either Maryland or Indiana, remains confusing to some who obviously have relied on only one source of information or have merely copied someone else's mistake. In the book "History of Daviess County Indiana", by A. O. Fulkerson, 1915, the author writes on pages 626-628, "Alfred Davis Meade was the son of William and Delilah (Hayes) Meade, both of whom were natives of Maryland and early settlers in Washington township, Daviess County, Indiana." Unfortunately for the author he contradicts this on pages 509-511 where he writes "Joseph H. Meads was born on October 14, 1846, in Washington township, Daviess County, Indiana, the son of William C. and his first wife, Deliah (Hays) Meads. His father was born in 1830, in Washington township, this county and state, and received his early education in the neighboring schools."

Not only does the author use two different spellings of the surname (Meade on pages 626-628, and Meads on pages 509-511), but he provides contradictory birth locations for William C. Meads as Maryland on pages 626-628 and Daviess County, Indiana on pages 509-511. All census records for William Meads show that he always indicated Indiana as his birth location and the 1880 census record additionally showed that his parents were both from Maryland.
[Brian L. Lightfoot]
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William C. Meads - HISTORY OF DAVIESS COUNTY
Page 509 and 510 Info under son Joseph H. Meads which says:
"William C. Meads was born in 1830 [sic: should be 1824], in Washington Township, this county and state, and received his early education in the neighboring schools. He began farming as a very young man and owned a farm here which he sold out at a later date and decided to remove to the state of Kansas, where he purchased two hundred acres of land near Topeka, where he continued to farm until the time of his death in 1900. His first wife (Delilah) lived until the year 1849, and during her life gave birth to the following children: Alfred D., born in 1844, who was in the civil war as a member of Company E., Sixth Regiment Indiana Volunteer Infantry, was wounded in the battle of Dallas, Texas, and served his country three years; Joseph, born 1844 and John who died in infancy.

His second marriage was to Sarah Grow, February 27, 1851, daughter of Christopher Grow, and to that union was born Christopher, who drowned at age 17; William, living in Oklahoma; Rousseau, a resident of Kansas; Sentna, now residing in Oklahoma, and Emanuel, postmaster at North Topeka, Kansas. He was a practical member of the Christian Church, and advocate of the principals of the Republican Party, and personally a man who was held in the highest esteem by all who knew him."
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  Burial Notes:

Plot: Lot 57
Inscription: "WILLIAM C. MEADE, MAR 31 1824 - JAN 24 1898"

Find A Grave Memorial# 86326380

  Noted events in his life were:

• He appeared on the 1860 US Census in Washington Township, Daviess County, IN on 20 June 1860. ⁵

1860 US Census
Page 3, Roll 251, Dwelling 344, Family 342
Washington Township, Daviess County, Indiana
William Meads..36..IN..Farmer
(Living with 2nd wife, 2 sons from 1st wife, and 2 sons from 2nd wife.)
.

• He appeared on the 1870 US Census in Washington Township, Daviess County, IN on 11 July 1870. ⁶

1870 US Census
Page 43, Dwelling 277, Family 276
Washington Township, Daviess County, Indiana
William C. Meads..46..IN..Farmer
(Living with 2nd wife and 3 sons.)
.

• He appeared on the 1880 US Census in Menoken Township, Shawnee County, KS on 15 June 1880. ⁴

1880 US Census
Page 287B, District 21, Dwelling 122, Family 129, Roll 397
Menoken Township, Shawnee County, Kansas
W. C. Meads..Self..56..IN..Farmer
(Living with wife, 3 sons, and niece.)
.

• His obituary was published in the Topeka Daily Capital on 28 January 1898 in Topeka, KS.

⁷ Wm. Meade of Menoken, Dies Very Suddenly.

Wm. Meade, better known as "Uncle Billy Meade," was found dead yesterday morning at the barn on his farm west of the city between Topeka and Silver Lake. He was found by one of the family, who went to the barn to call Mr. Meade to breakfast. Mr. Meade had arisen early, as was his custom, and had gone to the barn to feed the horses and do the morning chores. Little attention was paid to him by any other member of the family, for it was thought by all that he was in unusually good health. When his son went to the barn to call his father to breakfast he found him on the floor dead. He moved him and tried in every way to restore consciousness, but his efforts were in vain. Other members of the family were called and they carried their father into the house and aroused some of the neighbors.

It is thought that Mr. Meade died from heart trouble, as he was subject to attacks of the heart and often undue exertion brought on spells that were dangerous. He was one of the oldest and most respected farmers in Shawnee county. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 3 o'clock and the remains will be buried at Prairie Home Cemetery.

(Source: Topeka Daily Capital, 28 Jan 1898)
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William married Delila Hayes about 1843.¹ (Delila Hayes was born in 1827 in Maryland,¹ died on 5 August 1850 in , Daviess County, IN ¹ and was buried after 5 August 1850 in Washington, IN ¹.)

William next married Sarah Grow, daughter of Christopher Grow and Mary Arnspiger, on 27 February 1851 in , Daviess County, IN.^{2 3 4} (Sarah Grow was born on 24 August 1828 in Kentucky,^{2 5 8 9} died on 9 July 1914 in Topeka, KS ⁹ and was buried on 12 July 1914 in Topeka, KS ⁹.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1860 US Census in Washington Township, Daviess County, IN on 20 June 1860. ⁵

1860 US Census
Page 3, Roll 251, Dwelling 344, Family 342
Washington Township, Daviess County, Indiana
William Meads..36..IN..Farmer
Sarah Meads..32..KY
Alfred Meads..16..IN
Joseph Meads..13..IN
Christopher Meads..7..IN
William Meads..3..IN

NOTE - Alfred and Joseph were children from William Meads' first wife, Delilah Hayes.
.

• They appeared on the 1870 US Census in Washington Township, Daviess County, IN on 11 July 1870. ⁶

1870 US Census
Page 43, Dwelling 277, Family 276
Washington Township, Daviess County, Indiana
William C. Meads..46..IN..Farmer
Sarah Meads..42..KY..Keeping house
William Meads..13..IN
Rousseau Meads..7..IN
Century Meads..5..IN
.

• They appeared on the 1880 US Census in Menoken Township, Shawnee County, KS on 15 June 1880. ⁴

1880 US Census
Page 287B, District 21, Dwelling 122, Family 129, Roll 397
Menoken Township, Shawnee County, Kansas
W. C. Meads..Self..56..IN..Farmer
Sarah Meads..Wife..52..KY..Keeping House
Roussau Meads..Son..18..IN..At home
Sentenna Meads..Son..15..IN..At home
Emanuel Meads..Son..8..KS
Ada Boyd..Niece..22..IN
.