Person:John Mead (2)

Vance Mead'sMead FamilyWebsite

John 2 removed from Hempstead, L. I. to Greenwich (Horse-neck) in 1660. It was in this village that he purchased land; the date of the deed is Oct. 26, 1660, and is as follows, verbatim et literation. These presents witnesseth an agreement made between Richard Crab of Grenwich, on ye one side & John Mead of Hemstead on Long Island on ye other side, viz: ye sd Richard Crab hath sould unto ye sd John Mead all his houses & Lands yt sd Richard Crab hath in Grenwich with all ye Apurtenances. Rights & Privileges & Conveniences yt doth belong unto ye sd houses & lands or shall here after belong unto them namely ye house yt Rechard Crab liveth in. Ye house yt Thomas Studwell liveth in with ye Barne yt is on ye other side of ye hyewaye; also ye home lott ye house stands on being bounded with a fence about them Lying on ye North west side against ye home lott also Eightene Acres of Land in Elizabeth neck more or less being bounded on ye sea on ye East ans south east and a fence on ye west norwest & ye north. Also ye Rig (ridge?) with five acres of Meadow Lying in it more or les. Ye rig being bounded by ye Sea on ye south east. Williamses Land on the east & a fence on ye northwest. Ye hye waye & hubert (Hubbard?) & angell Husted land on ye west; also three acres of meadow in ye Long meadow & one acre of Meadow by ferris bounded by Jeffere Ferris land on ye southwest and ye Cove on ye west and northwest: ye hyewaye on ye East & northeast & five acres of meadow in myanos neck. All these above spesiffied I do acknoledge to have sould unto ye above sd John Mead. His heaires & asignes fully & freely to be posses forever & for ye just & full performance hereof I have hereunto subscribed my hand Ann 1660 October 26 Daye. Richerd Crabb Wittness Adam MottRobert Williams In answer to ye Law Titale Possesion page fiftie & six wee under written do Subscribe acknoledge ye above Meads title to sd Lands to bee good acording to what ye law Directs 1698 Samll Peck Justice of ye Peace Robert Lockwood Towns Man. The tenacity with which the Meads have held their lands, and their love of home are by no means the least of their virtues, and it has been no uncommon thing for the same house and farm to have been handed down through five or six generations. Indeed some of the original purchases of land by the first families of Meads still remain in the possession of their descendants. John 2 Mead, who bought land of Richard Crab, married Hannah Potter, daughter of William Potter of Stamford. This "William Potter in his will dated March 9, 1684-5, gives to the church in Stamford five pounds to be improved for the use of the Lord's Table. The silver cups now in the service of the table of the First Congregational Church are still witnesses to this bequest." John 2 Mead's family consisted of eight son and three daughters. Their names were John 3 , Joseph 3 , Johanthan 3 , Ebenezer 3 , David 3 , Benjamin 3 , Nathaniel 3 , Samuel 3 , Hannah 3 , Abigail 3 , and Mary Elizabeth 3. The first marriage among these children seems to have been Hannah 3, who married John Scofield, of Stamford, July 10, 1677. The second was John 3, who married Ruth Hardy, daughter of Richard Hardy of Stamford in 1681. This is the first marriage recorded in Greenwich. Hannah Scofield had seven children; John 3 had four: viz, John 4, Jonathan4 , Nathaniel 4, and Elizabeth 4. All the Fairfield Co. Meads, and those of Westchester Co. in the region of Salem and Lewisboro, are derived from this John, the original purchaser of land in Greenwich. The following anecdote which has been preserved by tradition shows his character. One day when he had become quite an old man, as he was going for his grist at the mill at Dumpling Pond, before he reached Myanos River, he overtook an old Quaker jogging slowly along loaded with a heavy budget. In a real spirit of kindness, he offered to take the Quaker's load upon his horse and thus give him a lift on his journey. "No," replied the Quaker, "thee don't get my bundle. I can read men's thoughts. Thee wants to get my bundle, and then thee'll run off. Thee don't get my bundle." "Very well," was the simple reply; and so they went slowly on together. At last they came to the brink of the Myanos, and here Mr. Quaker was really in trouble. How to cross the river, two or three feet deep, dry shod, was quite a problem. But he gladly accepted a second offer of assistance from the horseman. The bundle was mounted in front, John in the middle, and the Quaker behind. Arriving at the center of the stream, in pretending to adjust his stirrup, John Mead caught the Quaker by the heel and gave him a gratuitous bath. Such treatment was too much for even Quaker forbearance, and the victim with his hands full of pebbles, would have taken summary vengeance, had not the other party threatened to put the bundle under a similar course of treatment. This threat, and the lecture that followed it gradually cooled off the man's anger. Mead informed him that all had been done for his good, to teach him a lesson, and the lecturer said he hoped he would never again profess to read men's thoughts. "For," said he, "I asked you to ride the first time in all kindness, and you refused; but at the second time of asking, I really intended to do as I have just done." So saying, and tossing back the bundle, he rode on, leaving his companion to apply the moral as he thought proper. Among the many traditions of the old members of this family, there is one which it seems strange was never inquired into for the purpose of settlement by those interested in their history. The question has been often raised whether this John had any daughters in his family. There is a will on record made by this John, in which all his sons are mentioned by name. In this will he gives away land, and there are no names of daughters, leading to the supposition there were none. John 2 Mead married Hannah Potter, daughter of William Potter, as before stated. William Potter in his will (referred to above) mentions the children of his sonn-in-law, John 2 Mead, and among them are the names of Hannah, Abigail, Elizabeth. There is also the following record: Scofield, John and Hannah Mead, married July 10, 1677. This Hannah must have been the same one mentioned in William Potter's will. but there is double proof that this John had daughters, in a will drawn up by him the same day, and evidently in the same hand, as the one in which the sons only are named. The one naming sons only , bequethes land, and is recorded in Greenwich "Land Records." The other makes bequest of money, and is recorded in Fairfield "Probate Records." This accounts for the existence of the two wills. Both of them are curiosities of antiquity, and are well worth being preserved. FIRST WILL OF JOHN MEAD Know all men by these present that I John Mead Senie of grenwich in the collonie of Conecticut for ye Love goodwill & affection which I have and bare towards my nautrall Son John Mead of ye Towne of grenwich & Collonie aforesd have given & granted & do by theses present fully Clearley and absolutely give & grant unto my Sd Sonn John mead now deseased: his sonn John mead my grandson a sertaine persale of Land & meadow Lying & being in grenwich bounded by ye Land that I John mead Sene bought of John Bowers north & a line drawn from ye north East Corner of ye Land I bought of Angell Heusted Jur to a grate rock lying in ye fron fence all these Lands lying within this Compas with ye house as it is bounded; ye fron of sd land being bounded upon thee high way west the Reare upon sea SouthEast upon these Confiderations following I give and grant clearely & absolutely ye above mentioned land to him his hearies & afsignes, Imprimis yt hee fully Confirme yt Contract yt was betwene his father & his Uncle Ebinezer mead & by that hee pay to his Brother Jonathan & nathan mead when they com to bee of eage five pounds to Each of them & to his Sister Elizabeth mead fortie Shilings; Item I give & fully grant unto ye afore sd John two acres in ye home lott Jsted of yt which ye sd John his father now deseased had of me in ye South feild disposing of that in ye South feild as I see Convenient. Further Know all men by these present yt I John mead Senie afore sd for ye lovegood will & affection which I have & beare towards my Naturall sonn Joseph Mead fully Clearly & absolutely give & grant unto my sd Sonn Joseph mead his hearies & asignes a setaine persale of Land & meadow Lying in Myanos neck esteemed seven acres be it more or Les as it is Bounded Item I give unto my sonn Joseph mead his heires & asignes three acres of Land in Stanfford South feild meare ye uper gate be it more or lass as it is Bounded Further Know all me by these present that John Mead Senie afore sd for ye Lovegood will & affection which I have & beare Towards by Naturall Sonn Ebenezer Mead of ye towne of grenwich afore sd have given & granted & by these Presents do fully Clearly & absolutely give & grant unto my sd Sonn Ebinezer his heaires & asignes a Persale of meadow in ye Hassucke meadow Esteemed two acres & an halfe be it more or Les ye Bounds being known to ye sd Ebinezer. Further Know all men by these present yt I John Mead Sanir afore sd for ye Love goodwill & affecttion which I have & beare towards my Naturall Sonn Jonathan Mead of ye Towne of Grenwich afore sd have given & granted & by these presents do fully clearly & absolutely give & grant unto my sd Sonn Jonathan his Heaires & asignes an home Lot Layd out to mee at horse neck and all my Lands Lying within horse neck feild & a Persale of Land Containing three acres more of Les Lying at ye south East End of ye Widow Hows Lott. Further know all men by there Presents yt John Mead Senir afore sd for ye Love good will & affection which I have & Beare towards my Naturall Sonn Benjamin Mead of ye Towne of Greenwich afore sd have given & granted & do by these Presents give & grant Clearly fully & absolutely; unto my sd sonn Benjamen these persales of Land & meadow here after Exprest Viz five acres of Land at Sticklins brook as it is Layd out to mee; and all my Lands & meadow Lying & being at that place Commonly Called Colcob as is Layd out to mee & Ten acres of upland above ye Road aded now to ye five Further Know all men by these present yt I John Mead Senior afor sd for ye Love & good will & afection which I have towards my Naturall Sonn Nathaniel Mead of ye Towne of Grenwich afore sd have given & granted & by these Presents do fully Clearly & absolutely give & grant to my Said Sonn Nathaniell his heaire & asignes an acre & Twentie rods of meadow in ye Southfeild as it is Bounded; likewise seven acres of Land Lying at a place Cauled Cnock als two thirds of my Lands as it shall bee Layd out of the Estate in Patrigs List Further Know all men by these Presents yt I John Mead Senir afore sd for ye Love goodwill & afection which I have & Bare towards my naturall sonn Samll Mead of ye Towne of Grenwich have given & granted & do by these Presents fully Clearly & Absolutely give & grant unto ye sd Samll Mead his heaires & asignes all my Housing with ye Orchard Item all my Lands on ye East Side of ye Hye way by my Houss both meadow & land & Plowing Land Bounded by ye grate Rock yt Lyrth in ye fence of ye Land of my Grand Sonn John Mead & upon a Steight Line to ye North East Corner of ye meadow Land I John mead aforesd Bought of Angele Huested Jur Item all my Land upon Elizabeth neck as it is bounded item all my alotment in ye Long meadow & all my meadow Lying by james Ferris as it is bounded & ye Peace of Land I bought of Clement Buxton Lying in Stanfford South feild as it is bonded & my alotment in Stanford East feild in Shopan which was my father Potters as it is Rounded also yt Persale of Land I had of ye over seers of my Father Potters Estate Lying within Stanford bounds frunting by ye Hye way by ye south feild as it is bounded Further Know yt ye afore sd Housing Lands & meadows I do frely give to him sd Sam'll my Sonn his heaires & asignes as afore sd also a persall of Land Lying by Gershom Lockwood bounded by ye hye way next west upon ye Land of my Grand son John Mead South East which Persale of Land was not mentioned before Provide yt ye sd Sam'll heaires & asignes do well & Honorably mainetaine his mother with a Convenient Room in ye Hose such a Room as she shall cheuse & with such other Things as may be Sutable for her Comfortable Subsistance during her widdowhood & that hee pay out to his brother nathaniell afore sd Twentie pounds in Provesion Pay as it Paseth from man to man amoungst us. Turn over for ye Remander Beginning ye Payment of it after my desease & Paying five Pounds pr annum till tis payd in witness where of I have hereunto sett to my hand & Seale this 16 of March 1695-6 John Mead ---I---- his mark Signed & sealed in Presenceof us Solomon Treat Zackariah Mead These above Written Deads & severall Grants of Lands on both sides of this Paper was acknowledged by ye granter John Mead Senir to bee his act & deed this 24 of March in Stanfford before mee Jonathan Bell commissioner It will be noticed that even as early as the date of this will [the first one], part of Greenwich had the name of "Horse Neck," although it has been asserted that this name was given on account of the break neck ride of General Putnam during the Revolution. The will making mention of the daughters, is recorded in Fairfield Probate Records (Vol. 1, p. 196) and is a very curious document. It seems strange that two wills should be drawn up the same day and both be valid, but it is explained by the fact that wills giving away lands were recorded in the town where the lands were located, while those bequeathing personal property were recorded in the county Probate Office. The second will is as follows, verbatim et literatim: SECOND WILL OF JOHN MEAD Whereas I John Mead Senr of Greenwich in the Collony of connecticut though at present in reasonable health yet being sencable of my bodyly weakness and Infirmities of ould age and not Knowing the day of my departure out of this world do make this my Last will Testament in manner and form following: first I comit my Soul into ye hands of Allmity God hopeing for Saluation from the Riches of his Grace through the allone merrits of Jesus. Also I Commit my body to ye Earth decently to be buried and there to rest unto the Resurection of the Just: And for my wuldly Est. boath Reall and Personall I dispose of it as followeth Imprimis All my Jst debts and funerall Charges being paid by my wife whom I make my Sole Executrix my will and i do will and bequeath unto my Eldest Son John Mead the Just Sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredy Given him to be paid by my Executrix. 2 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my Son Joseph Mead ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 3 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my Son Ebenezer Mead ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 4 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my Son Jonathan Mead ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 5 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my Son David Mead ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 6 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my Son Benjamin Mead ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 7 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my Son Nathaniel Mead ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 8 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my Son Samuell Mead ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 9 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my daughter Hannah Scofull ye full & Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 10 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my daughter Abegaile ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 11 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my daughter Mary ye Just sum of five Shilings besides what I have alredie given him to be paid by my Executrix. 12 my will is and I do will and bequeath unto my dear & Loveing Hannah Mead all my Estate and personall which I have not disposed of to my children ether by will or gift: She paying the severall Legacies as before Exprest for her Comfortable subsistance in this world and to be whooly at her dispose to distribute Lastly my will is that my Sons Joseph Ebenezer and Benjamen be overseers to se yt this my Last will and Testament be fully and Carefully performed to se yt their mother be Carefully provided for In Confermation Yt this is my Last will and Testament I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this 16 of March 1695-6 John---I----Mead his mark Signed and Sealed Inthe presents of us Sallomon TreatZackariah Mead The above written will was acknowlidged by John Mead to be his own free act and deed this 24 March 1697 in Stamford before me. Jonathan Bell Commiss r

1.   Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton). History of Fairfield County, Connecticut: with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States: J.W. Lewis, 1881)
   26.
2.   Mead, Spencer P. (Spencer Percival). Ye Historie of ye Town of Greenwich, County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut: With Genealogical Notes on the Adams, Avery, Banks, Betts, Brown, Brundage, Brush, Budd, Bush, Close, Davis, Dayton, Denton, Ferris, Finch, Green, Hendrie, Hobby, Holly, Holmes, Horton, Howe, Hubbard, Husted, Ingersoll, Knapp, Lockwood, Lyon, Marshall, Mead, Merritt, Mills, Palmer, Peck, Purdy, Reynolds, Ritch, Rundle, Sackett, Scofield, Selleck, Seymour, Sherwood, Slater, Smith, Studwell, Sutherland, Sutton, Todd, Waring, Waterbury, Webb, Weed, White, Wilcox, Wilson, and Worden Families. (New York: Knickerbocker Press, 1911)
   p26-27.

   John Mead made his first purchase of land in the Town of Greenwich from Richard Crab, as appears from the following deed found on the town records :
   These presents witnesseth an agreement made betwene Richerd Crab, of Grenwich, on ye one side, and John Mead, of Heamstead, on Long Island, on ye other side, viz. : Ye said Richerd Crab hath sould unto ye sd John Mead all his houses and Lands, yt sd Richerd Crab hath in Greenwich with all ye Apurtenances, Rights, & Privileges, & Con veniences, yt doth belong unto ye sd houses & Lands, or shall here after belong unto them, viz. : ye house yt Richerd Crab liveth in, ye house yt Thomas Studwell liveth in, with ye Barne yt is on ye side of ye hye waye ; also ye home lott yt ye house stands on, being bounded with a fence lying about them on ye northwest, against ye house lott; also Eightene Acres of Land in Elizabeth neck, more or less, being bounded by ye sea on ye east and southeast, and a fence on ye west, northwest, and ye north. Also ye Rig, with 5 acres of Meadow lying in it, more or less; ye rig being bounded by ye Sea on ye southeast, william low on ye east, and ye fence on ye northwest, & north ye hye waye & hethcut's & angell Heusteds on ye west ; also 3 acres
   of meadow in ye long meadow, & 1 acre of meadow by Ferris, bounded by Jeffere Ferris land on ye southeast, and ye cove on ye west and northwest ; also 5 acres of meadow in myanos neck, all ye above spesiffied I do hereby acknoledge to have sould unto ye above sd John Mead, his heaires and asignes, fully and freely to be possest forever, and for ye quiet and full performance hereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my hand, anno 1660, October 26 Daye. John Mead married Hannah, daughter of William Potter of Stamford. Her father afterwards owned Shippan Point, and through her he received a considerable amount of property.