Person:Edda Meadows (4)

Many undocumented postings on the internet (and probably elsewhere) give Edda a birthdate of about 1810, and make her the second daughter of Isom Meadows. Her sister Keziah is usually cited as being the older daughter, born about 1800. However, there are at least two reasons to suggest that Edda is the oldest daughter, born about 1800 (or before August 1800 when the 1800 Census was taken), and that her sister Keziah was the second of Isom's three daughters.

The first reason is based on the 1840 Census. At that time both Edda and her sister Keziah were married and living in different states with their husbands. Edda's husband George Marlow's household includes a female between the ages of 40-49, which would support a birthdate of either 1800 or 1810 for Edda.^[1] However her sister Keziah's husband Isaac Wood's household includes a female between the ages of 30-39, which makes Keziah younger than Edda by as much as 10 years. In other words, Edda is the daughter in the 1800 census, not Keziah, and the oldest of Isom's daughters, born about 1800.

The second reason is based on the Revolutionary War Widow's Pension Application of Frances Alsop Meadows Wallace, widow first of Isom Meadows' cousin and then of John Wallace.^[4] In her application Frances describes her marriage to John Wallace as follows:

Conerning the marriage of me and John Wallace we lived in knox County ky know cald Whitley County tho we were married in Tennessee State County I doe not remember the reason we went to Tennessee it was a great del nearer than it was to the County Ceit in knox where we lived we was married in Jan in or about the year 1812 [sic - elsewhere she says 15 January 1813]—old John Meadows Isom Meadows and daughter Edy Meadows and Isah Meadows James Lasley all in the same neighborhood betwixt Cumberland river and Jillico Creek

The most likely place of marriage, as described by Frances, would be Campbell County, Tennesse, where the county seat could be reached by following the Cumberland River downstream. Edda seems to be the only other female in the party, and it is highly unlikely that she would have been making such a journey and acting as a witness to a marriage if she were born about 1810 and no more than two or three years of age. On the other hand, a girl of twelve or thirteen would be considered nearly grown and quite capable of making the journey, while still having fewer demands on her time and attention at home.

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Indiana, Warren County, in United States. 1840 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M704).

   George Marlow, 1 m>5 [Marcus], 2 m 5-9 [William, Isom], 1 m 10-14 [Jackson], 2 m 15-19 [Solomon, Isaac], 1 m 40-49 [George]; 1 f 40-50 [Edda]

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 Fayetteville, Anson County, North Carolina , in United States. 1800 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M32).

   Isham Medders Sr, 1 m<10 [Riley], 1 m 26-44, 1 f<10 [Edda], 1 f 16-25

3. ↑ Kentucky, Knox County, in United States. 1810 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M252).

   Isom Meadows, 4 males under 10 [William, Thomas, John, Isaiah], 1 male 26-44, 1 female under 10 [Keziah], 1 female 10-15 [Edda], 1 female 26-44

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Frances Wallace Pension Application, in Meadows Family Documents.
5. ↑ Indiana, Lawrence County, in United States. 1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33).

   E. George Marlow, 1 m under 10 [Wesley], 1 male 16-24 [George], 1 female under 10 [Lavina], 1 female 16-24 [Edda]

6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 Montgomery County (Indiana) Deed Records; Montgomery County Recorder’s Office, Crawfordsville, Indiana
   Volume 1 Nov 1823-Oct 1830.

   p. 67 - Indenture 14 Nov 1825
   Between George Marlow and Eddy his wife of Montgomery County, Indiana
   And William DeWitt (son of John DeWitt and Mary his wife) of same place
   Who aid $200 for
   Land on the Waters of Sugar Creek (Land District of Terre Haute)
   W1/2 of the SE1/4, S32, T9N, R5W
   Signed George x his mark Marlow, Eady x her mark Marlow
   Witnesses Wm Bratton JP, Mary H. Bratton; Recorded 6 Dec 1825
   
   p. 284 - Indenture 1 Feb 1828
   Between George Marlow and Edea his wife of Montgomery County, Indiana
   And Daniel Mosberger of same place
   Who paid $200 for
   The W1/2 of the SW1/4, S2, T19N, R5W, containing 80 acres
   Signed George x his mark Marlow, Edea x her mark Marlow
   Witnesses P. M. Curry JP, B. Taylor

7. ↑ Isham Meadows Probate Record, in Meadows Family Documents.
8. ↑ Indiana, Montgomery County, in United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M19).

   Marlow, George, 2 males under 5 [Isom, Jackson], 2 males 5-10 [Solomon, Isaac], 1 male 10-15 [Wesley], 1 male 30-40 [George], 1 female 5-10 [Louisa], 1 female 10-15 [Lavina], 1 female 30-40 [Edda]

9. ↑ Montgomery County (Indiana) Deed Records; Montgomery County Recorder’s Office, Crawfordsville, Indiana
   Volume 6, Part 2, Aug 1836-Mar 1854.

   p. 426
   Indenture 23 November 1836
   Between George Marlow and Ede his wife of Montgomery County, Indian
   And John Mc[J]imsey of the same place
   Who paid $500 for
   The East 1/2 of the SW 1/4, S14, T20N, R6W (Crawfordsville Land Office), containing 80 acres more or less
   Signed George x his mark Marlow, Ede x her mark Marlow
   Witnesses Elisha McMillan, Samuel Kirkpatrick
   Recorded 3 May 1837