Person:John Meador (22)

Biography

John, son of Thomas and Sarah Meador, was probably born about 1658, presumably in Old Rappahannock County, Virginia, where his parents lived.

John's father died while John was still young. In April 1662, before her remarriage, his mother declared her obligation to her three children. She promised them four years of schooling each (the norm was one year). She also gave her son John Meador a yoke of oxen and "one gun, seven foot by the barrel", to be delivered to him when he came of age.

John Meador married Elizabeth White, daughter of Richard and Addra White, sometime between July 1677 (when she signed as witness to a deed) and February 1678 (when she and John Meador were deeded the plantation of her father.[5] They had seven known children, Richard, Thomas, Rachel, Elizabeth, Hope, Esther, and John.

During this period (1679-1694) John engaged in a number of property transactions, selling land inherited from his father, purchasing other land, and receiving land grants for headright land grants.[6]

Virginia Deeds

p.193: Swallow Forked on both ears overkeeled on the right ear pr pr marke of the catle belonging to Susanna Meador daughter of Thomas Meador decd cropt on the right ear and a slitt in the crop and underkeeled in same ear and a hole in the left ear is the ppr mark of the catle belonging to Mary Meador daughter of Thomas Meador decd. A flower de Luce on the right ear and cropt on the left ear is the proper mark of catle belonging to John Meador Son of Thomas Meador dec'd. ^[1]

1665 Feb 22 - Old Rappahannock Co, Va - (1665-1667), p.110 The Mke [mark] of John Meaders Son of Thomas Meaders upon Hodgkins Creek one black heifer - one cow black coloured - one sow pigg this mark is the flower de luce on the left ear and on the right ear a half moon and a slitt this to be recorded for John Meaders with both male and female increase - Recorded: 22 Feb 1665^[1]

1690 Apr 21 - Old Rappahannock Co, Va - Patents No. 8:40 John Meador, 50a. on the South side of Rappahannock River adjoining his own and Henry Awbrey's land. (Note: Henry Awbrey was the step-father of John Meador. John's mother Sarah had re-married Awbrey after his father's death). - a headright grant of 50 acres for transportation of one person to the colony adjoining his own land and that of Henry Awbrey on the main "swamp" of Hoskins Creek].^[4]

John's wife Elizabeth died before the end of 1694. On 10 December 1695, before his second marriage, John made a deed of gift to the children of his first marriage.

Abstract of Deed of Gift of John Meador to his children of his first marriage

Know all men by these presents that I, John Meador Senior widower, in ye county of Essex in ye Parish of South Farnham, for ye love I bear to my children that I had by my wife Elizabeth [White] Meador deceased, I doe hereby give them such parsell of land that I shall set downe severall by themselves. . . . .

my son Richard Meador and my son John Meador . . . .

my son Thomas Meador . . . .

to my son Hope Meador. . . .

my daughter Rachell Meador. . . .

my daughter Elizabeth Meader. . . . & my daughter Esther Meader. . . .

The land given unto my sons and daughters never to be sold nor disposed of but to ramaine from heir to heir as long as there can be one of ye Meaders found alive, . . . .

Witness my hand and seale this tenth day of December, 1694.. /s/ John Meader (Seale)..

Wit: Mary (X) Gorbell, Joseph (F) Calloway:^[2][3]

John married his second wife (supposedly Mary Awbrey, although no reliable evidence has been found for her name), probably very soon after making his deed of gift to the children of his first wife. He and and his second wife had six known children, Dinah, Jonas, Mary, Joshua, Jason, and Job Meador, beginning a tradition of naming the boys of the family with names starting with the letter "J".

On 17 October 1721, feeling unwell, John signed his will. He died soon after, and the will was entered into probate on 21 November 1721. (See text below)

Will Transcript

Essex County, Va. Wills, Inv Adm fo Estates No3^[2]

"In the name of God, Amen, I John Meador of Essex County being sick and weak in body, but of sound mind and perfect memory, blessed by God, therefore do make and form following:

"First and principall, I commend my soul unto the hands that giveth, hoping by the meritorious death and passion of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ to receive full pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and offences and a joyful resurrection in the last da: and my body decently to be buried at the direction of my excutors hereafter name. And as for my worldly good:

Item I give to my son Thomas Meador, one shilling

Item I give to my daughter Rachell Jordan, one shilling

Item I give to my daughter Elizabeth Armstong, one shilling

Item I give to my daugher Dinah Tribble one shilling

Item My desire is that my five sons shal keep their own guns without appraising

Item I give to my son Jonas Meador, a small piece of land joining upon Thomas Evinses land and running up to the church that goes from my house , then up a long? road a small course till it comes to the forks of the branch fo where it begins and from the forks to ye first beginning. And the rest of my land I give to my other four sons, bo be equally divided with all my houses and orchards thereon belonging and I do appoint my two sons Job and Jason my lawful executors

Item I give to my son Joshua Meador on chest to be apprasied and the rest of my estate to be equally divided among my children and leave my two youngest sons to be age at 17. I do leave my son Jonas Meador to look after them 3 years. And my will not to be in force till my death Witness my hand and seal Oct 17, 1721.

(Signed) John Meador seal

Probated 21 Nov 1721

Tests:

Samuel Waggoner

Francis F Poarris

Ann A Bradbury

Present for Probate Nov 21,1721 by Jonas Meador during the minority of the executor in the said will mentioned, with oaths by Samuel Waggoner, Francis Pierce and Ann Bradbury per VPM

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Http://www.reocities.com/janet ariciu/Meador.html.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11} Meador, Victor P. (Victor Paul), and Bernal M. Meador. Our Meador families in colonial America: as found in the records of Isle of Wight, Lancaster, (old) Rappahannock, Richmond, Essex and Caroline Counties, Virginia. (Independence, Missouri: V.P. Meador, 1983)
   pp. 51-61.

   - John Meador, son of Thomas Meador and Sarah Hoskins, was probably born about 1658, as he was of legal age by August 1679.
   - In April 1662, Sarah Meador, widow of Thomas Meador the Younger, declared her obligation to her three children. She promised them four years of schooling each (the norm was one year). She also gave her son John Meador a yoke of oxen and "onge gun, seven foot by the barrel", to be delivered to him when he came of age. John probably spent his childhood with his mother and step-father, Henry Awbrey, on Awbrey's plantation on Hoskins Creek.
   - on Feb 1678 John and his wife Elizabeth were deeded the plantation of her father, Richard White (with his wife Addra) "out of kindness and affection" for the care and maintenance of himself and his wife
   - The 320 acre grant on the south side of Hoskins Creek granted to Thomas Meador in 1663 was sold by John Meador, son of Thomas Meador, in 1679.
   - received an additional 190 acres for transportation of four persons to the colony ((Patent Book 7, p. 588, 20 Apr 1687)
   - 1689 - John Meador purchased from Edwin Thacker of Middlesex County 105 acres which adjoined the 450 acres of land deeded by Richard White
   - received 50 acres headlight grant on 21 Apr 1690 for land adjoining his and that of Henry Awbry on the main "swamp of Hoskins Creek
   - Deed of gift to his children by Elizabeth on 10 Dec 1695
   - In his will, probated 11 October 1697, Richard Awbrey mentions his brother John Meador, his sister Susannah McGuire, wife of Phillip McGuire, and Francis Gouldman (husband of Mary Meador).
   - Elizabeth White Meador died before the end of 1694. On 10 December 1695, John Meador, anticipating a second marriage, made a deed of gift dividing the bulk of his land among his children: Richard, Thomas, John Jr., and Hope, Rachel, Elizabeth and Esther.

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Land Grants - John and Thomas Meador, June Bork, 18 Feb 2001, in RootsWeb Archiver
   accessed 18 Aug 2014.

   1694 Dec 10 - Essex Co, VA - Deeds & Wills (1692-5), p.332
   Know all men by these presents that I, John Meador Senior widower, in ye county of Essex in ye Parish of South Farnham, for ye love I bear to my children that I had by my wife Elizabeth [White] Meador deceased, I doe hereby give them such parsell of land that I shall set downe severall by themselves.
   
   All ye land that I have on ye West side of a branch that goeth by ye name of a great branch I do give to my son Richard Meador and my son John Meador it shall be divided as I shall see fit between them as near as I can divide it to they and their heirs lawfully begotten of their owne bodies for ever.
   
   A parcell of land beginning at a Cole Spring by my orchard fence and running West and by north till it meets with ye great branch, so along ye great branch till it comes to ye maine swamp of ye creeke, then downe ye swamp till it comes to ye Cole Spring branch, then up ye branch where it begun, being a long neck of land, I do give to my son Thomas Meador and his heirs lawfully begotten of his owne body for ever.
   
   A parcell of land beginning at my uppermost line by John Evans land by ye head of a branch at a marked White oake and running downe ye branch till it meets with ye maine swamp ye branch being crooked all ye lands that I have within my bounds of ye east side of that branch being a great deal of old fields belonging to it I doe give to my son Hope Meador and his heirs lawfully begotten of his body forever.
   
   I doe give to my daughter Rachell Meador one hundred and five acres of land that I bought of Mr. Edwin Thacker to she and her heirs for ever.
   
   A parcell of land lyeing into the neck the north side of the Creek which my father in law Richard White gave to me by deed of Gift I doe by the virtue of that Deed of Gift I doe give to my daughter Elizabeth Meader ye second neck & my daughter Esther Meader the neck that has ye Housing and orchards to them and their heirs lawfully begotten of their owne bodies forever.
   
   The land given unto my sons and daughters never to be sold nor disposed of but to ramaine from heir to heir as long as there can be one of ye Meaders found alive, if it ye Lords will to call any of my sons or daughters before me and any of them shall dye before me, ye land of ye deed to returne to me again to my disposing.
   
   I doe reserve & except myself Timber upon any parts of ye land for my own use as long as I live as Witness my hand and seale this tenth day of December, 1694.. /s/ John Meader (Seale)..
   Wit: Mary (X) Gorbell, Joseph (F) Calloway

4. ↑ ^4.0 4.1 Meador, John. grantee, Land grant 21 April 1690, in Land Office Grants, online catalog, Library of Virginia
   accessed 25 Aug 2014.

   Meador, John. grantee, Land grant 21 April 1690
   Location: Rappahannock County (extinct).
   Description: 50 acres on the South side of Rappahannock River. Adjoining his own and Henry Awbrey’s land.
   Source: Land Office Patents No. 8, 1689-1695, p. 40 (Reel 8)
   Patent image of original

5.   Meador, Victor P. (Victor Paul). Meador families of Virginia : and points west. (Independence, Missouri: V.P. Meador, c1989).

   - about 1662, John inherited his father's lands on Hoskins Creek in Essex County, VA

6. ↑ Meador, Daniel Burton. Genealogical records of some members of the Meador family: who are descendants of Thomas Meador of Virginia. (Fairhope, Alabama: D.B. Meador, c1968 (North Newton, Kan. : Mennonite Press)).

   from: Grants in Land Office, Virginia
   - Indenture 7 Augusut 1679, John Meador of Farnham Parrish, Rappa. Co., planter, for two breeding mares . . . a certain parcel of land in Rappa. Co. of 370 acres on the S. side of Hoskins Creek with neighbors John gillet and John Gregory . . . being the 300 acres grantyed from Sr. Wilm. Berkely 1663 to Thomas Meader & father of the aforesaid John Meader. Signed, John Meader and Elizabeth Meader, his wife
   Witnesses: Jacob Johnson, Richard White
   4 February 1679

7. ↑ Land Grants - John and Thomas Meador, June Bork, 18 Feb 2001, in RootsWeb Archiver, Meadows, 2005-09, 1126805929
   accessed 22 Sep 2014.

   From "Cavaliers and Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, Vol. 2: 1666-1695," Virginia State Library, Richmond, Va, 1977:
   190 acres for transporting of 4 persons: John Chambers, JOSEPH CALLAWAY, Robert Duell, John Warrener.
   . . . . JOSEPH (F) his mark CALLAWAY and a Mary (X) Gorbell witnessed the Deed of Gift that JOHN MEADOR SENIOR, widower made on 10 Dec 1694 to his children