William Francis Meader, son of John Meader (1807-1857) [0149] and Mary Thompson (1808-1889), was born April 17, 1839 in Rochester, NH [Although his gravestone in Minneapolis reads that he was born in 1838, other evidence indicates that 1839 is accurate.] He died in Minneapolis in October, 1915. October 13, 1869 he married Jane Almy Stephens of Minneapolis, born October 27, 1845 the daughter of Bryant and Ann Stephens.

He moved to Minneapolis in 1871, and with his brother Albert and with R. H. Pinkham [source gives first name of Robert and Richard] entered into a trading business there. He later owned and operated a sawmill in Hawkins, WI with his son William Clarence from 1907 to 1909. He and his wife went to Stuttgart, Germany in 1911 to visit their son George who was then a leading tenor in the Royal Opera. They returned in 1913, and he retired.