0169. Moses Avery Meader (1802 – 1890)

Moses Avery Meader, son of Paul Meader (1765-1842) [0068] and Deborah Knight (  –  ), was born in Rumney, NH December 18, 1802 and died in Santa Cruz, California October 13, 1890 in his 88th year.

He married:
1)     Sarah Blood about 1830. They lived in the Clough house on Pond Road, Center Haverhill, NH. From there they moved to Lisbon, Grafton, NH. In 1846 they sailed for California via Cape Horn with the intention of Joining a colony of Mormons there, but the discovery of gold, soon after their arrival, changed their plans, and they settled in Santa Cruz. He was reported to be immensely wealthy and a heavy contributor to the Mormon Church. She died in 1872.
The children of Moses Meader and Sarah Blood were:
0303 i. Angeline Meader, possibly born in California in 1847.
ii. Sarah Meader, born in California, who died in her third year.
2)     Olive Sinnett, born in Harpswell, Sagadahoc, ME November 10, 1837. They were probably married in Santa Cruz about 1873. They had no children.

The Santa Cruz Standard wrote this obituary:

“Moses Avery Meader died at his residence, corner of Lincoln and Washington Streets. He had been in feeble health for several months. His parents were farmers of English descent, and he followed the same business. At the age of 27 he married Sarah Blood. At about this time he read Hastings' Hey of California and became interested. Learning that a vessel was about to sail from New York to California, he and his wife took passage January 1, 1846, and arrived at Yerba Buena Island on August 1, 1846. Soon after his arrival Captain Isaac Graham engaged him to come to Santa Cruz to help him repair a sawmill on Layante Creek. He arrived at Santa Cruz in February, 1847 and began to work. He sent to San Francisco for his wife and child to join him. They lived in the lumber region a year or two, and when the mill was finished he engaged to build another in the San Lorenzo [Alameda, California] area.

“Just at this time gold was discovered, and nearly everyone started for the mines. Graham rented the San Lorenzo mill to him on favorable terms. Otis Ashley of Felton [Santa Cruz] went into business with him. They made lumber, which in those days was worth considerable money. He sold lumber for $300 per thousand feet. He sold the quartermaster at Monterey 50,000 feet at $150 per thousand. Having lumber always ready to sell at the right time, he realized a handsome profit.

“After some speculations he moved to Santa Cruz, occupying a house near the Courthouse. Dr. Stephenson, who owned the property, became County Recorder.

“When California became a state and J. L. Major Treasurer, Major having no place for the county money turned it over to Dr. Stephenson, who gave it to Meader. He put it in a chest under his bed until the county officials could make better arrangements.

“His first wife dying in 1872, he married a second and lived with her many years in the residence where he died. He was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but he was not a believer of the doctrine of Brigham Young. He believed that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and that the Book of Mormon was a true history. He did not believe in a plurality of wives, but he strictly believed the commands of the Book of Mormon.

“He gave liberally to all denominations of Christians. His contributions to his own church for many years were from $200 to $500 annually.”